Corn Snakes Alive!

"Snakes Alive!" is one of the most popular workshops at the Creation Museum. Herpetologist Rick Teepen will introduce you to a variety of reptiles including snakes, lizards, and an alligator, and he incorporates a strong Christian message into the program.

All of the animals used in the program are captive-bred. If you are interested in keeping a reptile as a pet, it should be captive-bred also. From time to time, we will highlight one of these fascinating creatures that God created for us to see, enjoy, and learn about.

Rick Teepen hosts“Snakes Alive!” every Saturday through the end of April.

This month, we will feature the corn snake, sometimes called the Red Rat Snake (Elaphe guttata). This snake is one of the most common and popular snakes in the pet trade. They might have gotten the name corn snake from the checkered belly markings resembling Indian corn. This snake is most common to the south-central and south-eastern United States, and if kept in proper conditions, can live more than 20 years. The size can range from 24-72 inches in length, and they have a very docile disposition. They lay between 3 and 20 eggs. They are constrictors, and like all snakes, they must swallow their prey whole.

They can be obtained in a greater variety of colors than almost any other snake. These colors are obtained by breeding mutations together to get the desired results or from cross breeding. This process results in a loss of genetic information.

Here are some of Rick’s corn snakes that will be featured this month during “Snakes Alive!” Photo credit: Deb and Marty Minnard.

Rick Teepen uses five color variations of corn snakes in his program. Check the Creation Museum events calendar for dates and times of this fascinating program. It will be offered every Saturday in March and April, 2011.