Corn Snake (Scaleless Tessera Anery) Sub-Adult

Corn Snake (Scaleless Tessera Anery)

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 but muscular build and a smooth, reflective, scale-free body surface.

Appearance: The Scaleless Tessera Anery Corn Snake is a refined and visually cool-toned morph that merges the crisp patterning of the Tessera gene with the sleek smoothness of the Scaleless trait and the grayscale tones of the Anerythristic gene. This Corn Snake displays a silvery-gray to soft charcoal base coloration with deep graphite dorsal striping bordered by lighter silver or pearl-gray sides. The Anerythristic gene removes red pigment, while the Tesserapattern creates an elegant, continuous dorsal stripe with thin, orderly side striping. The absence of scales enhances the reflective quality of the skin, giving the snake a metallic sheen that accentuates its monochromatic tones. This combination produces one of the most sophisticated and understated visual morphs in the species.

Distribution: A selectively bred morph of the Corn Snake (P. guttatus), developed through the combination of Scaleless (recessive) and Anerythristic (recessive) traits with the Tessera (dominant) gene.

Habitat: Wild Corn Snakes inhabit open forests, meadows, and farmlands throughout the southeastern United States. In captivity, this morph thrives in naturalistic enclosures featuring smooth climbing branches, soft substrate, and secure hides to support its scale-free skin.

Behaviour: Corn Snakes are crepuscular, most active around dawn and dusk. They are hardy, adaptable, and consistent feeders that do well in both display and breeding environments.

Captive Care

Enclosure: A naturalistic 40-gallon terrarium (36” × 18” × 18”) or larger is ideal for adults. Use a soft, non-abrasive substrate such as soil, coconut fiber, or bioactive mixes. Include multiple hides, rounded branches, and gentle décor. Avoid rough or sharp furnishings to protect the smooth skin.

Temperature & Humidity: Maintain a daytime gradient of 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a basking area of 86–88°F (30–31°C). Allow nighttime drops to 70°F (21°C). Keep humidity between 50–65%, and provide a humid hide to support shedding and hydration.

Diet: Offer frozen-thawed rodents every 7–10 days for juveniles and every 10–14 days for adults. Prey should be roughly 1.25× the width of the snake’s mid-body.

Behaviour in Captivity: Corn Snakes thrive under consistent husbandry and stable environmental conditions. Scaleless individuals benefit from slightly higher humidity and soft, rounded furnishings for ideal skin maintenance and smooth sheds.

Special Considerations: The Scaleless Tessera Anery Corn Snake’s grayscale coloration makes it an excellent foundation for breeding subtle, high-contrast combinations. When paired with Hypo, Lavender, or Snow lines, this morph can produce stunning pale or silvery offspring with enhanced iridescence and unique pattern expression.

Genetics Note

Scaleless (Recessive)

Removes external scales, producing a smooth, reflective surface that heightens color clarity and pattern definition.

Tessera (Dominant)

Creates a clean, unbroken dorsal stripe with organized lateral striping. A single copy is sufficient to express the trait.

Anerythristic (Recessive)

Removes red pigment, resulting in grayscale coloration with tones of black, gray, and silver.

Genetic Combination Summary

The Scaleless Tessera Anery Corn Snake expresses two recessive and one dominant trait:

• Scaleless = Eliminates scales, producing a smooth, metallic sheen and heightened contrast

• Tessera = Creates a sharp, clean dorsal stripe with balanced side striping

• Anerythristic = Removes red pigment, creating grayscale tones from silver to charcoal

Together, these traits produce a refined, high-contrast snake with a liquid-metal appearance. The Scaleless Tessera Anery Corn Snake stands out for its elegant simplicity, cool color palette, and sleek texture—making it a favorite among collectors seeking minimalistic beauty with modern patterning.