what causes frosting?

[snakeboy24]

i have had a corn snake for 6 months now. it has white patches around its scales. i didnt know what this was at first but i have been told it is frosting. i was told that it was something to do with the pigmentation in the cells or something along those lines. could anybody explain this further please. thanks.

picture of snake with frosting

 

[Jcapicy]

Its kind of hard to tell in this pic.

 

[snakeboy24]

more pics

here are some more pictures with a bit more obvious frosting

 

[diamondlil]

Is the colour on the scales or in-between? If it's in-between, it could be a sign the corn's a little overweight?

 

[cka]

I don't think that's a corn, snakeboy. Looks like some kind of ratsnake cross...

 

[diamondlil]

I don't think that's a corn, snakeboy. Looks like some kind of ratsnake cross...

The striping does look a tad 'ratsnake-suggestive'

 

[mbdorfer]

I don't think that's a corn, snakeboy. Looks like some kind of ratsnake cross...

I agree Chris, not a pure corn.

 

[Roy Munson]

I agree that it's not a pure corn. But whatever it is, it's pretty cool looking.

 

[Rich Z]

Sort of looks like Baird's Rat influence in there.....

 

[jaxom1957]

I agree that it's not a pure corn. But whatever it is, it's pretty cool looking.

The bronzing and lateral striping make me think corn x bairdi.

 

[jaxom1957]

Rich agreed with ME?

Sort of looks like Baird's Rat influence in there.....

Anytime Rich agrees with me, I gotta grin. It's like getting a gold star from the teacher :cheers:

 

[snakeboy24]

thanks

i think i agree. i always knew it wasn't a pure corn but i didn't know what it was crossed with. but i have not had it all of is life and do not know who the breeder was. thanks for helping me because i have been wondering for ages what he has been crossed with.

some one said about the frosting may be due to him being overweight. he is not overweight but he was very underweight when i first got him but he is coming along nicely now.

thanks for your help everyone.

 

[Shaky]

Those white scale edges are common in Baird's ratsnakes and in some others as well (TX rats, Black rats). It is similar to "frosting." It's just white coloration coming in. In many lines, it is prevalent. Just a genetic occurrence.

 

[Plissken]

My Connor has heavy frosting, and interestingly enough his purity has been called in to question before, too. I'd be interested to know if frosting is linked to non-corn influence. Does anyone have pure corns with frosting?

 

[Rich Z]

I think a definition of "frosting" is necessary before this can be answered.

Frosting has been referred to in describing the lighter centers in the blotches of some corn snakes. Certainly I believe my Candy Canes are pure and many definitely display that trait. It also shows up in my Silver Queens as well as several others here and there.

Matter of fact, somewhere around here I have a print photo of one of the original Miami Phase corns I got back in 1977 or so that has this frosted look in the center of the blotches. The odds that this animal is NOT pure corn are pretty darn slim.....

 

[Joejr14]

Anytime Rich agrees with me, I gotta grin. It's like getting a gold star from the teacher :cheers:

Don't you mean you agreed with Rich? He did post 4 minutes before you.....

 

[jaxom1957]

Don't you mean you agreed with Rich? He did post 4 minutes before you.....

I typed my response, spell checked it, and then hit Preview Post. While I waited for the page to load, I read other threads. I went back to this thread, looked at the preview of my response and submitted it. Between the time I typed it and submitted it, Rich posted. He and I came to our conclusions independently: as I hadn't seen his reply before posting my own, from my POV, he agreed with me, just as from his POV, I agreed with him. :nyah: