Corn snakes are among the most common snakes that people keep as pets. This is partially because they’re so beginner-friendly.
For the most part, it’s easy to get used to caring for these snakes. You’ll have a good time with them even if you don’t have a lot of experience.
These snakes are a lot of fun and you’ll likely want them to live and remain healthy for as long as possible. You might not be sure how long these snakes are capable of living, though.
How long is a corn snake’s lifespan? Continue reading to learn about how long these snakes live as well as other related information.
How Long Do Corn Snakes Live?
You’ll find that corn snakes can live for quite some time. A corn snake has the potential to live for as long as fifteen years.
It’s common for these snakes to live for at least ten years. So you shouldn’t buy these snakes if you’re not committed to caring for them for their entire lifetimes.
Buying a pet is a commitment and you need to be ready for it. If you only want a pet that is going to stick around for a few years, it’d be best to shy away from corn snakes.
Of course, to get a corn snake to live for ten to fifteen years you must provide it with proper care. So you need to learn how to take care of these snakes properly to get the best results.
What Is Their Average Lifespan?
The average lifespan of a corn snake is between ten and fifteen years. However, you should know that some corn snakes have been known to live for longer than twenty years.
There are reports of pet corn snakes that have reached the age of 23. So you’ll likely be caring for your pet corn snake for quite some time if you do a good job.
Corn snakes in captivity live much longer than wild corn snakes. They don’t have as many things to worry about and can easily live for a long time due to having everything that they need to survive.
When you provide a corn snake with an ideal environment it can easily live for fifteen years or more. When a pet corn snake dies quicker than this it’s usually due to some type of mistake.
How Long Do Corn Snakes Live as Pets?
As mentioned above, corn snakes can live for a longer period of time as pets. Pet corn snakes don’t have as many dangers to worry about as wild corn snakes.
Wild corn snakes have to worry about predators and they have to track down food. They might die if they’re not able to find food or they might meet their end due to environmental hazards.
Things aren’t nearly as dangerous for pet corn snakes. Pet corn snakes are kept in a safe environment where they’re given everything they need to stay healthy and happy.
So a pet corn snake will live for at least ten to fifteen years. The pet corn snake might even live for twenty years or longer if things go really well.
It all comes down to the quality of care. If you do an excellent job caring for a pet corn snake it can live for decades.
How Long Do They Live in the Wild?
Wild corn snakes won’t live for quite as long as pet corn snakes. This is because they have more dangers to worry about that can cut their lives short.
It’s common for wild corn snakes to live for six to eight years. So they live for at least two to four years less than pet corn snakes.
When you think about it, wild corn snakes have so many things to worry about that can kill them. There are natural predators, environmental concerns, and even humans.
It’s not unusual for humans to kill corn snakes that they find on their properties. Humans often see snakes as threats and will simply exterminate them even if they’re harmless.
Also, corn snakes resemble certain snakes that are dangerous. So some humans simply kill them because they’re worried that they might be harmful.
How Long Do Corn Snakes Live Without Food?
Corn snakes need to eat to go on living. So it makes sense that the snake would die if it doesn’t eat for a certain period of time.
These snakes can actually survive for quite a while without food, though. An adult corn snake is known to be able to live for two to three months without being fed.
Anything beyond this time will cause the snake to die of starvation. Snakes go this long without food when they enter brumation states.
Brumation is essentially the reptile version of hibernation. It’s a state that snakes enter during cold periods where their metabolism slows substantially.
It’s a method for surviving periods of time where food is scarce. Some snakes do take breaks during brumation periods to hunt food, though.
What to Do With a Dead Corn Snake
What if your pet corn snake dies? When a pet dies you’re going to be sad, but you might also be unsure what you should do with it.
Taking care of a dead corn snake is fairly simple. You can choose to bury the corn snake in your yard or you can have it cremated.
There are exotic veterinarians who offer cremation services. So you can reach out to a vet to get this done if you’d like to go that route.
Burying the dead corn snake in your yard will be far less expensive. It’ll simply take a bit of effort to get the job done.
Dig a hole in your yard that’s deep enough so animals won’t disturb the remains. Put the dead corn snake in the hole and then cover it with dirt.
This is the same method that you can use to bury most small types of pets. Since corn snakes live for a long time, you shouldn’t have to bury pet corn snakes very often.
When Does a Corn Snake Reach Adulthood?
It takes corn snakes a few years to reach adulthood. Generally, corn snakes will grow at a decent rate, but it’ll take them around two years to reach their adult size.
By the time a corn snake is two years old it should be over two feet long. The snake will have also reached sexual maturity at this time.
So you need to wait a few years after hatching a corn snake for it to become a full adult. This is important to know if you have any intention of breeding the snakes.
Care for your snake well and it’ll reach adulthood before you know it. You can’t speed the process up, but you do need to be sure to care for juvenile corn snakes well.
How Old Is My Corn Snake?
It isn’t always easy to tell the age of a corn snake. You should do your best to keep track of the snake’s age from the time that you get it.
Corn snake hatchlings will be between eight and fourteen inches long. After two years, the corn snake will reach its full size.
So you can’t always use the size of the snake as an indicator of its age. Once the snake reaches its full size it won’t really grow longer.
At six months old, corn snakes will usually be between twenty and thirty inches long. By the time a corn snake is one year old, it’ll likely be thirty five to forty inches long.
At two years old, these snakes have the potential to be up to sixty inches long. However, not all corn snakes grow to be that large.
So it’s easier to age a corn snake when it’s young. You then just have to keep track of its age so you’ll have a general idea of how old it is.
Should You Buy Corn Snakes as Pets?
Buying corn snakes as pets is a good idea if you’re interested in pet snakes. However, it’s not necessarily a good choice if you’re not ready for the responsibility.
Caring for pet snakes isn’t that hard once you get used to doing it. Even so, it does require some level of commitment and effort.
So for some it might not be the best idea. For others, it’ll be a perfect chance to get used to caring for snakes.
Corn snakes are the best beginner snakes for people to purchase. They’re easy enough to handle for beginners and they also don’t cost a lot of money.
Consider your situation and whether you have the time for a pet snake right now. Also, be sure that you have the necessary resources to get started.
Once you’ve made your decision you can decide whether to move forward or not. Corn snakes do make great pets, but you have to be committed and ready to care for them for a long time.
Final Thoughts
You’ve learned that corn snakes can live for at least ten to fifteen years as pets. They even have the potential to live for twenty years or longer when cared for optimally.
If you do a great job caring for these pets you’ll enjoy them for a long time. They can become great pets that you’ll take care of for decades.
Wild corn snakes don’t live nearly as long as pet corn snakes. A wild corn snake only has a lifespan of six to eight years.
This is because wild snakes have to deal with so many more dangers. Pet snakes have a much safer environment where they’re given everything they need to thrive.
You know what you need to know about corn snakes now. Make a decision about whether these pet snakes will make sense for you.
If you’re ready for the commitment of caring for a snake for ten years or longer, it’s fine to move forward. Otherwise, you might not want to purchase a pet corn snake.
I have a bachelor’s degree in Film/Video/Media Studies, as well as an associates degree in Communications. I began producing videos and musical recordings nearly 15 years ago. I am a guitarist and bassist in Southwest MI and have been in a few different bands since 2009, and in 2012 I began building custom guitars and basses in my home workshop as well. When I’m home, I love spending time with my three pets (a dog, cat, and snake) and gardening in my backyard. I also like photographing wild birds, especially birds of prey.