Ruby red eyes

[KungFu Rider]

I want to buy a Blizzard Corn Snake. I saw the picture of it on Serpen Co. I think the red eyes are cool. I was wondering if all blizzards have that ruby red eyes with the pupils not being visible. Also, are the ruby red eyes permenent, or is it just a phase. I hope it's permenent because I don't like pupiled snakes... They look scary because it makes them seem like they're constantly looking at you, and they can't blink. The ruby red eyes of the Blizzard and Candy Cane are awesome!!

[Iris]

I know someone who has a candy cane and it has red eyes but you can still see the pupils.
I think the pupiled eyes are kind of cute...they're so big and round. Well my snakes's eyes are.

[Simon]

hahaha I have 4 of the snakes that I have with red eys and you still can see the pupils. Of course they are not as obvious as the normal looking eyes but still you can see them. I have 1.1 Candy cane & 1.1 amel

Either normal looking or red eyes, I would say all of them are nice!

Good luck and Happy Herping!

[KungFu Rider]

As long as the pupils are not too conspicious (like those of the large boas and pythons), I'm cool.

So those born with red eyes have red eyes permenently? I mean, their eye color doesn't change during their life, do they?

[kenalotia]

They have red eyes because they're amelanistic (sometimes they have other recessive traits, too). Without melanin, their eyes cannot be the normal color, and so they're red. They stay red for their whole lives, just like albino bunnies or other animals.

[KungFu Rider]

Oh that's cool. Then I'm going to get an amelanistic blizzard corn. And later I'm probably gonna get an amelanistic candy cane corn. Those are SWEET lookin' (pun not intended). Thanks for the info!!

[Serpwidgets]

FYI:

All blizzards are amelanistic.

All candycanes are amelanistic.

Snows, sunglows, reverse Okeetees, creamsicles, opals, butters... there are lots of morphs that are based on amelanism, so if pink eyes are the big turn-on, you have many choices. :)

[KungFu Rider]

But I saw a picture of a blizzard who doesn't have red eyes. I'll show u all the picture when I get home from school.

[kellum]

All amelanistic animals have red eyes, right?

[kenalotia]

As far as I know, yes, all amelanistics have red eyes. And all blizzards are amels. But I do recall seeing a pic of a white corn(?) snake with blue eyes. Maybe it was just a trick of the camera, or possibly a new mutation? Anyone ese know?

[Elaphe_Mo]

I've seen some other rat snakes that were leucistic, they are all white with dark eyes. I don't think I've ever seen a corn snake like that however...

[KungFu Rider]

Well, whatever it is, I'll just request my vendor to make sure that the blizzard and or corn snake I'm buying has ruby red eyes!!

[abell82]

What is a ruby eyed ghost then?Are they then amelinistic also? Are they then triple het ,as a typical ghost is only anery and hypo right?

[kenalotia]

Um, I don't think you can have a ruby-eyed ghost. A ghost, like you said, is anery and hypo. The combination of anery, hypo, and amel all showing in one animal is impossible. Hypomelanistic means the animal has less melanin than normal. Amelanistic means there is no melanin.

The only explanation I can think of for a red-eyed ghost would be that it's super-hypo. So little melanin that it's almost an amel, and the eyes look red. I've never heard of such a thing, but if there is a ruby-eyed ghost, that's what I think it'd have to be.

[Khaman]

The original Lavenders/mochas had ruby red eyes I don't know if they ever figured out if it was a separate trait or not. But I think that is where the ruby eyed ghosts came from

[Serpwidgets]

Um, I don't think you can have a ruby-eyed ghost.Yes, these do exist. :)

"Ruby" does not describe the color of an amel's eyes anyway. Amels have pink eyes. Ruby is much darker. I haven't seen the ruby-eyed ghosts or lavenders, but I'd imagine they are not the same color as amels.

The combination of anery, hypo, and amel all showing in one animal is impossible. Hypomelanistic means the animal has less melanin than normal. Amelanistic means there is no melanin.If an animal is homozygous for all 3 of these traits, it looks like a snow corn because it is both anery and amel.

It has not been proven either way whether or not hypomelanism can affect the phenotype when amelanism is being expressed.

Several "very big name" breeders create sunglow corns by using hypo and amel together. Is it because hypo is expressed in sunglows? Is it because hypo is linked to other traits that are expressed and make the difference? Is it something else entirely?

Until the entire mechanism behind hypo can be determined, it is not possible to say with any certainty that hypo cannot be expressed alongside amelanism.

[abell82]

Here is a pic of my ruby eyed ghost (from South Mountain Reptiles)sorry you can't see the eyes better but he did not want to co-operate.This is the best out of six pics.

[Matt L]

Serp,


Hypomelanistic means the animal has less melanin than normal.


I agree with your definition, however if you look at a Hypo Lavender, there really appears that there is an orange or coral wash over the darker colors.
Could the melanin mask all that color? Quite confusing? Maybe I'm missing something here.

[Serpwidgets]

Originally posted by Matt L
Serp,
I agree with your definition, however if you look at a Hypo Lavender, there really appears that there is an orange or coral wash over the darker colors.
Could the melanin mask all that color? Quite confusing? Maybe I'm missing something here.
Actually that's not my definition, I quoted someone else and then disagreed with it. ;)

It's a term applied to it because that is what it appears to be. But "appears" is the key word. I totally agree with you that the term "Hypomelanism" may not describe exactly what is happening, or may not describe everything that is happening.

It would be interesting to see what kind of mechanism there really is behind this trait. :)

[Matt L]

Serp,
oooopps! Your right that was not your qoute.
I have quite a few hypos-many of them het for different lineage. It's very interesting in that the het gene has a dramatic effect on how different each of them look.

This has drifted away from the original subject, many of the quote "ruby eyes" I have seen have been in very young snakes. Does anyone know if this color changes and are the ruby eyes a genetic trait that can be passed on or just random?

[CornCrazy]

Originally posted by kenalotia
As far as I know, yes, all amelanistics have red eyes. And all blizzards are amels. But I do recall seeing a pic of a white corn(?) snake with blue eyes. Maybe it was just a trick of the camera, or possibly a new mutation? Anyone ese know?

It may have been a leucistic rat snake. Some of them are pure white with blue or black eyes.

[Matt L]

I have a Leusistic Texas Rat snake, and it's eyes are light blue. I have not seen an all white corn that was not an amel. examples would be Blizzard or pearl(amel lav),neither are true "white" snakes.

[CornCrazy]

Originally posted by Matt L
I have a Leusistic Texas Rat snake, and it's eyes are light blue. I have not seen an all white corn that was not an amel. examples would be Blizzard or pearl(amel lav),neither are true "white" snakes.

I have a question for you, Matt. I was going to get a leucistic Texas rat snake, but was told that they do not tame down very well. I decided not to get one at the time due to this. Have you noticed this with your snake, or is he tame? Thanks!

[Matt L]

Terri,
Mine is quite a tiger. She has bitten me more than all my other snakes combined.(thats over 60). They do have a nasty reputation, but as they mature they calm down. She is an 01' and I bought her in March. She used to bite every time I took her out, now she is begining to calm down. This didn't concern me to much the bites are painless, and I have handled a few adults that are very docile. I don't think she will ever be as docile as the corns, but if your willing to put up with the "attitude" they are truly a beutifull snake. I'm going to refrain from posting a pic of a non-corn, but if you would like one I'll be happy to email it to you.

Matt L.

[CornCrazy]

I would LOVE a picture. Thank you.