Comparison · Harmless lookalike vs pit viper
Corn snake vs copperhead
Quick answer
Only the copperhead is venomous. Corn snakes have squarish red, orange or brown blotches edged in black, a black-and-white checkerboard belly and round pupils. Copperheads have hourglass-shaped bands that pinch narrow at the spine, a plain copper head and vertical pupils.
Pantherophis guttatus · harmless
Agkistrodon contortrix · venomous
Side by side
| Feature | Corn snake | Copperhead |
|---|---|---|
| PATTERN | 27–41 reddish to chestnut blotches, each outlined in black | Dark hourglass bands, wide on the sides and narrow at the spine |
| COLOR | Orange, reddish, gray or brownish | Gray, copper, tan or pinkish tan |
| BELLY | Bold black-and-white checkerboard | Cream with dark blotches |
| HEAD | Spear-point mark on top; dark-edged stripe from eye to jaw | Plain copper; heat-sensing pit between eye and nostril |
| PUPILS | Round | Vertical |
| BUILD | Slender, with a flat-bottomed, loaf-shaped cross-section | Stout |
| SIZE | Usually 30–48 in (76–122 cm); record 72 in (183 cm) | Usually 24–36 in (61–91 cm); record about 53 in (135 cm) |
| HABITAT | Open hardwood forest, fields near woods; often in rodent burrows | Rocky, wooded hillsides, brushy creek edges, leaf litter |
| YOUNG | Hatch from eggs; 3–31 eggs per clutch | Born live; usually 6–9 per litter, yellow tail tip |
| RANGE | Eastern US, New Jersey to the Florida Keys | Eastern and central US |
| VENOM | Harmless; seldom bites | Venomous |
Corn snakes are often killed because they are mistaken for copperheads. If you can see the belly, a checkerboard pattern means corn snake. Don’t try to get close enough to check.
Look at the pattern
A corn snake’s blotches are closed shapes, like a row of saddles, each ringed in black. A copperhead’s bands run down the sides and pinch together over the back, so from the side they look like a row of Hershey’s Kisses. Both species can be found in the same woods and fields across the Southeast.
Bite safety
If someone is bitten
If you are not sure what bit you, treat it as a venomous bite. Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. For guidance, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. If a pet is bitten, take it to a veterinarian right away.
This page does not give first-aid or treatment instructions. Read our safety disclaimer.
