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Description
Corn Snake (Anery Motley het. Scaleless)
Scientific Name: Pantherophis guttatus
Common Name: Corn Snake
Species Overview
Size: Adults typically reach 3–5 feet (0.9–1.5 m) in length, with a slender, agile build and smooth, glossy scales.
Appearance: The Anery Motley het. Scaleless combines the cool grayscale tones of the Anerythristic morph with the clean, pattern-altering Motley gene. The result is a sleek snake with a silver-gray base and dark charcoal or black blotches that are often joined or elongated into smooth shapes. The belly is mostly unpatterned, a signature feature of the Motley trait. The overall look is crisp, high-contrast, and elegantly minimalistic. Though visually identical to an Anery Motley, this snake also carries the Scaleless gene heterozygously, giving it the potential to produce visually scaleless offspring when bred appropriately.
Distribution: A captive-bred morph of the Corn Snake (P. guttatus), native to the southeastern United States.
Habitat: In nature, Corn Snakes inhabit grasslands, pine forests, and farmlands. In captivity, they thrive in naturalistic terrariums with layered substrate, hides, and climbing elements.
Behaviour: Calm, curious, and intelligent. Corn Snakes are primarily crepuscular, active during dawn and dusk. They are gentle, consistent feeders and one of the most rewarding colubrid species to keep in captivity.
Captive Care
Enclosure: A 40-gallon naturalistic terrarium (36” × 18” × 18”) or larger is ideal for adults. Use a soil-based or bioactive substrate mixed with leaf litter to encourage burrowing and exploration. Provide multiple hides, cork bark, climbing branches, and shaded areas.
Temperature & Humidity: Maintain a daytime gradient of 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a basking area around 86–88°F (30–31°C). Nighttime temperatures can safely drop to 70°F (21°C). Humidity should remain around 40–60%, with a moist hide provided during shedding.
Diet: Offer frozen-thawed rodents every 7–10 days for juveniles and every 10–14 days for adults. Prey should be approximately 1.25× the width of the snake’s mid-body.
Behaviour in Captivity: Calm and tolerant of handling. Regular, gentle interaction fosters confidence. These snakes are active explorers that benefit from environmental enrichment and varied terrain.
Special Considerations: Ensure all enclosure openings are secure—Corn Snakes are skilled escape artists. Naturalistic enclosures with visual barriers and climbing options encourage natural activity and reduce stress.
Genetics Note
Anerythristic (Recessive)
Removes red and orange pigmentation, resulting in grayscale coloration with black, gray, and white tones. This gene brings out cool, steel-like hues and emphasizes contrast.
Motley (Recessive)
A pattern mutation that connects or simplifies dorsal blotches, often forming elongated or circular saddles. It removes or drastically reduces belly checkering, leaving a clean white or gray underside. When combined with Anery, it produces a refined, monochromatic appearance.
het. Scaleless (Recessive Carrier)
Carries one copy of the Scaleless gene, a recessive mutation that removes the snake’s external body scales while retaining the belly scutes. (“het” is short for heterozygous, meaning the snake carries one copy of the gene but does not visually express it.) When bred to another Scaleless or het. Scaleless individual, approximately 25% of the offspring may hatch as visually Scaleless Corn Snakes, exhibiting smooth, glass-like skin.
Genetic Combination Summary
The Anery Motley het. Scaleless combines two visible recessive traits and one hidden one:
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Anerythristic = Removes red/orange pigment, producing grayscale coloration
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Motley = Simplifies or connects dorsal pattern; cleans belly checkering
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het. Scaleless = Heterozygous carrier of the Scaleless gene
This combination produces a smooth-patterned gray Corn Snake with a clean, uniform underside and potential to produce Anery Scaleless Motley offspring through selective breeding.