One of the most commonly sighted snakes in the forests and grasslands of the south-east parts of the United States are the corn snakes. They have a very interesting name and it is mainly due to the checkerboard pattern on their belly that looks like corn kernels. They also hunt down rats in granary sheds and are alternatively known as the “red rat snakes”.
Yellow color is one of the innate colors on the body of the common corn snakes– Pantherophis guttatus. Orange and red are two of the other colors that are present on them. Here, we are going to explore the appearance, morphs, and the entire lifestyle of the yellow corn snakes. Is a yellow corn snake venomous? We will find that out too!
Contents
Yellow Corn Snake: Appearance And Lifestyle
Yellow is a color that is seen quite often on corn snakes. It is one of their signature colors. The color is mostly visible on their flank and belly. Let’s meet some beautiful yellow corn snakes!
What Do Yellow Corn Snakes Look Like?
Depending on genetic combinations while inbreeding or hybridizing morphs, yellow color may appear in different variations and intensities on the body of the snake. If you observe a common corn snake, you will find that orange and red colors are predominant on their dorsal parts, whereas on their flank and belly regions, yellow is more observable.
In the other two species of corn snakes, like the Slowinski’s corn snakes and the Great Plains rat snakes, the yellow is not visible at all. In some red corn snake morphs, like Okeetees, albinos, reverse Okeetees and snow, yellow is present in different variations. While in Okeetees, yellow is visible on the flank and snout, in snows yellow is present as saddles.
How Do Snakes Produce Yellow Colors?
There are pigment cells in reptiles, that are also present in birds and mammals, which are resp- onsible for creating beautiful colors on the scales and skin of reptiles. Xanthophores are the cells that make yellow colors on the body of a corn snake. Some people think that brown is produced by xanthophores. However, brown color is generated by melanins.
A yellow corn snake may or may not have other colors on its body. Usually, the color yellow is accompanied by orange and red. Orange and red colors are generated by the presence of a different pigment group known as erythrins and carotenoids.
Inbreeding and crossbreeding, which are humane ways of creating beautiful corn snake morphs, may cause gene mutation in corn snakes. As a result, conditions like amelanism and anerythrism may occur. Amelanism causes a partial or total absence of black pigments, whereas anerythism causes the snake to not have red and orange pigments. There is another condition called leucism that may cause the snake to have subtle or suppressed hues only.
If a corn snake morph is amelanistic or leucistic, the snake may look completely white but may still have yellow on them in suppressed tones, like in snow and Palmetto corn snakes. If a corn snake is anerythristic, it may not have red and orange, but it will have black and brown tones, and may still have subdued tones of yellow on their dorsal parts or saddles.
However, if the snake is axanthic, meaning the serpent cannot produce yellow pigment, it will not have yellow on them, but the other colors will still be there. A breeder keeps different gene combinations in mind before mating corn snakes together to get the traits that he is looking for.
What Do The Other Parts Of Yellow Corn Snakes Look Like?
Depending upon the morphs and the proportion of the gene expressed, a yellow corn snake will have lighter or darker shades of yellow on different parts of its body. In an Okeetee corn snake, for instance, there are varying shades of yellow on their snout, chin and flank. You may get a similar finding when you observe the head of a snow and an anery corn snake.
Yellow corn snakes are of the same size as other corn snakes. Hatchlings could be anywhere between 5 and 12 inches, where adults may grow to be about 6 feet in length. Yellow snakes bred and brought up in captivity may grow to be quite large and bulky.
What Do The Eyes Of Yellow Corn Snakes Look Like?
Unless the yellow corn snake has amelanism, it will have black or dark brown eyes just like Carolina or wild-type corn snakes. Amelanism causes the corn snake to produce little to no melanin which results in the visibility of the blood vessels beneath the eyes, causing the eyes to look pink or red. Yellow corn snakes may be scaleless too. In that case, the eyes appear bulgy.
How Many Types Of Yellow Corn Snakes Are There?
There are numerous yellow corn snake morphs. Some of them are discussed below.
- Carolina: These are the wild-type or common corn snakes that have orange, red and yellow hues on them. The yellow is mostly on their flanks, chin and ventral regions.
- Butter: Butter corn snakes are one of the most yellowish corn snakes there is. The background is beige with bright yellow saddles marking the whole body. The checkerboard pattern on the underside of the snakes is yellow and white.
- Snow: Snow corn snakes are white snakes with yellow rings. They have a lot of yellow on their snouts. There is a version called the “xanthic snow” that is mostly white with yellow hues. There is another snow called “green blotch snow” that is as yellowish as the original snow.
- Amber: They are beautiful golden snakes, where the first one-third of their body is bright amber- yellow, but it lightens as we go further along the length of the snake.
- Candy Cane: Candycanes are mostly red and white snakes, with orange stripes and saddles. However, there is bright yellow in their ventral region.
- Caramel: They are very interesting when it comes to the drastic metamorphosis in their looks from young age to adulthood. They are black-and-white as babies, but turn into these white snakes with yellowish saddles as they mature. There are striped, motley, terrazzo, tessera and masque versions available, among many others.
- Okeetee: Kathy Love Okeetees have orange-yellow hues all over the body, with vibrant red saddles edged in thick black. Their head region has some yellow in it.
- Reverse Okeetee: Reverse Okeetees have a lot of yellow on their flank as patterns and lines. The saddles are bright red, otherwise the snake is mostly white.
- Albino: Albino corn snakes have bright orange and yellow on their body, but no black or red. They have a lot of yellow markings on their head, snout and tail.
- Sunglow: Sunglow corn snakes are mostly red and orange, however they have yellow markings on their chin and undersides.
- Creamsicle: Creamsicles are mostly light orange on a white body, with yellowish hues all over. They are available in striped, sunspot, tessera and motley versions.
What Do Yellow Corn Snake Babies Look Like?
Yellow corn snake babies may look quite different from their adult forms when they hatch out. Butter corn snake hatchlings look almost white with light brown saddle markings, whereas they look more yellow as they mature. Creamsicles babies, however, look just the same as they look when they grow into adults. Amber corn snakes look more chocolaty brown when they are young and grow to be more yellowish.
How Do Yellow Corn Snakes Reproduce?
Corn snakes, be they yellow or red, all reproduce in a similar fashion. They mature when they are around 18 to 24 months old, but usually start to breed by the time they are 3 years old. All corn snakes change the way they look before the mating season arrives, which is usually in spring. They molt by a process called brumation in winter and change into a new attire.
As soon as the winter cooling is complete, several males compete for one female. After copulation, the female may eat plenty in order to create nutrition for the baby snakes that will be growing inside of her very soon. A month after mating, the mother lays around 12-20 eggs which look white and leathery. Mother snakes abandon the eggs as soon as they are laid.
Care-Sheet For Yellow Corn Snake!
Yellow corn snakes are much sought-after pets because of their color and the way they appear on white corn snakes. They are very gentle and unless perturbed, do not hiss or bite. It is for these reasons that pet-keepers consider adding a corn snake to their already-existing snake collection. They are also great snakes for beginners as it is easy to take care of them.
People often wonder what to feed pet snakes. Store-bought frozen mice are the usual food for pet corn snakes. However, they should never be fed live animals since a simple scratch could lead to hideous infections in snakes that could even lead to fatality if left untreated. They should be once pinky or fuzzy mouse once every week or every other week.
A temperature gradient should be maintained within the tank that will house the reptile. On the basking spot a temperature of 80-85°F should be maintained, and the cooler side must be within 75-82°F. With misters and water bowls, a humidity limit of 65 to 75% should be maintained. These aspects are crucial since the snake’s comfort largely depends on them.
How Much Do Yellow Corn Snakes Cost?
Corn snakes are quite affordable. The common or Carolina corn snakes can be bought at prices as low as $60 to about $160. The prices of a few yellow morphs are listed below.
- Butter: $80 to $225
- Creamsicle: $80 to $100
- Snow: $100 to $400
FAQ
The following FAQs will further clarify any questions you may have about yellow corn snakes.
Q: Is a yellow corn snake venomous?
Ans: All corn snakes, be they any color, are non-venomous Colubrids.
Q: Are yellow corn snake albinos?
Ans: Morphs like butter, creamsicle, candy cane, and snow are amelanistic, as such they can be called albinos. However, all yellow corn snakes are not albinos, take the Carolina corn snakes, as an instance.
Q: Are yellow corn snakes rare?
Ans: Yes, yellow corn snakes are rare because they do not exist naturally. They are bred in captivity and not released in the wild.
Thoughts
Yellow corn snakes look exquisite on a snake. The color itself is cheerful and makes the snakes look adorable and friendly. Yellow corn snakes are usually white corn snakes with yellow saddles or markings on their body. They are both amelanistic and anerythristic.
They are easy to take care of, only the albino ones should be kept away from direct sunlight. Correct humidity and temperature is crucial in bringing them up. If they are raised with love and affection, they may thrive for longer than 20 years.
