Corn Snake

Corn Snake care at a glance

Adult length

0.9–1.5 m (3–4.9 ft)

Adult weight

400–900 g (14.1–31.7 oz)

Lifespan

15–20 years

Basking / warm side

29–31 °C (84–88 °F)

Cool side

22–26 °C (72–79 °F)

Night minimum

20 °C (68 °F)

Humidity

40–60%

UVB

Optional (low-level is beneficial)

Diet

Rodents

Activity

Crepuscular

Lifestyle

Terrestrial

Typical values from common keeping practice, not yet reviewed. Individual animals and setups vary. See the enclosure size guide.

Corn Snake morphs and genes

16 genes in our list. Log your animal's genetics and Reptilytics builds its morph name for you, or try the corn snake genetics calculator.

Corn Snake research

181 published papers in the HerpAtlas library. Most cited below, or see the latest research →

• The Effects of Temperature and Behavioral Thermoregulation on Digestive Efficiency and Rate in Corn Snakes (Elaphe guttata guttata)

  Physiological Zoology · 1979 · cited 97 times

• Ecological Energetics of Three Species of Ectothermic Vertebrates

  Ecology · 1976 · cited 97 times

• Experimental Infection of Snakes with Ophidiomyces ophiodiicola Causes Pathological Changes That Typify Snake Fungal Disease.

  mBio · 2015 · cited 85 times

• PHENOTYPIC PLASTICITY IN THE REPRODUCTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF AN OVIPAROUS SNAKE, ELAPHE GUTTATA: IMPLICATIONS FOR LIFE HISTORY STUDIES

  Herpetologica · 1991 · cited 83 times

• Snake predation on North American bird nests: culprits, patterns and future directions

  Journal of Avian Biology · 2014 · cited 83 times

• NESTING SUCCESS OF THE GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER IN NEST BOXES AND IN TREE CAVITIES: ARE NEST BOXES SAFER FROM NEST PREDATION?

  The Wilson Bulletin · 2002 · cited 61 times

• Patterns of recombination in snakes reveal a tug-of-war between PRDM9 and promoter-like features.

  Science (New York, N.Y.) · 2024 · cited 47 times

• Development of the hearts of lizards and snakes and perspectives to cardiac evolution.

  PloS one · 2013 · cited 44 times

Corn Snake natural history notes

Field and captive observations published in Herpetological Review's Natural History Notes. Each is a single observation, summarized by us, with a link to the original.