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Description
Corn Snake (Sunkissed het. Caramel)
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, athletic build and smooth, glossy scales.
Appearance: The Sunkissed het. Caramel Corn Snake is a warm-toned, pattern-softened morph that combines the glowing hues of the Sunkissed gene with the hidden potential of the Caramel trait. This Corn Snake exhibits soft orange, gold, and tan tones with slightly diffused saddle edges, creating a smooth and natural gradient between pattern and base color. The Sunkissed gene reduces harsh contrasts and enhances brightness, resulting in a clean, radiant appearance. Though the Caramel gene is not visually expressed in this heterozygous form, it carries the potential to produce rich golden or bronze offspring when paired with another Caramel carrier or visual. The overall look is warm, refined, and understated, making it an attractive morph both visually and genetically.
Distribution: A selectively bred morph of the Corn Snake (P. guttatus), created by combining Sunkissed (recessive) with a single copy of the Caramel (recessive) gene.
Habitat: Wild Corn Snakes inhabit a range of habitats across the southeastern United States, including forests, fields, and agricultural areas. In captivity, this morph thrives in naturalistic terrariums with soft substrate, climbing branches, and secure hiding areas.
Behaviour: Corn Snakes are crepuscular, most active during dawn and dusk. They are hardy, dependable feeders and adjust easily to stable environmental conditions, making them suitable for both breeding and display.
Captive Care
Enclosure: A naturalistic 40-gallon terrarium (36” × 18” × 18”) or larger is ideal for adults. Use soft, loose substrate such as soil, coconut fiber, or bioactive blends. Provide multiple hides, cork flats, and smooth décor for climbing and exploration.
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 45–60%, 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 thrive in structured environments with stable care routines. They are active, gentle snakes that adapt well to consistent feeding and handling.
Special Considerations: The Sunkissed het. Caramel Corn Snake is a valuable breeding animal for developing golden and amber morphs. When bred with compatible partners, it can produce Sunkissed Caramel, Butter, or Caramel Stripe offspring with radiant yellow and bronze coloration. Its subtle beauty and strong genetic potential make it an excellent choice for breeders and collectors seeking warm-toned lineages.
Genetics Note
Sunkissed (Recessive)
Part of the Diffused complex, this gene smooths pattern edges, enhances color brightness, and produces a clean, blended appearance.
het. Caramel (Recessive Carrier)
Carries one copy of the Caramel gene, which reduces red pigmentation and enhances yellow and brown tones when visual. (“het” is short for heterozygous, meaning one copy is carried but not expressed.)
Genetic Combination Summary
The Sunkissed het. Caramel Corn Snake expresses one recessive trait and carries a second:
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Sunkissed = Smooths pattern edges and increases brightness and warmth
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het. Caramel = Carrier for gold and bronze coloration, reducing reds when visual
Together, these genetics produce a warm, softly patterned Corn Snake with strong breeding potential for creating yellow, amber, or bronze morphs. The Sunkissed het. Caramel Corn Snake is both visually refined and genetically valuable—an ideal addition for breeders working toward luminous golden and pastel lines.