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Description
Corn Snake (Reverse Okeetee 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 yet muscular body and smooth, glossy scales.
Appearance: The Reverse Okeetee het. Scaleless Corn Snake is a vivid, high-contrast morph that combines the Amelanistic (Albino) gene with selective Okeetee lineage traits and carries the recessive Scaleless gene. This Corn Snake displays brilliant orange to red saddles with thick, clean white borders over a bright yellow to pale orange background—essentially the amelanistic, color-inverted version of the traditional Okeetee. The Okeetee influence enhances saddle contrast and sharp border definition, while the Amelanistic gene removes black pigment, creating its fiery, sunlit tones. Though the Scaleless gene is not visually expressed, it provides future breeding potential for producing Scaleless Reverse Okeetee offspring—among the most vibrant examples of the morph.
Distribution: A selectively bred morph of the Corn Snake (P. guttatus), derived from Okeetee lineage lines carrying the Amelanistic and Scaleless traits.
Habitat: Wild Corn Snakes inhabit a variety of environments including forests, meadows, and agricultural regions across the southeastern United States. In captivity, they thrive in naturalistic terrariums with secure hides, climbing branches, and soft, diggable substrate.
Behaviour: Corn Snakes are crepuscular and most active during dawn and dusk. They are hardy, adaptable, and consistent feeders, making them a staple species in both display collections and breeding programs.
Captive Care
Enclosure: A naturalistic 40-gallon terrarium (36” × 18” × 18”) or larger is recommended for adults. A soil-based or bioactive substrate layered with leaf litter encourages natural burrowing and exploration. Provide multiple hides, cork flats, climbing branches, and plant cover for enrichment and visual security.
Temperature & Humidity: Maintain a daytime gradient of 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a basking area around 86–88°F (30–31°C). Allow nighttime drops to 70°F (21°C). Maintain humidity between 40–60%, with a humid 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: Corn Snakes adapt readily to captive conditions and thrive with consistent care. They are active and exploratory, making excellent subjects for naturalistic terrariums.
Special Considerations: When bred with other het. Scaleless or visual Scaleless individuals, the Reverse Okeetee het. Scaleless Corn Snake can produce Scaleless Reverse Okeetees—spectacular snakes that display the same fiery pattern across smooth, scale-free skin.
Genetics Note
Amelanistic (Recessive)
Removes black pigment, resulting in bright red, orange, and yellow coloration with red eyes.
Okeetee Line (Selective Line Trait)
A selectively bred lineage that enhances color contrast and border thickness. This is a polygenic trait based on selective breeding rather than a single gene mutation.
het. Scaleless (Recessive Carrier)
Carries one copy of the Scaleless gene, which removes external scales when visual, creating a smooth, glass-like appearance. (“het” is short for heterozygous, meaning one copy is carried but not displayed.)
Genetic Combination Summary
The Reverse Okeetee het. Scaleless Corn Snake expresses one recessive trait and one polygenic trait while carrying another recessive:
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Amelanistic = Removes dark pigment, producing bright orange, red, and yellow coloration
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Okeetee Line = Enhances color saturation and defines thick, white borders
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het. Scaleless = Carrier for the scale-removal gene
Together, these traits create a Corn Snake with brilliant contrast and strong visual appeal, coupled with valuable genetic potential. The Reverse Okeetee het. Scaleless Corn Snake is both a stunning display animal and an ideal foundation for producing vibrant Scaleless or High-Contrast Reverse Okeetee offspring.