Corn Snakes were among the first snakes to be kept and bred in captivity; and because they proved to be hardy, docile, easily maintained and easy to breed in captivity, they became very popular. In addition to its more practical attributes, the Corn Snake's popularity was fueled by the fact that it was much less drab than the average colubrid. The Corn Snake has remained a mainstay of the reptile trade, in part, because breeders have produced a wide array of interesting and attractive color morphs to satisfy the hobbyists' need for the new and unusual.The Corn Snake is sometimes referred to as the "Red Rat Snake" because of their reddish coloring and because they are members of the genus Elaphe - the "Rat Snakes". There is some debate over the origin of the name "Corn Snake". The most common explanation is that it comes from the species' tendency to inhabit areas in and around cornfields and places where corn is stored. Others believe that it is derived from the checkerboard pattern on the snake's underside, which resembles a cob of Indian corn. Corn Snakes are relatively common inhabitants of wooded areas, rocky hillsides, and agricultural fields in the Southeastern United States. Though they are terrestrial snakes, they are excellent climbers and have been known to make their way up trees to raid bird nests or in search of other prey. Corn Snakes feed on lizards, amphibians, birds, and small mammals in the wild. Hatchlings primarily prey upon small lizards. Corn Snakes are mostly nocturnal, spending the day resting beneath logs, rocks, and leaf litter. Corn Snakes live in temperate climates and must brumate during the colder months of the year. In the spring, they emerge from their dormancy and breed. Eggs are usually laid in early summer in decaying plant matter or other such areas where they are hidden and moisture can be maintained while the eggs develop. Incubation time varies from between 45 to 90 days.

Corn Snake hatchlings are about 9 to 14 inches long. Adults may be anywhere between 24 and 72 inches, though most sexually mature Corn Snakes are at least 30 inches long, and most do not grow larger than 60 inches. Males will often grow longer than females. The Corn Snake's three primary pigments are yellow, red, and black. The wild-type Corn Snake's dorsal ground color is typically reddish, yellowish, or a shade of gray or tan. Darker large blotches, which are usually a red or orange color and outlined in black, run from the neck all the way down the back, and smaller blotches are often present on the sides. The blotch on the neck branches off into two long stripe-like blotches that run along the top of the head, meeting in a point between the eyes. This marking resembles a spearhead. The scales are very weakly keeled, and the Corn Snake has a divided anal plate. Ventrally the Corn Snake is whitish with staggered black rectangular or square shaped markings that give the underside a characteristic checkerboard appearance. This is a highly variable species that differs somewhat throughout its large range; and there are characteristics typical of certain locality types, giving rise to recognized phases of Corn Snake. The Okeetee Corn Snake has a bright orange ground color and reddish blotches. It was named after a plantation in South Carolina where this attractive morph was often found, but today the name "Okeetee" is frequently used for any similar looking Corn Snake, regardless of its origins. The Miami Phase Corn Snake is, as the name suggests, a common variety in and around Miami, Florida. This phase has a gray ground color with reddish orange blotches. In addition, selective breeding of Corn Snakes has produced a seemingly endless array color and pattern morphs for hobbyists to choose from.The Corn Snake has a large range that extends from southern New Jersey and Maryland down through Florida and Louisiana, and there are some isolated populations in Kentucky. This species, Elaphe guttata guttata, shares portions of its range with two Corn Snake subspecies - the Emoryis, or Great Plains, Rat snake (E. g. emoryi) in Southern Arkansas to the Gulf and the Rosy Rat snake (E. g. rosacea) in the upper Florida Keyes.

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