Posted 5:48 PM 9/26/2012 : Meet a corn snake in today's Zoo 4 You
TUCSON - On today's 'Zoo 4 You', Jed Dodds from the Reid Park Zoo introduces us to the corn snake
The corn snake, or red rat snake, is a North American species of rat snake that subdues its small prey by constriction. The name "corn snake" is a holdover from the days when southern farmers stored harvested ears of corn in a wood frame or log building called a crib. Rats and mice came to the corn crib to feed on the corn, and corn snakes came to feed on the rodents.
Corn snakes are found throughout the southeastern and central United States. Their docile nature, reluctance to bite, moderate adult size 3.9-6.0 feet (1.2-1.8 m), attractive pattern and comparatively simple care make them popular pet snakes. In the wild, they usually live around 6-8 years, but in captivity can live to be up to 23 years old.
See them at the Reid Park Zoo!