corn snake

 

Corn Snake
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animal Phylum: Chordata Class: Sauropsida Order: Squamata Suborder: Serpentes Family: Colubridae Genus: Elaphe Species: E. guttata
Binomial name
Elaphe guttata Linnaeus, 1766

The Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata guttata) or Red Rat Snake (Pantherophis guttatus) is a species of Rat Snake. A Corn Snake suffocates its prey by wrapping its body around it. Constricting prey is a basic instinct for snakes and they will perform this action in the wild and in captivity. Like any animal its temperament and behavior is different for each snake. Corn snakes are generally docile and make excellent pets. Their average adult length is about 1.2 to 1.8 metres (4–6 ft) fully grown, and they can live up to 20 years. They are found throughout the south-eastern and central United States as well as parts of Mexico. The name 'Corn Snake' refers to the splotched pattern on its belly, which resembles Indian maize. Some, however, believe it is because they are often found in corn fields where they search for rodent prey.

Subspecies

There are two subspecies of Pantherophis guttatus:

• Common Corn Snake (Pantherophis guttatus) is prevalent in the southeastern United States and is distinguished by having orange skin with red blotches, the blotches having black borders.
• Great Plains Rat Snake or Emory's Rat Snake (Pantherophis emoryi) is found in the United States from Nebraska to Texas, and into northern Mexico.^[1]

Corn snakes are constrictors.

Taxonomy

In 2002, all North American rat snakes of the genus Elaphe were suggested for reclassification into the genus Pantherophis, thus changing the scientific name of the Corn Snake from Elaphe guttata to Pantherophis guttatus, however many people have not accepted the change, and it is still widely referred to as Elaphe.

In 2003 Herpetological Review rejected the change from Elaphe to Pantherophis on the basis that further research was needed. Furthermore, the International Committee for Zoological Nomenclature has not ruled on the change. Taxonomic changes do not become official until they are approved by the ICZN, until such time any published articles with reclassification of the taxonomic names are regarded as taxonomic suggestions. Official taxonomy, whether used or not, remains with the older nomenclature until changes are approved by the ICZN.

Natural habitat

Wild Corn Snakes prefer habitats such as overgrown fields, forest openings, trees, and abandoned or seldom used buildings and farms, from sea level up to as high as 6,000 feet. They can be found in the South Eastern USA ranging from New Jersey to the Florida keys and as far west as Texas.

Habits

In the wild, Corn Snakes tend to be quite secretive and appear mostly at night (nocturnal) or during the twilight hours (crepuscular). During daylight hours they may be found hiding under loose tree bark and beneath logs, rocks, and other debris. In colder regions, snakes hibernate during winter. However, in the more temperate climate along the coast they shelter in rock crevices and logs during cold weather and come out on warm days to soak up the heat of the sun. During cold weather, snakes are less active and therefore hunt less.

Diet

Corn Snakes have a diet primarily consisting of rodents, but they are proficient climbers and may scale trees in search of birds and bats. As litters of infant mice are difficult to find in nature, many neonate Corn Snakes are known to eat small lizards as their first meals, and Carolina anoles are the preferred choice.^{[citation needed]} Some individuals retain these dietary tendencies well into adulthood. Pet Corn Snakes are usually fed by their owners on a diet of commercially available rodents, predominantly mice, though larger specimens may eat rat "pups".

As pets

The Corn Snake was one of the first snakes to be kept in captivity of humans.^[2] Corn snakes are one of the most common snakes available in the pet trade due to their gentle nature, ease of care, low maintenance, manageable size, lack of fangs, non-venomous, and the wide variety of patterns, colors, and morphs available to choose from. These snakes are excellent escape artists and will escape their enclosure if not properly fastened. More beginners lose their snakes to escapes than death.^[3] Large numbers are bred annually ensuring that there is a large captive-bred population, lifting the need to collect specimens from the wild.

Hatchling Corn Snakes are often kept in small deli-cups for the first few months of their lives. Once purchased, a 5 to 10 gallon (19 to 38 L) aquarium or similar-sized plastic tub makes a suitable home. It is very important to have a housing with absolutely no chance of escape. Corn snakes are very good at climbing and squeezing out of very small holes. They can also use their bodies to push the screen top off of poorly fitted aquarium. As they grow they will require more space. The minimum recommended size of housing for an adult is a 20 gallon (76 liter) tank. A 40 gallon (152 L) is a good recommended size and will provide the adult snake room for exercise and room to move. Keep in mind, however, that Corn Snakes will become stressed out in too large of a cage, it is a good idea to use plants and many hiding spots in a large tank so that the snake will feel secure.

It is very important to have proper heating for Corn Snakes to aid in the proper digestion of food inside of their stomach. If proper heating is not met, the snake can regurgitate its previously eaten meals and can lead to death if repeated too many times. A heat gradient from 70–75 °F (21–24 °C) on one end of the housing to 80–85 °F (26–29 °C) on the other is optimal to allow the snake to regulate its body temperature. Heat can be provided by a snake specific temperature controlled under tank heating pads or well protected basking lights. Snakes are prone to burns from too hot heat pads or exposed light bulbs that are inside of the enclosure. A thermostat or rheostat is essential to regulate the heat source. If the temperature controlled under tank heating pads are not thermostat or rheostat controlled it is very possible for the pad to reach 130 °F, which will burn the snake. The snake will not avoid these extremely hot heat sources because of the lack of feeling they have on their scales. Heat lamps can be turned off at night and temperatures can dip as low at 65 °F (18 °C) but it is preferred that the temperatures stay constant. Lights should be turned off at night to allow a natural light and darkness cycle, though dim red or blue lights can be used at night time.

Aspen or cypress shavings make great bedding, reptile carpet, newsprint or paper towel also work. Corn snakes love to dwell and dig under the substrate to give themselves a sense of security. Feces should be removed by spot cleaning regularly and the whole tank should be washed and disinfected periodically. All of the bedding should be replaced at the time of a full tank cleaning.

Cohabitation is a hotly debated issue, many critics believe it is stressful for Corn Snakes as they are not naturally communal animals. There are also health concerns from premature breeding and egg binding to regurgitation issues and spreading of parasites like mites. Cannibalism is very uncommon but not unheard of, often caused by feeding snakes in the same enclosure. Others have had success with cohabitation but even then most proponents of the idea discourage against housing more than 2 or 3 adults together and snakes of opposite gender should not be housed together beyond 12-18 months to prevent pre-mature breeding. Additional hiding places should be provided for snakes seeking solitude.

Juveniles can be fed pinky mice once or twice weekly; adults do well on large mice once every 1 or 2 weeks. A general rule for food size is that up to 1+¹⁄₂ the snake's body girth is acceptable. Handling should be avoided for a full 48 hours or until the meal is digested and no lump can be seen in the snake's belly. Many owners suggest feeding in a bin outside of the snake's housing so that there is no chance of the snake of accidentally ingesting its bedding which can lead to impaction of the item in its internal digestive system and can lead to death. Corn Snakes should always be fed alone and not with another snake. If two snakes try to feed on the same prey they can inadvertently eat each other. Previously frozen and then thawed out prey vs live prey is another debated topic, however feeding frozen/thawed mice instead of live prey is advisable for snakes in captivity due to the risk of injury.^[4] Live mice and rats have sharp teeth and claws and they can use them in a defensively manner against Corn snakes - this can result in serious injury or death. It is also considered to be animal cruelty and therefore illegal to feed live prey in some nations, such as The United Kingdom.^[5]

The below chart is a good general guideline to accurately feed your Corn Snake with mice to provide the much needed nutrition it needs. Prey should not be bigger than 1+¹⁄₂ the snake's body girth. Each snake is different and you should adjust the snake's meals size, quantity, and the frequency accordingly.

Snake weight	Mouse Type	Mouse weight	Frequency
4–15 g	Single Pinky	2–3 g	4–5 days
16–23 g	Double Pinky	2–3 g times two	4–5 days
24–30g	Small fuzzies	5–7 g	5–6 days
30–50 g	Regular fuzzies	7–9 g	5–6 days
51–90 g	Hoppers	9–12 g	5–6 days
91–170 g	Weaned	14–20 g	7 days
170–400 g	Adult	24–30 g	7 to ? days
400g+	Jumbo Adults	40–50 g	7 to ? days

Chart provided by D. Arnold

Note: Adult females are fed more frequently than adult males (especially following brumation.) The weight ranges for the prey and snakes are approximate. Instead of feeding two pinkies it is possible to substitute them for a single large pinky, often about 50–100% larger than small pinkies. When buying food in bulk it is difficult to guesstimate how many of a specific size mice is needed until the snake is large enough to move onto the next size. It is acceptable to feed two mice in one single feeding if the snake does not show a significant lump in its stomach after feeding and the owner has leftover prey items. However, this should not be practiced for a long period of time due to the fact that a single larger prey item will contain more nutrients than two smaller prey items. The snake will benefit from the addition nutrients of the larger prey versus the two smaller items.

Some larger females have been known to consume up to six large mice in one feeding. There have also been reports of an aggressive Corn Snake killing two mice at one time, one in its mouth the second coiled in its long body.

Corn snakes need a water dish big enough to soak their whole body in and need to have access to clean water at all times. Many cities and towns have water that is unsuitable for Corn Snakes so it is advisable to use bottled water or to use a reptile water conditioner to make the water safe for the snake to drink. Unfiltered water can lead to dehydration, digestive issues and other various health problems.

Reproduction

• Oviparous

Variations

After many generations of selective breeding, domesticated Corn Snakes are found in a wide variety of different colors and patterns. These result from recombining the dominant and recessive genes that code for proteins involved in chromatophore development, maintenance or function. New and interesting variations, or morphs become available every year as breeders gain a better understanding of the genetics involved.

Color morphs

• Normal or Wildtype Corn Snakes are orange with black lines around red colored saddle markings going down their back with black and white checkered bellies. Regional diversity is found wild caught Corn Snakes, most popular are Miami and Okeetee.
• Miami Corn (Florida wildtype) These are usually a smallish Corn Snake with better specimens having high contrasting light silver to gray ground color with orange blotches surrounded in black. Selective breeding has lightened the ground color and darkened the blotches. The "Miami" name, coined by Rich Zuchowski, now is considered an appearance trait. Many Miami Corn Snakes are difficult to start feeding as hatchlings, as they prefer lizards. Miami corns, unlike other varieties, will often readily accept anoles as food for life. This can simplify feeding for residents of Florida, but care should be taken to avoid introducing parasites from wild caught food.
• Okeetee Corns (classic corns, South Carolina wildtype) These snakes are characterized by deep red dorsal blotches surrounded by very black borders. The ground color varies with bright orange being the most desirable. As with the Miami phase, selective breeding has changed the term "Okeetee" to an appearance trait rather than a local designation. Over hunting in their natural range for the pet trade has caused a decline in wild Okeetee specimens. Responsible purchasers should seek captive bred Okeetees.
• Amelanistic (sometimes called red albino) Corn Snakes, produced from a single recessive genetic mutation, show wide variations in colors. They can be almost solid orange, to a dark orange on a light orange background, or red/orange on a very light background. These varying color schemes are due to reflective cells in the skin and iridophores which may contribute to subtle shades of color. These red eyed snakes lack the melanin pigment.
• Candy Cane (selectively bred Amelanistic) Corn Snakes are created with the goal of obtaining bright red blotches on a white background. Some on the market originate solely from selectively breeding Miami corns. Others are produced using light creamsicle (emory/albino corn hybrids x corn) bred with Miami phase corns. Most candy canes develop orange coloration around the neck region as they mature. Their bright red markings as hatchlings often fade with maturity.
• Reverse Okeetee (Selectively bred Amelanistic) an amelanistic okeetee Corn Snake which has the normal black rings around blotches replaced with wide white rings. Most are high contrast snakes with light orange to yellow background and dark orangish/red saddles. Note: Albino Okeetees are not okeetees, they are selectively bred amelanistics
• Sunglow (selectively bred Amelanistic) another designer albino corn that lacks the usual white speckling that often appears in most albinos. The orange background surrounds dark orange blotches.
• Anerythristic (Anerythristic A, Sometimes called black albino) are the compliment to amelanism. The inherited recessive mutation of lacking erythrin (red, yellow, and orange) pigments produce a snake that is mostly black and gray. When mature, many type A anerythristic Corn Snakes develop yellow on their neck regions. In 1984 a wild caught Type B anerythristic Corn Snake was caught which is the ancestor of anerythristics missing the yellow neck regions. Similar snakes include: stonewashed -- copper or light brown blotches; charcoal (aka muted anerythristic, Pine Island anerythristic)-- type B anerythristic, very low contrast with shaded of gray on white and black background.
  

  

  Anerythristic A Corn Snake
• Charcoal These Anerythristic type 'B' snakes are lacking the yellow color pigment usually found in all Corn Snakes. This morph is the starter for blizzard corns.
• Snow (Amelanistic + Anerythristic A) As hatchlings this color variation is composed of white and pink blotches. These predominantly white snakes tend to have yellow neck and throat regions when mature. Light blotches and background colors have subtle shades of beige, ivory, pink, green, or yellow.
• Blizzard (Amelanistic + Anerythristic B) corns resulted from a type B anerythristic corn caught in 1984. Blizzards are a totally white snake with very little to no visible pattern.
• Hypomelanistic or rosy Corn Snakes carry a recessive trait that reduces the dark pigments causing the reds, whites, and oranges to become more vivid. Their eyes remain dark. These snakes range in appearance between amelanistic corns snakes to normals with greatly reduced melanin.
• Ghost (Hypomelanistic + Anerythristic A) Corn Snakes are a hypomelanistic anerythristic (type A) snakes. They exhibit varying shades of grays, browns, and blacks on a lighter background. These often create pastel colors in: lavenders, pinks, oranges, and browns.
• Ultra Ultra-hypo is a hypomelanistic like gene that is co-dominant with the Amelanistic gene. Ultra Corn Snakes have light grey lines in place of black.
• Ultramel (Ultra + Amelanistic) Ultramel appear a lot like Amels and Ultras but due to the co-dominant gene, two bred together will produce Amels, Ultras and Ultramels.
• Bloodred Corn Snakes carry a recessive trait that eliminates ventral checkered patterns. These originated from a somewhat unicolor Jacksonville and Gainesville, Florida strain of Corn Snake. Through selective breeding, an almost solid ground color has been produced. Hatchlings have a slight pattern that fade as they mature into a solid orange red to ash red colored snake. The earlier bloodreds tend to have large clutches of smaller than average eggs that produce hard to feed offspring. Through out crossing with amelanistic and anerythristic corns hatchlings tend to be larger with fewer feeding problems.
• Pewter (Anerytheristic B + Bloodred) are silvery lavender with very slight blotches as adults.
• Caramel corns are another Rich Zuchowski engineered Corn Snake. The background is varying shades of yellow to yellow brown. Dorsal blotches vary from caramel yellow, brown, and rich chocolate brown.
• Butter corns (Amelanistic + Caramel) A two tone yellow Corn Snake with bits of white between markings.
• Amber (Hypomelanistic + Caramel) corns are a hypomelanistic caramel snake with amber markings on a brownish background.

• Gold Dust (Ultramel + Caramel) Gold dust corns often have a more golden yellow than butters mixed with the grey lines rather than white.
• Lavender Corn Snakes contain a light pink background with darker purple gray markings and burgundy eyes or lavender gray blotches on an orangish background. Variation with this same genetic strain are arguably called: mocha, cocoa, and chocolate.
• Opal (Amelanistic + Lavender) look like blizzard corns once mature with pink to purple highlights.
• Crimson (hypomelanistic + Miami) are very light high contrast snakes with a light background and dark reddish/orange blotches.
• Fluorescent orange develop white borders around bright red blotches as adults on an orange background.

Pattern morphs

• Aztec: blotches and spots are exhibited in various sizes
• Milksnake phase: banded blotches resembling coastal plains milk snake.
• Motley: exhibiting a line of light colored spots or fused blotches
• Striped phase: a single stripe running longitudinally from head to tail
• Zigzag (zipper): dorsal blotches connected forming a "zigzag" type pattern

Hybrids

• Root Beer are hybrids between a normal Corn Snake and a Great Plains Rat Snake (Emory's Rat Snake). Root Beer snakes look much like a sepia toned Corn Snake.
• Creamsicle are hybrids between an albino Corn Snake and an emory's rat snake/common corn cross. These snakes bring out the yellow and downplay the reds of the Corn Snake. Most are varying shades of yellow with darker yellow to orangish blotches. Clutches are generally smaller in number but produce larger more vigorous hatchlings. Creamsicle with less emory background and increased amelanistic corn generally have lighter backgrounds and red to orange saddles(red creamsicle).
• Jungle corns are hybrids using the Corn Snake and California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae). These show extreme pattern variations taking markings from both parents -- sometimes looking very similar to one parent or the other. However, as a hybrid of different species, these attractive snakes are typically sterile.

References

1. ^ Elaphe guttata emoryi (Great Plains Rat Snake)
2. ^ http://www.lawrencehallofscience.org/Biolab/wlhcornsnake.html Lawrence Hall of Science Biology Lab: Corn Snakes]
3. ^ The ubiquitous Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata guttata) by Petra Spiess of Rocky Mountain Herpetoculture
4. ^ Cornsnakes.com care sheet
5. ^ http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/committees/environment/or-06/ra06-1102.htm

• Pantherophis replaces Elaphe. Utiger, Helfenberger, Schatti, Schmidtkutrjytdf(2002) Russian Journal of Herpetology 9(2): 105-124.
• Taxonomy citation
• Animal Facts: CORN SNAKE
• Taxonomy Citation - Herpetological Review [1]

External links

• Comprehensive Corn Snake care information
• Corn Snake Pictures & Facts - A look at Corn Snake biology, history, and habits.
• American Cornsnake Registry
• The Cornsnake Morph Guide - identification and genetic guide for collectors and breeders
• Corn snake care sheet
• Corn Snakes information
• Corn Snake Care
• Corn Snakes

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