Range

North America is the home of the corn snake. Here they can be found throughout the southeastern United States.

Habitat

They will make their homes in overgrown fields, rocky hillsides, forest openings, woodlands, palmetto flatwoods and abandoned buildings.

Reproduction

Breeding takes place between March and May. Males will use tactile and chemical cues to attract a female. He may follow her for hours in an attempt to mate with her.

Following successful mating 10-30 eggs will be deposited into a rotting stump or pile of decaying vegetation. These are chosen as they will provide the heat needed to incubate the eggs.

Once she has deposited her eggs she is no longer associated with them. She will go off on her way.

60-65 days after they are laid the eggs will hatch. They break out using a specialized scale called the egg tooth which slices the egg shell open. At hatching they measure 25-38cm (10-15in) long. The colouration of each hatchling in a clutch may vary greatly.

Maturity is reached between 1.5 and 3 years old.

Behavior

Corn snakes are a diurnal species. While searching for prey they regularly take to the trees. Large portions of their time though is spent underground prowling through rodent burrows looking for prey. When not hunting they often take to hiding under loose bark and beneath logs, rocks and human debris.

Quick facts

This species is one of the world’s most commonly kept reptiles.

On occasion the corn snake is called the red rat snake.

More often than not it is believed that the way the checkered pattern of the snake’s belly resembles corn kernels was responsible for their name. In fact their presence near grain stores is the actual origin of this name.