Albino California Kingsnake and Snow Corn

Taxonomy and Description

• Corn snakes and California kingsnakes are both members of the Colubridae family of snakes, have a similar size and occupy the same ecological niche. Their appearance, however, differs greatly. Corn snakes (Elaphe guttata) are also known as red rat snakes and posses a variety of colors and patterns in the wild ranging from dark browns to bright reds. They receive their common name for the pattern that appears on their belly-scales--called scutes--which are white and checkered with black spots and resemble wild maize. The brown-red camouflage coloration helps them to blend in with their natural environments in the Southeastern forests of the U.S.

  California kingsnakes (Lampropeltis getula californiae), likewise, can vary widely in appearance in the wild. However, their coloration serves a different purpose. California kingsnakes typically have dark base coloration with a white banded or striped pattern. Since the California kingsnake is found in the arid portions of the Southwest U.S. where the vegetation offers little cover, the stripped pattern on these snakes creates an optical illusion when moving, helping the kingsnake to escape from would-be predators.

In Captivity

• Both the corn snake and the California kingsnake are relatively docile and adapt well to human handling. The corn snake reaches lengths of four to six feet; the California kingsnake averages between two to four feet. Both species require only basic husbandry to stay healthy and both will readily breed in captivity.

  By selectively breeding rare mutations, albino snakes--animals that rarely survive in the wild--have become a common sight and are in high demand in the pet trade. The famous snow corn snake as well as albino California kingsnakes are both common morphs in captivity, though they are the product of different genetic mutations.

Albinism

• A snake will occasionally hatch tin the wild that has a genetic mutation that can change the appearance of the animal. Albino snakes have a genetic mutation that blocks their ability to metabolize melanin and produce dark-colored pigments, such as black and brown. Albino snakes--more accurately called amelanistic snakes--lack the ability to produce the dark-colored pigments on their skin and appear with only the lighter colors of yellows and reds expressed on their body. While many people associate albinism with pure white animals--as that is often the appearance of mammals--in snakes, they simply appear without their dark coloration; albinism results in some exotic-looking yellow and red snakes. Both the corn snake and California kingsnake can become amelanistic and such morphs are in high demand in the pet trade.

Anerythrism

• The snow corn snake has one extra mutation than albino California kingsnakes. This snake possesses a genetic mutation called anerythrism. Anerythrism blocks the ability for a snake to produce red coloration. The combination of amelanistic and anerythristic mutations makes the snow corn snake appear almost pure white, with only faint yellow patterns visible.

Albanism and Anerythrism in the Wild

• Corn snakes rely on their ability to blend in to the forest floor to avoid predators. Albino corn snakes, who lack the dark coloration that help them blend in to their environment are much more noticeable to predators in the wild and thus less likely to survive. While the kingsnake does not rely on camouflage for survival like the corn snake, albinism also reduces their chances of survival as the effectiveness of their optical illusion is diminished. Albino snakes also have more difficulty absorbing sunlight in the wild and some may have a heightened sensitivity to light, a potential problem as both species are diurnal and commonly active during the day.