How Big Can A Corn Snake Get? - Too Big, Or Just The Right Size

Adult corn snakes can vary in size quite a lot. On average an adult corn snake will range in size between 2.5 – 5 feet in length. Some male adults may actually exceed this and could range up to 6 feet in length. Females are typically larger than males, which can help you distinguish between the sex of the snake. But obviously this is not always accurate.

How big do corn snakes get you ask. Well, this can vary with every snakes. And there seems to be a big debate online about which species is bigger, male or female. Unlike most animals, male corn snakes will commonly be smaller than the female species. This is because snakes live by themselves, rarely in a couple. So they have no means for defending territory or fending off any competing males, as they don’t commonly express typical male behaviours. However, of course, this isn’t always the case and male are sometimes bigger than the females.

(Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to find ‘Other related articles you might like’, once you are done reading).

Table of Contents

How Big Can Adult Corn Snakes Get?

An adult corn snake can vary anywhere between 60cm – 180cm. That said, 60cm would be a very small adult corn snake, with most achieving at least 4ft in length. Females commonly grow to roughly 6ft, whilst the males rarely push past 5ft. An adult corn snakes usually weighs around 900 grams and can take up to 2 years to reach this weight, with a diameter of roughly 2.5cm. So a corn snake is a very slender species.

New Borns

New born corn snakes will be no longer than a foot long, and will commonly take about 2 years to reach their full growth and length. Please remember, that as your corn snake grows, so should the size of their enclosure. The size of a corn snakes enclosure can have an affect on their natural growth if too small. This is something that you want to avoid at all costs. They happier and healthier your baby corn snake is. The longer they will live, and the healthier they will be.

Enclosure/ Vivarium Size Relation

Obviously the bigger the enclosure, the better, so please assess your living space before purchasing a corn snake. If you look at the enclosure and think that it looks too small for the size of your snake, then it most probably is. At a very minimum, the smallest tank for a corn snake is 20 gallons. For example a 40 gallon tank would give your adult corn snake a much happier life, which more space for it to roam around freely. The happiness of a corn snake should be at the forefront of every owners mind.

A 36” x 18” x 17” enclosure would be an ideal size for your adult corn snake. This would give the snake twice as much room as the recommended minimum and has the space to incorporate come branches for your snake to climb up and along.

The size of cage has no limit really. However the problems come when trying to keep the enclosure clean, and at a suitable temperature for your corn snake. Monitoring temperature can then become a struggle as the enclosure needs to sty at a constant. You also don’t want an enclosure that will take all day to properly clean out. No one realistically has that much time on their hands, or the patients .So more than likely it will be rushed, and not up to the standard that it should be.

How Fast Do Corn Snakes Grow?

Every corn snake has a different rate of growth. This will also depend on its size. That said, from a hatchling to an adult, it will take 2 years. After 2 years your corn snake should be full length, or very close to it.

You may seen periods of time where your corn snake will see more growth than others. For example its usual to see a snake grow most in the summer months. This is due to the snake commonly being more active, and therefore eating more, in turn, growing also. The colder months through winter your corn snake may not be as active and will likely not grow at the pace it does through the warmer months.

How Long Do Corn Snakes Live?

Corn Snakes have been know to live for as long as 6-8 years in the wild. Up against other snakes competing for prey and the threat of predators it can be tough for corn snakes.

Corn snakes can live for 20 years or even longer in captivity, the lack of predators and the ideal conditions provided by their owners help to prolong their life span.

We will explain the differences between wild and captive corn snakes in the articles below. (Please scroll down to the bottom of the page to find ‘Other related articles you might like’, once you are done reading).

How Long Do Corn Snakes Live In The Wild?

In the wild Corn Snakes have a lot of factors that can have an adverse affect on their lifespan. Factors such as changes in climate, which can affect the availability of their main food source, (rodents) as well as the wild being a less sterile environment.

Diseases can be common amongst rodents which can then be passed onto the corn snake. This can, in turn, lead to early deaths for corn snake. Also the chances of a corn snake reaching adulthood are less in the wild as there is the added danger of predators on the lookout for baby snakes and eggs.

How Long Do Corn Snakes Live In Captivity

Corn snakes can live for many years in captivity, usually between 15-20, although there are many differences between their natural environment and what the environment they would have in captivity is like.

One of the biggest contributing factors to how long does a corn snake live in captivity for, is a keeping the environment sterile. Add to this the constant stream of food and ideal regulated vivarium conditions, (light, humidity and heat) and your corn snake should live a happy and healthy life.