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ReptileTerrestrialEasy
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Corn Snake (Scaleless)
Pantherophis guttatus "Scaleless"
Homozygous for the scaleless trait. The snake is completely naked and soft, except for the ventral scales necessary for movement. Highly prized.
Class:Squamata
Order:Squamata
Family:Colubridae
Subfamily:Colubrinae
Genus:Pantherophis
Species:Pantherophis guttatus "Scaleless"
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Environment
Terrestrial
Humidity
40 - 60 %
Day temperature
24 - 28 °C
Ambient temperature
28 °C
Night temperature
20 - 22 °C
Basking spot
30 - 32 °C
Adult size
183 cm
Minimum enclosure
>= 500 L
UVB
Low/Medium
Species description
Geographical Origin and Habitat: Terrestrial predator and excellent climber distributed in open forests, cultivated fields, and grasslands of the southeastern United States. The common name comes from its ancient habit of hunting rodents inside corn cribs or, according to some, from the checkered pattern of the belly which resembles Indian corn.
Taxonomy and Genetics: It is a slender but muscular colubrid, capable of reaching 120-150 cm in length. The 'Scaleless' morph is a unique genetic mutation where the snake completely lacks dorsal and lateral scales, resulting in a soft, smooth skin that feels like velvet or peach fuzz. However, they retain the vital ventral scales on their belly, which are essential for locomotion and traction. They are strictly harmless animals, light constrictors lacking fangs and venom.
Behavior and Habits: Its status as the premier pet snake comes from an unshakeable peaceful disposition. They rarely bite for defense, preferring to retreat or vibrate the tip of their tail in dry leaves to simulate the sound of a rattlesnake. However, they are highly active and curious crepuscular and nocturnal animals. They are undisputed escape artists; if there is a millimeter gap or an unlocked lid, they will escape on the very first night.
Morphology: Sexual dimorphism is very subtle; males and females look identical externally. Probing or popping by an experienced keeper is required to determine the sex of the snake, although adult males typically have slightly longer and thicker tails relative to their body size compared to females.
Care, breeding and tankmates
Terrarium Setup: An adult specimen requires a minimum terrarium of 100x45x45 cm or 120x45x45 cm. Avoid small cubes or plastic fauna boxes for adults. The use of glass enclosures with sliding door locks or stainless steel locking clips is imperative. The setup requires dry and burrowable substrates such as aspen shavings, dry coconut fiber, or Lignocel. It is mandatory to provide at least two snug hides (one in the warm zone, one in the cool zone) where the snake can curl up feeling the walls touching its body; if the hide is too large, it will feel vulnerable and refuse food due to stress (stress-induced anorexia). Provide sturdy branches: they love to climb and explore vertically.
Lighting and Heating: Ectothermic (cold-blooded) reptiles that require a horizontal thermal gradient. The cool zone should be maintained at 22-24°C (71-75°F), while the warm zone must house a heating mat or ceramic heat emitter connected to a thermostat set at 30-32°C (86-90°F). A thermostat is absolutely mandatory: unregulated heat mats will burn the snake's belly to death in a few hours (thermal burns). They cannot digest food without a warm area. Turn off lights at night to allow a natural physiological drop to 20-22°C (68-71°F).
Humidity and Hydration: Ambient humidity of 40-50% is generally sufficient, but during the shedding process (when the eyes turn cloudy/milky blue - 'in blue'), it is categorically necessary to provide a humid hide: a closed container with an entry hole filled with damp sphagnum moss or wet paper towels. Without localized humidity during shedding, the snake will experience a stuck shed, where pieces of old skin can harden like tourniquets, leading to necrosis and loss of the tail tip. A heavy water bowl filled with clean water must always be present for drinking and occasional soaking.
Feeding and Supplementation: Exclusive carnivorous hunters. They must be fed exclusively with frozen/thawed (F/T) whole mice. Never, under any circumstances, offer live rodents. A live mouse, if not killed immediately, can attack and gnaw on the snake, disfiguring it or leading to a painful death from septicemia within days. Hatchlings eat one pinky mouse every 5-7 days, while adults require one large adult mouse every 10-14 days. The mouse must be thawed in warm water (never boiling or microwave) until it reaches a body temperature of about 37°C (98°F) to simulate live prey. Never handle the snake for at least 48-72 hours after feeding: stress can induce a fatal regurgitation, destroying their gut flora and esophagus with stomach acid.
Compatibility: Strictly solitary animals. They must be housed individually. Keeping multiple corn snakes in the same enclosure is highly stressful and can lead to competition for resources, accidental bites during feeding, or even cannibalism, especially in juveniles.
Health and Common Diseases: Common health issues include respiratory infections, usually caused by drafts, cold temperatures, or excess moisture in the substrate, presenting as wheezing or bubbles from the nose. Stuck sheds (especially on the tail tip and spectacles over the eyes) can cause tissue death if not treated. Regurgitation can occur if temperatures are too low or if handled too soon after feeding, which requires a fasting period of 2 weeks to allow the digestive tract to heal. Check regularly for external parasites like snake mites.
Geographic Origin and Distribution
Terrestrial predator and excellent climber distributed in open forests, cultivated fields, and grasslands of the southeastern United States. The common name comes from its ancient habit of hunting rodents inside corn cribs or, according to some, from the checkered pattern of the belly which resembles Indian corn.
Origin
Selective breeding and cultivarsNorth AmericaCosmopolitan or introduced
Reptile profile
- Diet
- No verified data available
- Life expectancy
- No verified data available
- Adult size
- 183 cm
- Lifestyle/Microhabitat
- No verified data available
- Activity cycle
- No verified data available
- Sociality
- No verified data available
- Reproduction
- No verified data available
- Handling tolerance
- No verified data available
- Brumation
- No verified data available
- Molting
- No verified data available
The catalog's scalar value is 183 cm. The ReptTraits v1.2 source reports a maximum adult measurement of 183 cm for this species, recorded as total length (TL). These figures are not interchangeable: the first is the profile's editorial reference, whereas the second is a published maximum under a specific measurement convention; differences among sources can reflect sex, population, life stage and measuring method.
Image gallery
Licensed images linked to the species or, when marked, to the closest representative taxon.
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