Corn Snake Morphs Facts for Kids

Know all about corn snake morphs like size, lifespan, corn snake bite, corn snake diet, and different beautiful corn snake morphs. Also find 11 incredible corn snake facts below in this article. Explore more wildlife in our animal facts guide.

General Information of Corn Snake

Quick Fact	Detail
Scientific Name	Pantherophis guttatus
Average Size	Length: 30 to 48 in.; record is 72 in.
Diet	Carnivore
Range	North America
Habitat	Dry forest, urban areas, woodlands

Corn Snake Size & Physical Appearance

A corn snake, sometimes called a red rat snake, is a colorful and popular reptile in North Carolina and the southeastern United States. Famous English naturalist Mark Catesby first described this snake in North Carolina in the late 1700s.

They are slender-shaped and often have orange or brownish-yellow bodies with a pattern of large red blotches outlined with black. Their belly is boldly marked with a black-and-white checkerboard pattern.

This snake is named for the pattern of their belly scales that resembles maize (corn).

Corn snakes are approximately 60 to 180 centimeters long. Males often grow larger than females.

Corn Snake Lifespan

Corn snakes live up to about 23 years in captivity; most wild corn snakes probably do not survive to old age. In the wild, they usually live around six to eight years.

The oldest corn snake in captivity was 32 years and three months.

Corn Snake Habitats & Habits

Wild corn snakes inhabit wooded groves, rocky hillsides, overgrown fields, forest openings, trees, rocky open areas, tropical hammocks, barns, and abandoned buildings and farms.

They can be found very commonly in the pine-wiregrass flatwoods and sandhills of the central and southern Coastal Plain, and least commonly in the mountainous areas of western North Carolina.

Corn snakes are one of the most popular types of snakes to keep as pets. They are calm and easy to take care of when handled gently by a responsible adult. Captive corn snakes often tolerate being handled by their owners.

Does a Corn Snake Bite?

Yes, corn snakes can bite if they feel scared or surprised.

Do corn snake bites hurt?

Corn snakes are non-venomous and do not have sharp fangs. If a corn snake bites you, it is usually a minor injury, more like a small scratch.

Still, if a bite breaks the skin, an adult should thoroughly clean the area with soap and water to help prevent infection and get medical advice if needed.

Corn Snake Diet

Corn snakes are carnivorous. They eat small rodents, lizards, birds, frogs, eggs, or bats. Hatchlings generally eat small lizards and tree frogs. In human care, caretakers usually offer frozen-thawed mice.

Corn Snake Morphs

What is a morph?

Morphs mean the snake has “morphed” to look different from the original or traditional look because of genetics, but the snake remains the same breed (species). A morph is different from a serious genetic defect — morphs usually change color or pattern rather than the basic body plan.

Different corn snake morphs are created when people breed variations together, or when a rare natural look is discovered and carefully bred.

Categories of corn snake morphs

There are different categories of corn snake morphs.

Color morph: Color morphs are corn snakes with unusual colorings. These morphs are common in captivity.

Color morph examples:

• Normal
• Miami
• Okeetee
• Candy-cane
• Reverse Okeetee
• Fluorescent Orange
• Sunglow
• Blood Red
• Crimson
• Anerythristic
• Charcoal
• Caramel
• Lavender
• Cinder
• Kastanie
• Hypomelanistic
• Ultra
• Ultramel
• Dilute
• Sunkissed
• Lava

Pattern morph: Pattern morphs mean the corn snake’s pattern has been altered without changing the basic color set.

Pattern morph examples:

• Motley
• Striped
• Diffused
• Sunkissed
• Aztec, Zigzag, and Banded

Compound morph: There are many thousands of possible compound morphs. Popular compound morphs include:

• Snow
• Blizzard
• Ghost
• Phantom
• Pewter
• Butter
• Amber
• Plasma
• Opal
• Granite Fire

Hybrid morph: Hybrids between corn snakes and other snakes are common in captivity but rare in the wild. Examples include:

• Jungle
• Tri-color Jungle
• Creamsicle
• Turbo
• Brook Korn

Some Popular Corn Snake Morphs

Albino Corn Snake

The albino corn snake is also called amelanistic or “red albino.” Albino corn snakes look amazing with white and red scales, bright reddish eyes, and a corn kernel-patterned stomach. They have no black pigment. Like all corn snakes, their scales are lightly keeled.

Albino corn snakes make great pets because of their lifespan, calm temperament, and easy-to-care-for nature (with adult help).

This snake’s size is the same as a normal corn snake, between three to five feet.

Albino corn snakes are constrictors, and their diet consists of mice and other rodents, chicks, and lizards. In captivity, many albino corn snakes live around 24 years, and sometimes even older.

Lavender Corn Snake

Lavender is a base morph that was first produced in the 1980s. The lavender corn snake is one of the most popular corn snake morphs. A light pink-gray background with dark purple-gray markings and striking reddish eyes makes it beautiful. Lavender corn snake morphs are different color palettes of the same snake species.

Lavender corn snake lifespan is the same as other corn snakes, whether they live in the wild or captivity.

Did you know? The oldest corn snake in captivity lived for 32 years and three months.

Some other morphs can be created with the lavender gene:

• Hypo Lavender Corn Snake = hypomelanistic + lavender
• Orchid Corn Snake = lavender + sunkissed
• Lavender Motley Corn Snake = lavender + motley
• Plasma Corn Snake = diffused + lavender
• Moonstone Corn Snake (Anery Lavender) = anerythristic + lavender
• Amaretto Corn Snake (Amber Lavender) = caramel + hypomelanistic + lavender
• Lavender Tessera Corn Snake = lavender + tessera
• Opal Corn Snake = amelanistic (albino) + lavender
• Lavender Stripe Corn Snake = lavender + stripe
• Lavender Ghost Corn Snake = anerythristic + hypomelanistic + lavender

Okeetee Corn Snake

Okeetee corn snakes have deep red dorsal saddle marks surrounded by black borders on a bright orange background. Okeetee corn snake length is around 2 to 5 feet. Weight can reach about 500 to 750 g at about 5 feet long.

A few Okeetee corn snake morph names:

• Abbotts Okeetee
• Extreme Okeetee
• Reverse Okeetee
• Kathy Love Okeetee
• Okeetee Color Lines
• Buckskin Okeetee

Snow Corn Snake

Snow corn snakes are a combination of the amelanistic and anerythristic (Anery A) genes. These snakes are among the most beautiful corn snakes.

As hatchlings, most snow corn snakes look similar. As they mature, their colors vary and can include shades of yellow, pink, green, and white.

Palmetto Corn Snake

Palmetto is one of the most beautiful and unique corn snakes. “Palmetto” is also linked to South Carolina and the sabal palmetto tree.

This snake is mostly white, with random colored scales all over its body. It has black pupils and a dirty white or blue iris.

Black Corn Snake

Black corn snakes are commonly found in the southeastern part of the United States and show darker overall coloring.

Ghost Corn Snake

This corn snake is the combination of the anerythristic (Anery A) and hypomelanistic genes. Scale colors can include white, gray, brown, and black.

Red Corn Snake

This snake is characterized by an orange to brown or gray background with reddish to orange blotches with black borders.

The size of an adult red corn snake is approximately 3 feet, although some may reach 4 feet in total length.

Amazing Facts About Corn Snake

FACT 1. A corn snake is sometimes called a red rat snake. This snake was first described by famous English naturalist Mark Catesby in the late 1700s in North Carolina.

FACT 2. Corn snakes are not venomous, but they look similar to the venomous snake known as the copperhead and are often harmed because of these similarities in appearance.

FACT 3. Corn snakes are among the most popular snakes kept as pets, alongside the garter snake and ball python.

FACT 4. Corn snakes are diurnal animals, which means they are often active during the day.

FACT 5. Corn snakes have limited eyesight. They do not have facial heat-sensing pits like rattlesnakes. They find food mainly by smell (tongue flicking) and vibration.

FACT 6. Corn snakes belong to the group of snakes known as constrictors. These snakes wrap their body around prey and hold it securely before swallowing.

FACT 7. Corn snakes are not only named because of where they live but also because the scale pattern on their bellies looks like corn kernels.

FACT 8. A female lays about 10 to 30 eggs in a nest made of leaves or rotten wood. Eggs that don’t hatch are sometimes called slugs.

FACT 9. The record for the oldest corn snake in captivity was 32 years and three months.

FACT 10. According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, the longest corn snake was 72 inches (1.8 meters).

FACT 11. Corn snakes are useful to people by helping keep the number of rodents under control.

Morph Snapshot Comparison

Morph	Main look	Fun note
Classic / Red	Orange with red blotches	Wild-type poster look
Albino (Amelanistic)	Bright reds/creams; red eyes	No black pigment
Lavender	Pink-gray & purple-gray	Popular base gene
Okeetee-type	Bold black-edged red saddles	South Carolina style
Snow	Pale white / pastel	Amelanistic + anery
Palmetto	White with colored speckles	Named for the palmetto tree
Ghost	Soft gray pastels	Anery + hypo

Test Your Knowledge Quiz!

Try this mini-quiz or our full animals quiz for kids.

Question 1

What is a corn snake morph?

• A) A brand-new snake species
• B) A genetic color or pattern variation of a corn snake
• C) A venomous copperhead relative
• D) A snake that only eats corn

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Morphs change color or pattern through genetics, but the animal is still a corn snake.

Question 2

Are corn snakes venomous?

• A) Yes
• B) Only albino morphs
• C) No — they are non-venomous constrictors
• D) Only in the wild

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: Corn snakes have no venom and usually cause only a minor scratch if they bite.

Question 3

Which morph lacks black pigment and often has reddish eyes?

• A) Ghost
• B) Charcoal
• C) Albino (amelanistic)
• D) Anerythristic

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: Amelanistic/albino corn snakes cannot make black pigment.

Question 4

Do corn snakes have heat-sensing pits like rattlesnakes?

• A) Yes
• B) Only snow morphs
• C) No
• D) Only hatchlings

Correct Answer: C

Explanation: Corn snakes do not have pit organs; they rely more on smell and vibration.

Question 5

A Snow corn snake usually combines which traits?

• A) Lavender + Okeetee
• B) Amelanistic + anerythristic
• C) Only pattern morph genes
• D) Hybrid jungle genes

Correct Answer: B

Explanation: Snow morphs typically combine amelanistic and anerythristic genetics.