The prettiest corn snakes I ve ever seen were wild individuals in their natural habitat. By May or June, females will lay 8-25 eggs in underground mammal burrows, rotten logs, or other suitable nesting sites. The eggs incubate for 60-80 days before hatching. Because baby corn snakes are only a foot long when they hatch, the hatchlings must feed on small prey such as lizards, treefrogs, and other small animals to survive. The small hatchlings themselves may be especially susceptible to predation by birds, raccoons, skunks, and other predators.
Corn snakes are powerful constrictors.
Adult snakes feed on mice, rats, birds, and lizards by suffocating the prey with their strong coils. Food items are swallowed whole and digested efficiently. Corn snakes are accomplished climbers as well as adept burrowers, so most small mammals or birds are possible meals for them. Corn Snake Photos provided by David Scott. This information is provided as a public service by the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory Outreach office.