Baby Corn Snake Photograph

10.04.2003 - This is a photo of a baby Corn Snake. When I first caught it, I was confused by the coloring. It did not match that of the snakes I usually see. I concluded at first that it was an Eastern Milk Snake. However, with some more research, I discovered that it was a baby Corn Snake. Like many snakes, the coloration of the juvenile snakes does not match that of the adult - it changes with age. In the case of the Corn Snake, the coloration and pattern changes significantly, such that the adult is a beautiful golden color with darker orange markings. In addition, this juvenile corn snake has a pattern on its head, I noticed, that looks somewhat like a guitar - more like an electric guitar, like the Fender Stratocaster, than an acoustic guitar.  The belly has the same markings as an adult, with that maize or keyboard-like pattern, though it's burgundy and white instead of black and white.

Click here to see photos of the Adult Corn Snake, which is different in color.

This snake was, like the adult Corn Snake, very docile.  It was easy to handle, and never struck, as I held it and took photographs of it.  While the adults eat rats, the baby snakes like this eat insects and other small prey.  They're good snakes, and it's a shame that this snake is so often misidentified by people - I've already received several calls to remove "ground rattlers", and when I arrived, it was this fearsome serpent that had people wringing their hands in fear.  Some people assume that markings of any kind mean a venomous snake, but of course general rules like this are inaccurate.  If you see the above snake, especially in the autumn, when the babies hatch from eggs, just leave it alone, and one day it'll be a beautiful orange rat-eating machine.

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Snake got into house can't find it - It's never a good feeling when you know a snake went into your house and then you weren't able to find it. Remember that a snake doesn't want to live inside of your dwelling, and a snake in the home is likely frightened. This is an animal that, though it probably can climb stairs, won't risk venturing out into the open immediately. If you have a multilevel home, you can rule out the possibility of the snake moving into other floors so quickly. More likely than not, the serpent is curled up under an appliance or a piece of furniture. Snakes can be very difficult to spot in the dark corners of our homes, so make sure you have a good flashlight and do a thorough search. Unfortunately, even using a snake trap might not be a quick enough fix for a snake inside the home. For the snake trap to work, the snake needs to be somewhat interested in eating. Snakes don't eat every day. If you really need the snake to be removed from the home immediately, your best option is to call in a professional snake remover.

If you ever wanted to take a baby corn snake photograph, you may be apprehensive if you don't know a lot about this breed. Corn snakes get their name from the pattern that is found on the scales of the belly. The scales resemble maize. Baby corn snakes are good at climbing so if you plan to keep one as a pet, be aware as they do like to try and escape. An adult corn snake can reach up to six feet long while a baby can be between 8 and 14 inches long.

Diet

If kept as a pet, corn snakes will eat rats and mice. If they are in the wild, a corn snake will feast on rodents, birds, lizards, frogs, and other snakes when they have the chance. Baby corn snakes normally stick to frogs and lizards. They prefer tree frogs if they can get them. Because corn snakes are not venomous, they are constrictors, so they suffocate their prey before they eat it. When their prey is close enough, they will bite it to get a good hold on it and wrap their bodies around the prey in a tight coil. They continue the squeeze until their prey is no longer alive and then they swallow it all at once, normally with the head going down first.

Habitat

A wild corn snake can be found living in overgrown fields. They also like openings in the forest, palmetto flatwoods, trees, and buildings that seem abandoned.

Behavior

Corn snakes have a good calm characteristic in the wild and as pets. They are not known to try and strike or even constrict when placed under stress. Corn snakes also like to be handled, although not all the time. A baby corn snake will nip at first but will settle down soon after being held as long as the hand is gentle.

Reproduction

Corn snakes tend to mate two times a year; early spring and fall. The female will lay between ten and thirty eggs between May and July. She will normally lay her eggs in places that feature decaying vegetation and rotting stumps. This will create a warm moist place for the eggs to incubate. Once the eggs are placed, she will leave them and never return. It takes approximately two months for the eggs to hatch. Corn snake babies are normally patterned as they will be as adults. Any blotches on their bodies will be darker in shade.

Corn Snake Facts

Fact #1: The corn snake is also known as the red rat snake in the United States

Fact #2: Corn snakes are often mistaken for copperheads and are killed because of it

Fact #3: The strike range for the corn snake is about half of the length of its body

Fact #4: The corn snake likes to sleep all day inside of loose tree bark or in a burrow in the ground and prowl around at night

Fact #5: Predators include bobcats, hawks, weasels, and foxes.