Animal Fact Sheets back Corn Snake Elaphe guttata guttata Classification and Range Corn snakes, also called red rat snakes, belong to the largest snake family, Colubridae. This family represents more than three-fourths of the world's 2,700 snake species. Members of this family are found on all continents except Antarctica. Most colubrids are non-venomous, but some species are equipped with grooved fangs in the rear portions of the upper jaw. Some, like the cat-eyed snake, are venomous but are scarcely dangerous to humans.
Corn snakes range from southern Pennsylvania south to Florida, and west to south Louisiana.
Small pockets of corn snakes are found in Kentucky. They can be found in wooded groves and meadows, on rocky hillsides, along waterways and in urban habitats, such as wooded lots, barn yards or abandoned houses. May. The male will follow a selected female for hours. When the opportunity presents itself, the male crawls repeatedly over her back, executing wave-like body movements. With a sudden movement of the posterior part of the body, the male entwines the female's tail and establishes cloacal contact.