Corn snakes (Elaphe guttata) are rat snakes with orange scales with red blotches on their dorsal regions; black lines outline the red blotches. Because of their coloration, humans often mistake corn snakes for the venomous copperhead, which is native to Mississippi. However, copperheads have hourglass-shaped markings on their bodies, whereas corn snakes have square-shaped blotches. Also, corn snakes have round pupils, while the copperhead pupils are slit-shaped. Juvenile corn snakes tend to have grayer scales than adults. As adults, corn snakes may grow between 3 to 4 feet long.
One of the most common Elaphe snakes in Mississippi is the black rat snake (Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta). The black rat snake is a subspecies of the rat snake and, as its name suggests, the majority of its scales are black. Only the black rat snake's chin is a different color; the chin is white. Young black rat snakes are gray, but their scales darken as they grow older. If black rat snakes feel threatened, they will often freeze and wait for their predators or humans to pass by. Black rat snakes will also release a musky odor if they are attacked or picked up by humans. These snakes grow up to 6 feet long in the wild.
Rat snakes receive their name from their primary food source, rats. Agriculturists consider rat snakes as a beneficial species since these snakes prey on farm pests such as rats, shrews, voles and mice. Aside from rats and small mammals, rat snakes eat small lizards, bird eggs and amphibians. Since they are nonvenomous, rat snakes rely on constriction to subdue their prey. Constriction is when snakes wrap their body around their prey and squeeze until their victims have suffocated. Rat snakes constrict prey in order to avoid resistance while they are eating.
The black rat snake and corn snake are found throughout the state of Mississippi. Both snakes usually live in rural areas since this is where most of their prey dwells. As their name implies, corn snakes are frequently seen in agricultural fields. Aside from agricultural areas, black rat snakes and corn snakes live in open grasslands and forest areas; corn snakes are also found in Mississippi's sandy pine forests. These snakes usually find preexisting burrows and ground cavities to build their nest. Burrows are also another site for rat and corn snakes to find prey.