30 Records

This beautiful snake, frequently sold in the pet trade, is also native to Maryland. Red Cornsnakes (Pantherophis guttatus) are considered uncommon to rare inhabitants, and their generally secretive, nocturnal nature makes field encounters rather rare. This species appears to have a preference for forested habitats, including pine or hardwood forests, provided the soil is loose, as this snake spends much time underground, or under cover objects, in search of rodents and other small prey. Like rat snakes, cornsnakes can also climb well, and are sometimes found searching trees or hiding in hollow cavities. In Maryland, this snake is most common on the coastal plain, with scattered occurrences into western Maryland (Tennant 2003; Maryland DNR site).