Is the corn snake venomous?

The corn snake is harmless. Harmless and non-venomous. Beneficial around property for rodent control.

How do you identify a corn snake?

Black-and-white chequerboard belly, unlike anything a copperhead has. Saddles sit on the back and do not reach the belly; copperhead bands run all the way down the sides.

Where do corn snakes live?

They are found in 15 US states, in habitats including woods, farmland, suburban and grassland.

Corn Snake

Harmless

Pantherophis guttatus · also called red rat snake

The corn snake is a handsome orange-and-red climber of the southeast, familiar worldwide as a pet. In the wild it is a rodent specialist that lives comfortably around barns and outbuildings. Because it is reddish-brown and blotched, it is very often reported as a copperhead.

Venom: Harmless and non-venomous. Beneficial around property for rodent control.
Adult length: 30–60 inches (76–152 cm)
Markings: Bold red or orange-brown saddles outlined in black on an orange, tan or grey ground. A spear-point marking on the top of the head points forward between the eyes. The belly is a striking black-and-white chequerboard.
Habitat: woods, farmland, suburban, grassland
Family: colubrid
Range: 15 US states

How to identify a corn snake

Black-and-white chequerboard belly, unlike anything a copperhead has.
Saddles sit on the back and do not reach the belly; copperhead bands run all the way down the sides.
Spear-shaped mark on the crown of the head.
Slender build with a smooth, glossy finish.

What it does when it sees you

Mostly nocturnal in warm weather. Calm by snake standards; may vibrate its tail and strike if cornered but rarely persists.

What the corn snake is confused with

One test settles each of these.

Copperhead →

Check the belly. Corn snake: black-and-white chequerboard. Copperhead: plain pinkish with dark smudges. Also, corn snake markings are saddles with black outlines, not hourglass bands.

Where it lives

Alabama Arkansas Delaware Florida Georgia Kentucky Louisiana Maryland Mississippi New Jersey North Carolina South Carolina Tennessee Virginia West Virginia

Before anything else

Back away and leave it alone. A snake that can see you leaving has no reason to bite. Most bites in the United States happen to people who picked up, cornered, or tried to kill a snake.
Never handle a snake to identify it. Every identification on this site can be made from a photo or from several feet away.
If someone is bitten, call emergency services now. Keep the limb still and below the heart, remove rings and watches, and go to hospital. Do not cut, suck, apply ice, or use a tourniquet — all of these make outcomes worse.
Do not try to catch the snake for identification. A photo from a distance is enough, and hospitals treat symptoms rather than species.

In the US, the Poison Help line is 1-800-222-1222. This site is a reference, not medical advice.

Not sure it was a corn snake? Identify it step by step →