American corn snake

Why is it important to report American corn snakes?

American corn snakes are not native to Australia. This snake:

• can eat many native species including frogs, lizards, small mammals, ground dwelling and nesting birds, killing its prey by constriction
• can host pest, diseases and parasites such as Cryptosporidium which can infect humans, domestic animals and native animals
• is small and agile, able to hide successfully therefore making detection in the environment difficult, and if established, hard to control.

Description

The American corn snake originates from the southern United States of America and Mexico. They have established invasive populations in the Cayman Islands, Virgin Islands and the Bahamas.

This snake:

• is small to medium-sized, slender, and grows up to 1.80 m long
• can live for up to 20 years in the environment
• can be variable in colour with the most common colour being orange or brownish yellow with large, black-edged red blotches down the middle of its back
• can exhibit albinism which results in corn snakes with bright-red, orange, yellow and white colour combinations and red, orange or pink eyes.

Although American corn snakes with albinism are rarely found in the environment, they are common in captivity where they are selectively bred to produce snakes with unusual colour variations.

Breeding

American corn snakes:

• can lay eggs within two years of birth
• generally, lay 10-12 eggs, however as many as 24 eggs can be laid
• provide no care for their young or eggs after they have been laid
• eggs hatch in about 65 days after being laid.

This snake is bred and kept both legally and illegally for the pet trade around the world.