Curious about Head Markings

[tlhsherry]

I bought a hatchling back in October from a Pet Store that sells several varieties of reptiles.

From all my reading I think it is a she, and her morph was not mentioned to me, but after looking at the pictures, I believe she may be a Miami Phase.

I will take some pics at next feeding. It is the only time she is still enough so the image is not blurred.

She has a perfect 'maple leaf' pattern on her head. I have been looking at the pictures of other snakes to see if it is there and so far I have not seen it.

I bought a male Okeetee from Rich and his head markings are not as perfect, but he is still a beautiful snake.

Are these markings like fingerprints?

 

[13mur 6]

Well I guess you could sorta call it that. Markings will differ greatly from snake to snake, but there are certain markings that are commonly identified. Those markings include: Violin, needle head, mask, and there are several more. Some less commonly seen markings could best be described as bizzarre at best (blank head with a couple of strangely oriented dark spots?) If you look on the SerpenCo pic gallery on this forum and look at Rich Z's pics of his snakes, you can see how those markings vary.

Frankly I can't say I've ever seen a "maple leaf" marking. Are you sure it's a corn? It could be a grey banded king snake, or even a milk snake. Those pics would definately help, even if they were bad.

Since you have an okeetee, look at the shape of the head and compare, if they are definately the same, it probably is a corn, or some rat snake. Baird's rat snakes also share very similar qualities that corns have.

-13mur 6

 

[tlhsherry]

I call it a maple leaf

But a violin might actually be more correct. She was sold to me as a corn, and looks like a Miami Phase, which I compared her to those of Rich's.

Her markings and Silk's (my Okeetee) are similar, but her's seem just perfect.

I will post a pic in the next day or so, hopefully that will help.

Thanks for the reply.

Tiffany

 

[tlhsherry]

Here's a pic

of her head.

 

[CornCrazy]

That's a very common head marking. Her "spear" is just in two pieces. I definitely say she is a corn...I've never seen anything more than pics of miami phase corns, though, so I can't help you there.

 

[13mur 6]

Yep, I agree, that's a corn.

Not too sure about it being Miami. Maybe in a year it'll be more apparent, but I think she'll grow into a normalish looking corn.

How old? Looks like a hatchling. Maybe a better pic of her sides will tell, but I'm pretty sure that's a normal corn (right now she's got a good amount of red/orange in her background showing in spots between her saddles, those will probably dominate any silver you're seeing on the sides in a year or two).

If you want to get a good idea of what a smashing Miami looks like, take a look at this post:

http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4880

Nice corn BTW. Check it's belly, it might be motley (clear belly with no markings = motely).

-13mur 6

 

[tlhsherry]

not a motley

Belly has black, not a motley.

Here is a picture of the rest of her body ...

Yep, a 02 hatchling from a Pet store.

 

[13mur 6]

Oh, okay, now that looks like miami. Thought the rest of her body looked like her neck area. You got this snake from a petstore?

-13mur 6

 

[tlhsherry]

I did

I bought 2 from a petstore before I found this site. This one and an amel (no doubt about that!) The amel would not eat, I tried several different methods, scenting the pinkie, cutting of the head, and it finally died.

This one has never refused a meal, and will take 2 pinkies at a time if I let it. I am glad I got this snake, I think she has an interesting look.

I agree that the front section does not look like the typical miami pics I have seen here and elsewhere on the web and in books, but her back half does.

Here is a full body shot so you can see more what I mean.