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Scaleless Corns

I have some experience with scale less Texas rats. Don't ask how, but I do! They can vary in the amount of scales present, or lack there of. You do need to be careful not to allow them to injure themselves. Basically they lack the scales, which protect the soft, leathery skin like skin under the scales. The biggest thing about scale less to remember is that under the scales, it is very different and can vary greatly in color, and pattern from the original scales. The Texas Rats I have experience with can vary from brick red with saddles to a mustard-ish beige with saddles.
 
just doesnt seem right to me but thats just imo.

If we start breeding strictly for whats cool without regard to the snakes health than how long before we have dwarf corns, eyeless corns, etc etc.
 
Kuzco said:
just doesnt seem right to me but thats just imo.

If we start breeding strictly for whats cool without regard to the snakes health than how long before we have dwarf corns, eyeless corns, etc etc.
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Everyone who's actually worked with scaleless snakes has reported no health issues at all though :shrugs:
 
the health issue is that it has no scales; a snakes #1 way of fighting off infection.

I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do. just saying for me, I draw the line at pigment and pattern morphs.
 
Kuzco said:
the health issue is that it has no scales; a snakes #1 way of fighting off infection.

I'm not trying to tell anyone what to do. just saying for me, I draw the line at pigment and pattern morphs.
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I haven't got any wish to own a scaleless corn myself, but there haven't been any health issues reported by owners and breeders, no increased rates of infection either.
Personally I'd be happier about owning a scaleless corn from a health standpoint than introducing sunkissed (a pattern morph associated with a known genetic problem) into my breeding group.
 
What's the difference between breeding snakes to be scaleless and breeding mammals to be hairless. There are hairless cats, dogs, and rats to name a few and no one seems to think there is any problem with that. So I don't see why it's such a big deal when a reptile doesn't have scales.
 
Kuzco, at first I was against scaleless reptiles... but after some research, it seems that the only downfall of not having scales is getting injured more easily. So don't put pointy things in the tanks and viola! A healthy snake.
 
Kuzco said:
the health issue is that it has no scales; a snakes #1 way of fighting off infection.
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Have you had any experience (owning or caring for) scaleless snakes? I haven't had ANY issues with infections... Can you show me any literature showing that SCALES ARE A SNAKE'S #1 WAY OF FIGHTING OFF INFECTION. A reptiles WHITE BLOOD CELLS are thier #1 way of FIGHTING infections. "Scales protect the body of the snake, aid it in locomotion, allow moisture to be retained within and give simple or complex colouration patterns which help in camouflage and anti-predator display."

Kuzo- I'm not trying to give ya a hard time. You were very polite in yoru responses and just mentioned that you personally didn't like 'em. I just wanted to correct that statement- many people look to these forums for accurate information.....
 
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Kuzco said:
the health issue is that it has no scales; a snakes #1 way of fighting off infection.
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Correction, the snakes #2 (Correction, after Grahams post lol) method of fighting off infection is the epidermis. A snake's dermis layer is quite similar when compared to a mammal's in its ability to keep out foreign bodies; although they don't have the exact same cell construct or glands (with the exception of pheromone secretion).
 
Scaleless snakes give me sort of a bad feeling, but I have to believe people like Graham who have experience with snakes in general and scaleless in particular that they have good quality lives. The idea of breeding for a mutation that looks cool but might cause the animal difficulties is at the root of my bad feeling, but since I have no evidence to back up the bad feeling, and info from Graham (a highly reliable source) that they don't have difficulties, I am left with heebie-jeebies but it's just a feeling. I don't think I would own one though because I think the poor thing would get neglected due to the heebie-jeebies.
 
Not totally off-topic, but Betsy, I have met at least one male and one female adult human (a couple of each, I think) with congenital atrichia/atrichosis in my life. It was less repugnant than one might think. I would guess bad for a little girl growing up into a woman.

I wonder if there are any associated phenomena with this situation. I understand at least one type is Mendelian recessive.
 
wstphal said:
Scaleless snakes give me sort of a bad feeling, but I have to believe people like Graham who have experience with snakes in general and scaleless in particular that they have good quality lives. The idea of breeding for a mutation that looks cool but might cause the animal difficulties is at the root of my bad feeling, but since I have no evidence to back up the bad feeling, and info from Graham (a highly reliable source) that they don't have difficulties, I am left with heebie-jeebies but it's just a feeling. I don't think I would own one though because I think the poor thing would get neglected due to the heebie-jeebies.
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Thank you wstphal, I appreciate the kind words- I had all the same concerns you did before I decided to get into the project. Like you feel- they aren't for everyone. I'm one of the few that DO like them and HONESTLY feel that they thrive just as well as any snake in captivity.

The only differences I see between scaled and scaleless snakes so far is:

- Feeding f/t or fresh kill to remove any chances of a live mouse bitting them during constriction. Like discussed in this thread- without scales they are somewhat venerable. Heck, I don't feed live anyways to my regular snakes for the same reasons (well, that and the general ease of F/T).

- I haven't had any shedding problems yet BUT I do provide a moist/semi-moist hide in all my colubrid cages... they do spend alot of time in it (and soak probably just as much or a tad more than regular snakes. (Scales help to hold in some moisture).

As you can see anyone would be hard-pressed to call either of those serious problems-lol. In the end it's personal choice- some hobbyists will love 'em----others may have a strong dislike for them... just as any morph!
 
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