Head to head
Leopard Snake vs Corn Snake
Leopard Snake
VS Corn Snake
The leopard snake of southeastern Europe and the corn snake of the southeastern United States are two slender, blotched, non-venomous snakes that kill prey by constriction.
| Leopard Snake | Corn Snake | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Zamenis situla | Pantherophis guttatus |
| Pattern | A pale grey to yellow body with red-brown, black-edged blotches along the back and smaller spots on the sides | A blotched orange pattern with a checkered black-and-white belly, resembling the venomous copperhead |
| Size | A slender snake growing to around 1 metre long | Usually 90 to 150 cm, occasionally to 1.8 metres, slim-bodied and semi-arboreal |
| Venom | Non-venomous, and kills by constriction | No venom and no fangs, and kills by constriction |
| Temperament | Secretive and shy, active mostly in the evening, and rarely bites | May musk, rattle its tail in leaf litter, and bluff-strike, but a bite is a harmless scratch |
| Diet | Small rodents, lizards, and birds | Mice, rats, and other rodents, plus birds, eggs, lizards, and frogs |
| Habitat and range | Rocky scrub, olive groves, and woodland edges in southern Italy, the Balkans, and Greece, including Crete | Fields, forest edges, pine barrens, and farm buildings across the southeastern and central United States |
| Conservation status | Least Concern, though many populations are small and patchy | Least Concern |
Leopard Snake vs Corn Snake: common questions
Which one is a popular pet?
The corn snake, which is the most widely kept pet snake, with decades of breeding producing hundreds of colour and pattern morphs.
Is the corn snake a copperhead?
No, but its blotched orange pattern makes it resemble the venomous copperhead, and it is often killed by mistake for one.
Are either venomous?
No, both the leopard snake and the corn snake are non-venomous constrictors.