The beautiful Corn Snake, also known as the Red Rat Snake.

DESCRIPTION: A mostly orange snake, with red markings, and a black and white keyboard pattern belly.

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Corn Snake/Red Rat Snake

There are a couple of theories about how the corn snake got its name. One is that some thought the checkered markings on their belly resembled Indian corn. Another is because they would often live in the corn cribs on farms and eats the mice that had invaded. They were often a very welcome sight to any farmer trying to protect their harvest from rodents.

The corn snake (also known as the red rat snake) is non-venomous and has beautifully colored scales. Their body is a dark orange-brown and they brown, red, or orange spots outlined in black. Their belly normally has a checkerboard pattern in black and white and you will see two black stripes on the underside of the tail. They can grow to sizes from 4 to 6 feet tall.

Corn snakes like to live in places that are more exposed and dry. They are also found in abandoned buildings, barns, and may look for food and places to hide around your home. Highly adaptable, they are comfortable in rural, suburban, and urban areas. In fact, they may go so far as to enter your home when searching for their next meal.

Corn snakes spend most of their time hiding under boards or logs, or within underground burrows. They like to climb and you can often find them, especially the young ones, will find a safe space in a tree or bush.

These snakes are more active during the day in the winter, and are primarily nocturnal during the warmer spring and summer months. They like to eat lizards, small mammals and birds. They breed during late spring to early summer and their young hatch from July to September. When corn snakes lay eggs, they choose spots that have enough warmth and humidity so they will incubate. Places include things like decaying leaf litter or stumps.

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Running a wildlife removal business in the state of Florida gives me the chance to see all kinds of interesting snakes! Florida has about 45 species of snake, and I've seen 29 of them so far. I've always got my eye out for new species, and I love spotting rare snakes in Florida. I also have a thing for venomous snakes - they're not too common in FL, so I always enjoy the chance to see a poisonous serpent. I really like snakes, and I've never hurt or killed one. They're an important part of the ecosystem, and often persecuted. Still, if you don't want snakes in your house or on your property, and judging from the number of phone calls I receive regarding snake problems, you don't, then give me or a local snake expert in your area a call, and we can remove the snakes from your property for you. I use many snake control methods - from snake traps, to snake repellents, to habitat modification, but most of all, good old-fashioned capture and removal. If you want to learn more, please read my How To Get Rid of Snakes page.

AAAnimal Control is a privately owned wildlife removal and pest control business, located in Orlando Florida. I deal strictly with wild animals including snakes inside houses. I am not an extermination company, but a critter removal and control specialist. The above photos are some of the many that I've taken in the field over my years of work. Please email me if you have any questions about the above photographs, or any questions about wildlife problems or Florida snake removal issues.

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Wildlife Photographs by David     Email me with questions: david@aaanimalcontrol.com     Residential & Commercial     Licensed & Insured