Corn Snake

Corn Snake (Elaphe guttata):  Also called the "red rat snake".  A very common snake (to 4 feet) in southern Georgia, the corn snake is a colorful animal with red, black-bordered blotches on an orange background.  The belly scales possess a bold, checkerboard or "piano key" pattern.  This attractive snake is a muscular constrictor very capable of climbing high in search of bird nests.  It often crosses roads at night during the summer.  Prey includes rats, mice, birds, and their eggs.  Young corn snakes eat lizards.