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Albino Corn Snake

Family: ColubridaeElaphe guttata

   Like all corn snakes, the albino corn snake makes an excellent pet for the advanced beginner.

   These colorful snakes will tame down in a short time becoming very docile, even tempered, and tolerant of frequent handling. They are very hardy and easy to maintain.

For more Information on keeping Snakes see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Herptile

Description:   The albino corn snake also referred to as the "amelanistic" or "red albino" is one of the most beautiful of the corn snakes. As an albino, they have striking, ruby-red eyes. Their body coloring is a pattern of dark red blotches on a deep orange background with a white belly. They have no black pigment. Like all corn snakes, their scales are lightly keeled.
   This snake will grow to the same size as a normal corn snake which is between three and five feet. Cornsnakes are a heavier bodied snake than the garter snake or the kingsnake, though their length is about the same.

Feeding:   They are a constrictor and their diet consists of mice and other rodents, chicks, and lizards. Feed once or twice a week, depending on the size of the food and the size of the snake. As you get to know your snake, you'll learn what its feeding needs are. Fresh water in a shallow dish should always be available.

Environment:   They do not eat other snakes, and so they can be housed alone or in groups with other snakes of similar size and habits.
   You can set up their terrarium as either a woodland type, a desert type, or a combination of the two with moderate humidity. See the terrarium types described under Basic Reptile and Amphibian Care for more information.
   This snake needs a hiding place and a small water dish. It also likes to climb, so a vertical or semi-vertical tree limb with some plant vining is great.

Temperature and Lighting requirements:   They do well at 75° to 85 F in the daytime, and 65° to 72° F at night. Because they are albino, they do not do well in bright lighting. You can use a substrate heating device for basic heating. For additional heat you can add a blacklight bulb or red incandescent bulb. Be sure you use a thermometer so you don't let the terrarium become overheated.
   For more detailed information see the Basic Reptile and Amphibian Care: Housing.

Distribution:   The albino corn snakes are breed in captivity.

Breeding/Reproduction:   These snakes, if not babies, need to be probe sexed for positive sex identification. Like all corn snakes they are egg layers and breed readily.

Availability:  The albino corn snake has been successfully bred and they are generally available as pets.

Author: Clarice Brough, CRS

Lastest Comments on Albino Corn Snake View all 49 comments on Albino Corn Snake Add Your Comment

Marsha C. Mais - 2012-05-24 So, exactly 1 week ago, I bought a Snow Corn that I named Rexx, since the labeling said it was a male. Hadn't had the chance to pop him to confirm since he's milked me twice in attempt. Anyways, I want to say he was a hatching since he was very tiny, about 4 or 5 inches long and as thin as a pencil. I put him in the same vivarium with our older female Albino Corn, Phoenix, who is about 2 feet long and as thick as my thumb. Anyways, last night, I saw Rexx climbing the top edge of the tank, which has a VERY secure lid. That is his normal behavior thus far since he was very active from the start. This morning, he's gone. Is there a chance that my older snake ate him since today or tomorrow is supposed to be feeding day for both? Or is it more possible that he still snuck out? There are 2 very small holes at the back corners of the lid to allow wires to go through but I never gave much though to them til I started looking for the snake this morning. A lot of professional articles I've read said putting 2 corns together is just fine..while a few personal opinions of keepers either agree or say otherwise, or that it's more likely that hatchlings will eat each other. Tracy - 2012-05-25 My daughters baby albino corn snake escaped from a tight sealed enclosure. It managed to slip through the tiniest if graps near where the lid secured. We were assured that the lid was escape proof, but I am now a believer that nothing is truly escape proof. We then went out and purchsed an Exo-Terra enclosure for it. As for the vent holes at the back we were told by two breeders to make sure that they were closed. Our daughters snake turned up inside her dresser drawer after we had ripped her room apart looking for it. Reply

Kristen - 2012-05-25 Hi!! I just got my son an albino corn snake. Her name is Coral. We love her. She has grown to love my son and just rests on his arm while he holds her. Is it ok to use newspaper for her cage? Reply

robert carver - 2012-04-10 I have had my ailbino sunkise corn snack for 6 years and if you do not leave his cage he will not eat for hours. Reply

Jillian - 2012-04-15 Angel is my Snow Albino Corn snake which I acquired as a 10 inch baby in February of 2006. At approximately 54 inches long and a circumference of about 5 1/2 inches, after the cloaca the circumference drops to about 2 inches. This has been like this for about 4 years. Just recently I noticed brown spots on the underside for approximately 6 inches from the cloaca up towards the head. She (I don't know the actual sex) has not eaten for 6 weeks, rejecting 5 different frozen mice. She is very active and has a new 'playmate' in our cat. He loves to sit atop her aquarium and watch her and she loves to reach to the top and they sniff each other through the screen. Is it possible she wants to eat the cat? Are any of these things related??? Thanks for any help you can lend :) Jeremy Roche - 2012-04-15 I have had boas that have almost seemed to make friends with the feeder I have put in. Biggest issue is that the cat can easily hurt the snake. Sounds like a curiousity thing over a food thing. Still wouldn't chance hurting eother. Reply

tachi - 2011-03-13 I just bought a Albino Corn snake yesterday. His really only just a baby. He eats a just born baby mouse (Pinkies) once a week. When I feed can I play with him right after? Desirae - 2011-04-13 It would not be good to play with your snake right after he eats. He can get nervous and either throw the mouse up or he could bite you. I got a corn snake about a month ago and I suggest waiting three or four days before holding him once you feed him. I hope this helped with your question. Taylor - 2011-06-11 I have had my corn snake for over a year and your not supposed to hold your snake after feeding for 24 hours. It will make your snake throw up the mouse and your snake nervous to eat again afterward. anonomys - 2011-10-22 No you should not it might upchuck the food or something bad like that you should wait at least a day or two. Mikayla - 2012-01-03 Well,maybe about 3-5 hours. Just remember,they will throw up if too active. Hope this helps ;) Anonymous - 2012-03-28 I have an albino corn snake born 8/2011. I bought him in early February of this year, the pet store told me to feed him 1 pinky every 2 weeks, I feed him 2 every 5 or 6 days, he eats the 1st in 15-20 but when I put the 2nd in he attacks and has it digested in under 5. He also also eaten 2 of the next size up from Pinkys, but seemed to struggle so I thought 2 pinkys would be better. Will he grow much larger if I feed him this frequently? Or just get to his max length faster? Or neither? Is feeding him 2 pinkies/5-6 days average? Jeremy Roche - 2012-03-28 Really depends on the snake. Either way make sure you wash the scent of the mouse off your hands before handling. I would wait a few hours to a day if it is use to you holding it. Reply

Dee - 2012-01-12 I put my 5 ft albino rat snake who is all white in the tub to take off his shed and his skin stayed red when he ultimately died 3 days later. What does that mean. I have 4 more snakes usually soak them in water and help pull their shed off. Did I do it too early or something wrong? Toby Jungle - 2012-01-15 So sorry to hear about your snake. It sounds like you may have soaked it before it was ready to shed. Soaking a snake can help, but it is best used when there is a problem with shedding. Snakes are able to shed naturally when they are ready, and usually in one piece. They build up a liquid of essential oils between the old and new layer of skin. You can tell they are getting ready to shed because their skin color becomes dull and their eyes become clouded. In order to shed properly, they need to have adequate humidity in their enclosure. Humidity levels that are too low is the biggest cause of shedding problems. Sometimes snakes need help if part of the shed is not releasing. The problem with soaking is it robs the snake of these essential oils. When you soak a snake, they should only be allowed to stay in the water for 10 to 15 minutes at most. If that doesn't do the trick, then soaking will not work. The most important thing you can do, is make sure the humidity is kept at the proper level. Reply

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