Let's Play "Name That Morph!"

[jaxom1957]

Hi, all. My name is Lee, and my friend here is Lucius. He is about six-feet long, of unknown age or gender, and I've had him over a year. He is a sweetheart of a corn snake, just as gentle as a kitten. I am his second owner, the previous owner having purchased him at #2 pencil size.

I have recently begun to expand my corn snake collection so that Lucius and I will have some pals. In the meanwhile, I am trying to establish exactly which morph he might be. Butter, amelanistic and creamsicle have all been suggested. Since I've seen pictures identified as butters that are darker than he is, and pics identified as either creamsicle or amel that are lighter, I'm putting it to a vote:

What color is Lucius? I know we can't tell what he may be het for, and I would probably go into shock if someone could tell his gender from my limited photo skills, but I'm hoping to at least settle on his phenotype. Asking just the experts would probably be more scientific, but what's the fun in that? So, would everyone please join in with the latest sensation to sweep the nation:

Name That Morph!

 

[Roy Munson]

Lots of tapering in the tail, although those photos don't really show the angles that would be most helpful in determining gender (ventral would be best). So I'm guessing that Lucia is a female creamsicle.

 

[jaxom1957]

Lots of tapering in the tail, although those photos don't really show the angles that would be most helpful in determining gender (ventral would be best). So I'm guessing that Lucia is a female creamsicle.

That would be fine with me. I'll try to get someone to hold him/her while I take other pictures. Can you steer me in the right direction: what should I be trying to capture in the shot?

 

[Shaky]

I'm gonna go with male creamsicle. Not quite enough tapering for me.

 

[year of the spider]

get a shot of his tail from the side and underneath. and id say he is a creamsicle =]

lucky you. i love them.

 

[CornCrazy]

I also say he/she is a creamsicle. You know that creams are not pure corn, right? If you breed him or her, then you need to let all potential buyers for the offspring know that they are getting a hybrid/intergrade.

And I withhold my guess on gender until you post some more pics. I would like to see a shot from underneath its tail and from the side (including the vent). To take an underneath picture, you can put her on a glass table with a bowl over her so she is trapped under it. You can then take a picture from underneath the table.

 

[jaxom1957]

I also say he/she is a creamsicle. You know that creams are not pure corn, right? If you breed him or her, then you need to let all potential buyers for the offspring know that they are getting a hybrid/intergrade.

What I've yet to figure out is what makes a cornsicle? How does the color or pattern differ from a butter? From a light amel?

And I withhold my guess on gender until you post some more pics. I would like to see a shot from underneath its tail and from the side (including the vent). To take an underneath picture, you can put her on a glass table with a bowl over her so she is trapped under it. You can then take a picture from underneath the table.

The clerk at my favorite pet store put me in touch with a breeder here in Modesto. We are meeting up tomorrow so that I can look at some hatchlings she has, and she is bringing her probe set with her to check the gender on Lucius (who may be Luscious), as well as Adam and Steve. Here are their pics, courtesy of the guy from whom I received them:

Adam:
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=43570&stc=1
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=43571&stc=1



Steve:
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=43572&stc=1
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=43573&stc=1

 

[vanderkm]

A creamsicle is a specific line developed originally from crosses between cornsnakes and the great plains ratsnake (emoryi) - in order to reduce the red coloration of the corn and achieve the orange colors that are typical of creamsicles. While corns and emoryi were originally considered different subspecies, they are now considered separate species, so the snakes that originated from those crosses are now considered hybrids.

Most creamsicles are many generations removed from the intial crosses between corns and emoryi but many retain some specific characteristics - like the brilliant orange coloration of the saddles. In your snake they are on a very light orange background providing for high contrast. There is also a tendency for there to be fewer saddles than a 'pure' corn and often a reduction in the side pattern. Creamsicles tend to be larger than corns when they hatch, tend to grow more rapidly, mature at a younger age and be stockier and perhaps a bit shorter than 'pure' corns at maturity.

Your snake has the pure orange tones that are very strongly suggestive of creamsicle, though it is not possible to be sure without knowledge of parents. Amelanistic corns really tend to show more reddish orange than that pure orange color yours has. It really is impossible to distinuish based on appearance alone though - there is overlap between the morphs. It does not look yellow enough to me to be a butter and the saddles are too orange - rather than the dark yellow- amber color of a butter saddles.

It is a very nice creamsicle and the other two look great too. Best of luck sorting out sex by probing - definitely more reliable than guessing from photos,


mary v.

 

[nehpets1]

He is about six-feet long

Okay, all right I'll be the one to say it.

I doubt that it's anywhere near six feet.

Most corns rarely grow past five feet in captivity.

I'm not saying it's a lie. I'm not starting anything

You should double check with serp's measuring program

 

[jaxom1957]

Okay, all right I'll be the one to say it.
I doubt that it's anywhere near six feet.
Most corns rarely grow past five feet in captivity.
I'm not saying it's a lie. I'm not starting anything
You should double check with serp's measuring program

The snake was measured with a tailor's cloth tape, and is 67". That's five feet, seven inches. Excuse me for rounding off.

 

[jaxom1957]

And the winner is....

I'm gonna go with male creamsicle. Not quite enough tapering for me.

Right on the money. I had Lucius, as well as Adam and Steve, probed. Not only is Lucius male, he will make some girly snake VERY happy! The breeder who probed him had very nice things to say about his general health, etc. She was most surprised at his size. At around 67", she thought he would turn out to be female, but it was very obvious when she probed him... the probe nearly bottomed out.

Adam and Steve turned out to be appropriately named, both being male. Since I was batting 3.0, there was only one thing any rational corn snake lover could do: I bought a 0.1 ghost yearling from her (c: Her name is Mrs. Muir (If you get THAT reference, you are showing your age. In using it, so am I LOL).

I set a baker's dozen as my limit on snakes. The tally so far is:

0.0.1 Amel possible het snow hatchling (Gummi) (my amateur pop says female, but I'm withholding any label until Gummi is bigger and can be probed)
1.0 Snow hatchling (Bing)
0.1 Anery hatchling (Lena)
1.0 Amel yearling, very orange (Steve)
1.0 Normal het motley yearling (Adam)
0.1 Ghost yearling (Mrs. Muir)
1.0 Creamsicle adult (Lucius)

That gives me plenty of lovely babies to watch grow, some very young and some adolescent. Now I am going to concentrate on finding a lovely lady friend for Lucius. If anyone knows of an 0.1 het creamsicle adult, I think that's the direction I want to go. Lucius is, to my eye, a beautiful snake, and I would love to see him reflected in some offspring. If there is someone local to the Modesto, CA area with a female they would like to breed to him in exchange for a couple hatchlings, that would be perfect.

 

[Plissken]

Okay, all right I'll be the one to say it.

I doubt that it's anywhere near six feet.

Uncommon maybe, but 6ft corns are around. I've handled one myself and believe me, he was one big corn.