Are you choosing a corn snake as your new family pet?
Should you go for a male or a female? What’s the difference between them?
Key Takeaway:
Male corn snakes grow larger and have longer tails. Females are slightly smaller and have shorter tails. Both males and females have good personalities and are docile and easy to handle. They should never share an enclosure.
Are male corn snakes bigger than females? Does female corn snake aggression exist?
Coming up next in this article, we’ll answer all of these questions in detail and talk more about the differences between corn snake males and females. So, keep reading!
Table of Contents
Male Corn Snakes vs Female Corn Snakes
You’ve just chosen a corn snake as your next pet. Congratulations, corn snakes are awesome animals!
The males, like the females, are typically docile animals that do not need a lot of attention. They only need to eat once a week and are capable of entertaining themselves.
Some people wonder whether it is best to get a female or a male corn snake.
Does their gender make one easier to look after than the other?
Coming up next in this article, we’ll be answering this question by looking at the difference between the two snakes in the following categories:
- Size
- Personality
- Temperament
- Mating
- Tail length
- Number of scales around the tail
- Enclosure sharing
Let’s slither right to it!
Are Male Corn Snakes Bigger Than Females?
The corn snake species generally grow between 24 and 72 inches (61 and 182 cm).
But how does the sex of the corn snake affect its size?
Here’s everything you must know about the male vs female corn snake size.
- Male corn snakes are not the same size as females. The male snakes are typically noticeably bigger than the female snakes.
- The average length of male corn snakes is between 4 to 4.5 feet (48 to 54 inches).
- The average length of the female is between 3.5 to 4 feet (42 to 48 inches).
- Female snakes might appear slightly larger than males during the breeding season.
If you want a large corn snake, choose a male. Males tend to be bigger than females.
Male vs Female Corn Snake Personalities
Male vs female corn snake, which has a better personality?
There are no major personality differences between a male corn snake and a female corn snake.
Some snake owners say the males are slightly more inquisitive and active, while the females are more skittish. But these characteristics vary according to how you treat your corn snake and the enclosure it is in.
The male snake and the female snake both have great personalities.
The Temperament Difference Between a Male and Female Corn Snake
We all want a placid pet corn snake that is easy to handle and docile in nature.
So, what’s the difference between male and female corn snakes and their temperaments?
Most corn snake owners agree that there is no difference in temperament between male and female corn snakes. They are both docile and quickly get used to being handled by their owners.
The female corn snake and male corn snake will only bite on rare occasions when they feel threatened.
The temperament of the snake depends, not on its sex but rather on its personality, the type of enclosure it is in, and how you look after it.
If you are looking for a placid, docile snake, both males and females are great.
Male and Female Corn Snakes When Mating
Now here’s a big difference between a male corn snake and a female. The females lay eggs.
Can corn snakes lay eggs without a male?
It might surprise you, but yes, it can! Here are a couple of reasons why they are able to do this.
- Females can store sperm from an earlier encounter.
- Females can practice parthenogenesis. They can produce live offspring without ever encountering a male.
No matter if they’re male or female, corn snakes become sexually mature when they reach a certain size or weight rather than age. The corn snake species is ready to breed when they have a body length of 2.5 feet (30 inches) or weigh 250 grams.
Females will increase their feeding during the summer and fall months. When comparing the size of the two sexes, the female might appear slightly bigger while she is carrying her eggs.
Choose a female if you want to breed corn snakes.
Male and Female Corn Snake Tail Lengths
Do you already have a corn snake at home?
Then you might be among the many owners that want to know how to tell if a corn snake is male or female.
Male and female corn snakes have different tail lengths. Males typically have longer tails than females.
Here’s how you sex corn snakes by looking at their tails.
- Male corn snakes are longer from their cloacal openings to their tips. The male’s tail will taper about an inch or two after the opening.
- Females are shorter from their cloacal openings to their tips. The female’s tail will taper immediately after the opening.
If you want a corn snake with a longer tail, choose a male.
The Number of Scales on Male and Female Corn Snakes
Another way to tell the difference between the sex of corn snakes is to look at their scales. You must count the scales on the underside of their body from the cloacal opening to the tail end.
Here’s how the number of scales on their body will help you determine the animal’s sex.
- Male corn snakes usually have 140 scales or more on their underside from their cloacal opening to their tail end.
- The female corn snake’s belly, from its cloacal opening to its tail end, usually has 130 scales or less.
- If the snake has between 130 and 140 scales, you will not be able to use this method to tell its sex.
If you want a corn snake with more scales, choose a male.
Sharing an Enclosure With Male and Female Corn Snakes
Although they are placid, corn snakes are solitary animals, and two snakes must not share a terrarium. Do not put two male or two female corn snakes together.
Always keep a male and a female in separate enclosures unless you want to breed them. When they are together for mating, always separate them when you give them their food; otherwise, they might bite or attack one another.
Corn snakes are loners regardless of their sex. Only put them together when breeding them.
Corn Snake Male vs Female Differences
So far, we’ve seen a number of differences between male and female adult corn snakes. Up next, you’ll see a summary of some of these characteristics.
| Male corn snakes | Female corn snakes |
|---|---|
| Measure between 48 to 54 inches or 122 to 137 cm | Measure between 42 to 48 inches or 107 to 122 cm |
| Slightly more curious and active | Slightly more skittish |
| Longer tail | Shorter tail |
| More scales around the tail | Fewer scales around the tail |
Corn Snake Male and Female Similarities
There are many similarities between male and female corn snakes. Here is a summary of them.
Male corn snakes and female corn snakes:
- Are docile, easy to handle
- Are ready to mate when 30 inches long or weigh 250 grams
- Do not like to share an enclosure
Choosing a Male or Female Corn Snake
If you are just about to choose a new pet corn snake for your home, you may wonder which gender will be the easiest to look after. This article has helped us to see there is no definitive answer as to which gender snake has a better personality or temperament.
But, there are some physical differences between males and females that might help you when deciding.
A male corn snake is for you if you want a pet that:
- Measures between 48 and 54 inches (122 and 137 cm)
- Is slightly more curious and active
- Is docile and easy to handle
- Has a longer tail
- Has more scales around the tail
- Likes to live alone
A female corn snake is best for you if you want an animal that:
- Measures between 42 and 48 inches (107 and 122 cm)
- Is slightly more skittish
- Is docile and easy to handle
- Has a shorter tail
- Has fewer scales around the tail
- Lays eggs
- Likes to live alone
Did you find this blog post interesting?
At Oddly Cute Pets, we always strive to provide you with the best information about corn snakes and other reptiles. To find out more about what other species of snakes eat, how to prepare an enclosure, and how to monitor their body growth, check out our website.
Thanks for reading!
