Corn Snake
Pantherophis guttatus · Colubridae
Also called: Red Ratsnake
A harmless, beneficial constrictor and one of the most popular pet snakes in the world. Frequently mistaken for the venomous copperhead.
What the Corn Snake looks like
How to identify it
- 1Bright orange to reddish body with bold red-orange saddle blotches
- 2Black-and-white checkerboard pattern on the belly
- 3Spear-point marking on top of the head
- 4Slender body, round pupils, no rattle
Snakes it's confused with
Venomous; hourglass bands, triangular head, vertical pupils.
Behavior & danger to humans
Docile and rarely bites; a gardener's ally that keeps rodent populations down.
✓ Good news: Completely harmless to humans. Beneficial — please relocate, don't kill.
Related snakes
Non-venomousEastern Ratsnake
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
A large, harmless constrictor and one of the best natural rodent controllers around homes and farms. Juveniles are gray and blotched, leading to copperhead confusion.
Non-venomousNorthern Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon
A harmless aquatic snake constantly killed out of fear that it is a cottonmouth. It bites readily when grabbed but has no venom.
Non-venomousScarlet Kingsnake
Lampropeltis elapsoides
A harmless coral snake mimic. Its red bands touch black bands — 'red touches black, friend of Jack' — separating it from the venomous coral snake.
Non-venomousGopher Snake
Pituophis catenifer
A large harmless constrictor that imitates a rattlesnake by hissing loudly, flattening its head and vibrating its tail. No rattle and round pupils give it away.