Corn Snake Size & Growth Chart – How Big do Corn Snakes Get?

Almost every snake pet lover has considered keeping a corn snake at some point. Corn snakes make fantastic pets for beginner snake lovers. Corn snakes are natural rodent hunters while in the wild. These snakes are prevalent in cornfields, which explains why they are called corn snakes.

These snakes aren’t vicious, and they are also easy to maintain compared to other snake pets. Better still, corn snakes don’t pose any threat to humans, making them excellent snake pets for snake enthusiasts.

If you consider keeping a corn snake at your home, you could be wondering about the size of this snake, how this snake grows and when it reaches full size. We shall look at various aspects of the corn snake in this guide.

How Big do Corn Snakes Get?

Being a corn snake enthusiast, you might often wonder how big these snakes can grow. Corn snakes don’t grow as large as other wild snake species. On average, corn snakes grow to a size of between 4 to 6 feet when reaching maturity.

How Fast do Corn Snakes Grow?

There is no actual growth rate among corn snakes. There are, however, many factors that can affect the growth rate among corn snakes. Wild corn snakes, for instance, grow faster than corn snakes in captivity. It is because domesticated corn snakes have diet restrictions while they are in captivity.

Corn snakes have a steady growth rate before they reach maturity. Your corn snake can grow steadily in length and girth for about two years. But the growth may stop once the snake comes to full size.

When do Corn Snakes Reach Full Size?

Corn snakes take two and three years to reach full size. Baby snakes are between eight and inches long at birth. They can, however, grow to a length of between four and six feet after reaching maturity. Corn snakes continue growing in size even after reaching adulthood, though gradually.

Months can pass without owners noticing any in their size since growth at this stage is usually slow but steady. It is good to continue measuring your corn snake’s size even after it reaches maturity.

Factors that Affect Corn Snake Growth

Corn snakes don’t have a specific growth rate, as mentioned earlier. Many factors can significantly affect the growth of your corn snake. Even if you are a lover of corn snakes, it will help to know the factors that can potentially affect your snake’s growth rate.

Three main factors significantly affect the growth rate among corn snakes.  These factors include food and diet, the type of enclosure, and temperature. Let’s see these three factors in detail.

– Food & Diet

Corn snakes require proper food and diet to maintain steady growth. The type of food you feed to your corn snake will affect its growth. Food can either accelerate or slow down the growth of your corn snake.

Wild corn snakes usually grow fast because they have access to a wide array of nutrients. However, domesticated corn snakes depend on the foods they get from their owners, and hence they don’t have access to sufficient amounts of nutrients to support their steady growth.

Many corn snake owners feed their snakes with frozen mice. Although frozen mice are rodents, they don’t offer the same nutritional levels as live mice. Baby corn snakes need to eat baby mice while in captivity to support their growth.

However, baby corn snakes in captivity can’t grow faster while they are in captivity since they don’t have access to live baby mice. These corn snake babies depend on thawed baby mice for their nutritional needs while living in captivity.

Even when in captivity, corn snakes require a carnivorous diet since corn snakes are carnivorous snakes like other snake species. Hence, your corn snake can grow faster if you feed it with frozen mice and other protein-rich food.

You should also provide your corn snake with enough water. Keep changing the water so that your corn snake can occasionally bathe, mainly when the temperatures at its enclosure are high.

Although live prey can provide plenty of nutrients to your corn snake, you should avoid introducing any live prey to your corn snake. Many corn snakes have died from getting injuries from live prey.

Corn snakes aren’t aggressive, especially when they are in captivity. Even if you happen to get live prey, such as mice or other rodents, ensure you kill it first before placing the prey in the snake’s cage. Encourage your corn snake to feed on dead prey.

– Enclosure

The type of enclosure you keep your corn snake in can also affect its size. If you keep your corn snake in a smaller enclosure, for instance, it won’t have space to stretch, and this space limitation will affect its growth. Hence, it helps to have a bigger enclosure for your corn snake to allow a faster growth rate.

Living conditions have a significant impact on the growth of a corn snake. While in the wild, corn snakes don’t have restrictions; they can move freely, so their growth rate isn’t affected.

But captive corn snakes can’t move freely since their enclosures don’t provide enough room for free movements. Apart from the size of the enclosure, your corn snake won’t grow properly if its enclosure doesn’t provide the snake with proper living conditions.

Your corn snake’s enclosure needs to be well ventilated. You should also provide your snake with a bed where it can bask once it needs to regulate its temperature.

Ensure your corn snake’s enclosure includes some hiding places where the snake can retreat to once it feels exhausted or stressed. Whatever enclosure you choose for your corn snake, ensure it provides proper living conditions for your snake.

– Temperature

Temperature is also another factor that can affect the growth rate of your corn snake. Being reptiles like other types of snakes, corn snakes can’t regulate their temperatures naturally. They need cool and warm temperatures to thrive even when they are in captivity.

Ideally, the correct temperature for your corn snake should be 68 degrees on the cooler side. The warmer end should have a maximum temperature of 89.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Corn snakes can die if they are kept in enclosures that don’t support temperature needs. If your snake gets too cold, it won’t feed, and hence its growth will be affected.

Similarly, your snake won’t digest food if it lives in an enclosure where the temperatures are too high. Digestive problems can also affect your snake growth rate. Corn snakes can also die due to long-term digestive problems.

Some things can help maintain the proper temperature level in your corn snake’s cage. For instance, you can place some heat lamps when the temperatures are too cold. Alternatively, you can consider using UVB lighting to keep the enclosure warm.

UVB lighting will not just help warm up your snake’s cage. UVB lighting will also help provide enough light for your snake. Snakes need enough lighting to help their skins synthesize vitamin D.

Male vs. Female Corn Snake – Which Grows Bigger?

There is a size difference between male and female corn snakes. Males grow faster on average, even after reaching maturity. Females, on the other hand, have a slower growth rate.

Bigger male corn snakes don’t just have a bigger size than female corn snakes. They also have noticeable dark streaks that run their bodies. The stripes don’t, however, appear in smaller male corn snakes.

Both females and male corn snakes have the same size at birth. But with time, males show a faster growth rate than females. Females have a slower growth when they are taking care of the new corn snake hatchings. Females divert most of their energy to taking care of their offspring. But males don’t take part in rearing their offspring.

How Big are Baby Corns Snakes?

If your female corn snake is ready for hatching, you could be wondering how big the babies will be at birth. Baby corn snakes are between 8 and 14 inches as hatchlings.

Baby corn snakes tend to grow faster than adult corn snakes, and hence owners should consider installing bigger enclosures as the babies continue to grow. Baby corn snakes can grow to their full size within a year after hatching.

Wrap Up

Corn snakes are perhaps the friendliest snake pets compared to other snake pet species. These snakes are also non-venomous, and they also have a faster growth rate. Consider providing your corn snake with all essentials it needs to support its growth rate.