In order to help those viewers who may be unfamiliar with some of the words or abbreviations scattered throughout the site, we have put together a glossary to define those terms or phrases in addition to several common trade names that are being used to descibe various morphs.

If you see any we missed, or need more information regarding one or more of the words listed below, please feel free to contact us with your questions, suggestions, or comments.

Thank you,

~ A ~

Aberrant: Type of pattern variation that involves broken, shifted, connected or odd saddles. Something that deviates from the 'standard' or 'normal' pattern.

Albino: Alternate name for an Amelanistic snake. See Amelanistic.

Allele: Is another name for the word gene, referring to a gene pair and its location.

Amber: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Hypo A and Caramel.

Amber Lavender: Descriptive name indicating that the animal in question is homozygous for Hypo A, Caramel, and Lavender.

Amel: The short hand version of Amelanistic. See Amelanistic.

Amelanistic: A snake that is lacking black pigments, sometimes referred to as an albino or red albino. Typically has pink or red eyes.

Anery: The short hand version of Anerythristic. See Anerythristic.

Anerythristic: A snake that is lacking red pigments, sometimes referred to as a black albino. There are currently three types of Anerythristic genes in the cornsnake gene pool. Anerythristic type A, commonly referred to as Anery A was the first type of Anerythristic gene discovered in cornsnakes. Anerythristic type B, known widely as Charcoal or Anery B, was the second one discovered. Most recently, Anerythristic type C, called Ashy, Cinder, Anery Z, or Anery C depending on who you talk to, has popped up in the cornsnake world.

Anery B: Another name for the Anerythristic trait Charcoal.

Anery C: Another name for the Anerythristic trait Ashy/Cinder. Also known as Anery Z.

Anery Lav: The short hand name for cornsnakes that are homo for Anery A and Lavender.

Anery Z: An earlier name for the most recent type of Anerythritic gene discovered in cornsnakes. It is now being called Ashy or Cinder, depending on which breders you purchase these animals from. Has also been called Anery C.

Ashy: One of several trade names used for Anery C.

Avalanche: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for Amel, Anery, and Bloodred (Diffusion).

Aztec: Trade name for a cornsnake that has a broken or aberrant pattern along it's back.

 

~ B ~

Banded: A type of pattern variation where the dorsal saddles extend down the sides of the snake, touching or nearly touching the outer edges of the belly scales.

Bedding: The material used to line the bottom of a snake's cage. Also referred to as substrait.

Belly Checkers: The pigments that make up the pattern of a cornsnakes belly. Depending on the morph of the snake, they can range in color from a crisp black to nearly transparent yellow. Certain pattern morphs, such as Bloodred, Motley, Stripe, and Sunkissed can reduce, change, or completely remove the belly checkers. It is believed, that corn snakes that are het for Blood, will display a white strip down the center of the belly checkers, though this is not always true. Upper Keys corns have also been known to exibit the white belly line through the belly checkers even without the presence of bloodred.

Black Albino: Another name for Anerythristic snakes, see Anerythristic.

Blizzard: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Amel and Charcoal (Anery B).

Blood/Bloodred: Trade name for diffused cornsnakes that have reduced side patterns, red or orange saddles and/or ground color, reduced boarders, and no belly checkers. These snakes are also sometimes called diffused.

Blue: A term used to describe the appearance of a snake during the shedding cycle.

Breeding Trials: Planned pairings of two or more particular snakes that are intended to prove out, or discover, the genetic make-up of a snake. Frequently used to confirm hets and possible hets as well in addition to determining between similar genes such as Anery A and Anery B. Proving a snake can take one or more breedings depending on the end results of the hatching clutch.

Brumation: A cooling period that a number of snakes enter during the winter months. Breeders artificially brumate breeding stock by lowering temperatures and reducing the amount and type of light in the room where the snakes are being kept. Brumation, or the lack of brumation, is thought to have a large impact on the fertility of a snake during the following breeding season.

Bubblegum Snow: Trade name for a line bred snow that tends to exhibit bright pink saddle and ground color.

Butter: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homo for both Amel and Caramel.

Buttercreams: Trade name for a cornsnake emoryi cross that is homo for both Amel and Caramel. These animals are hybrids.

 

~ C ~

Calico: The name given to a group of cornsnakes that developed, or were born with, a fatal disease/disorder that visually affected the color and pattern. The snake typically develops blisters along its body and with each shed the area beneath the blisters becomes bleached in progressively lager patches, giving the snake a motled, or 'calico' look.

Cannibal/Cannibalize: A snake that has eaten another snake. Occurs most frequently when two or more snakes are kept in the same tank or cage though it can happen newly hatched snakes are left unattended with their clutchmates for too long after they have hatched or very rarely during mating when the male or female turns on its mate. Exact causes will vary depending on the circumstances of the snakes involved. There is a higher risk of one snake being eaten by the other when housing different species together. Kingnsnakes and Milksnakes are two species that are known to consume other snakes.

Candycane: Trade name for an Amelanistic cornsnake that has been selectivly breed to have reduced ground color. Ideally these snakes are white with red, light red, or reddish orange saddles, though some do develope a pinkish wash over the white ground colors as they mature.

Captive Bred: A snake that has been produced, incubated, and hatched from two snakes that are kept in captivity.

Captive Farmed: Eggs that were gathered from the wild and incubated atifitually until hatching.

Captive Hatched: Usually means the same thing as captive bred, but has also been used to refer to animals that have been captive farmed. See both captive bred and captive farmed.

Caramel: Thought to be a form of Anerythristic, this snake has no red pigments and will usually display heavy amounts of yellow that may develop a green tinge or wash as the snake matures. Caramel is masked by Anery.

Carnivore: A living creature or being that ingests other living animals in order to thrive. Cornsnakes, and a large number of other snakes that have become popular pets, are carnivores. Eating small mammels, lizards, other snakes, and small birds depending on the species of snake.

Carolina Corn: This is a trade name that has been popular in Europe and typically refers to any cornsnake that has a wild type or 'normal' pattern and coloration.

CB: An acronym for Captive Bred. See captive bred.

CF: An acronym for Captive Farmed. See captive farmed.

CH: An acronym for Captive Hatched. See captive hatched.

Charcoal: Trade name for snakes that are homozygous for Anery B.

Christmas Hypo: Another type of hypo that is slightly different than Hypo A. There are only a few breeders that are currently working with this gene. It is believed to be incompatable with the other forms of Hypo. Christmas corns usually exhibit reduced blacks and brighter reds.

Cinder: One of the many trade names used for Anery C.

Cinnamon: Trade name for a cornsnake emoryi cross that is homo for Hypo A. These animals are hybrids.

Classic: Is another name for corn snakes that display wild type, or 'normal' pattern and coloration.

Codom: A short hand word for codominant. See codominant..

Codominant: A gene, or pair of genes, that effect the look of a snake in the het form. An example of a codominant gene would be ultra when paired with amel. Ultramels, as they have become known as, display a unique look that lies some where between an amel and a Hypo or normal. Another example would be Motley and Stripe.

Coral Snow: There are two lines of Coral Snows popping up out there, one is a line bred snow that shows high pinks and can easily become confused with a Bubblegum snow. The other Coral Snow is a Snow that is also homo Hypo. We tend to think of Hypo Snows when we hear the term Coral Snow and will always refer to Hypo Snows where Coral Snow is mentioned.

Creamcicle: Trade name for a cornsnake emoryi cross that is homo for Amel. These animals are hybrids.

Creamsicko: Trade name for a cornsnake emoryi cross that is het for both Amel and Ultra, these animals are hybrids. See Ultramel Creamcicles, Ultra, Ultramel, and Hybrid for more information.

Crimson: Trade name for a Hypo Miami or a Miami Phase Hypo.

Crossbreed: The act of breeding two similar, but different species together. All offspring produced from these types or pairings are hybrids. An example, would be pairing a Black Ratsnake to a Cornsnake.

Cubed: Believed to be a variation of the Stripe gene, it has the typical four stripes that start at the base of the neck and travel all or part of the way to the tail. in the center of the lines, are spaced 'blocks' that break up the streamlined look of a stripe. These blocks, can be faded or frosted in appearance and may or may not cover the length of the animal's body. Usually is accompanied by broken lines, though not always.

 

~ D ~

Dead in Egg: A fully developed, partially developed, or deformed hatchling that did not survive to hatch.

D.I.E.: An acronym for Dead In Egg. See dead in egg.

Difficult Feeders: Snakes, of any age and size, that frequently refuse to eat or will only eat a hard to obtain food item.

Diffused: Another term that has been used to describe the pattern changes that occur when a snake carries the bloodred gene. Snakes will vary in color depending on the other genes involved, will have little to no side pattern, reduced borders on the saddles, and no belly checkers.

Dilute: Yet another hypo gene that has cropped up in the cornsnake genepool. This one washes out the overal coloration of the snake, giving it a faded look, most readily seen in Anery cornsnakes. Dilute snakes will typically shed clear, with no traces of melanin being found in the old skin.

Dominant: A gene that Phenotypically will override the effects of the other genes present. The most common example of this is snakes that carrying only one copy of a resessive trait, such as Amel, will display the wild type colring and pattern.

Dorsal: Is a term for the back of the snake or top side of the snake.

Double Het: Snakes that carry one copy of at least two different resessive genes.

DNA: The genetic codes that define how each snake will look.

 

~ E ~

Eggbound: A female snake that is unable to pass or lay all of her eggs.

Eggbox: The container eggs are placed in during incubation.

Eyecaps: The thin, outer covering of the eye that comes off with each shed.

 

~ F ~

Fire: The trade name for a cornsnake that it homozygous for both Amel and Bloodred (Diffused).

F/T: An acronym for Frozen Thawed. See frozen thawed.

Frozen Thawed: Pre-killed prey items that have been frozen to preserve them and thawed out before being offered to a snake.

 

~ G ~

Gene: A single building block that makes up a living organisms DNA.

Genetic Trait: A look or trait that is determined by the genes present in DNA. An example would be eye color, scale color, pattern, and size.

Genotype: A term for the genetical make up of a snake.

Gestation: The period of time a female snake holds the developing embryos within her body.

Ghost: Trade name for cornsnakes that are homozygous for both Anery A and Hypo A.

Ghost Blood: Trade name for cornsnakes that are homozygous for Anery A, Hypo A, and Bloodred.

Golddust: Trade name for cornsnakes that are homozygous for both Ultra and Caramel, or one that is het for Ultra, het for Amel, and homozygous for Caramel. (An animal that us both het for Amel and Ultra is called an ultramel, these genes are found at the same locale and are co-dominant.)

Granite: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Anery A and Bloodred.

Green Blotched Snow: Trade name for a snow corn that displays large amounts of pink and greens in the saddles and borders.

 

~ H ~

Hatchling: A term used to describe a newly hatched snake.

Head Pattern: The color pattern found on the head of a snake.

Herbivore: Living creatures or beings that only consume plant matter.

Het: A short hand term for heterozygous. See heterozygous.

Heterozygous: Refers to a pair of genes that are mismatched, meaning that there is two different types of genes paired at the locale in question.

Hidebox: A place for a snake to hide itself from view. Can be purchased from a store or made from recylced boxes or tubs.

Homo: A short hand term for homozygous. See homozygous.

Homozygous: Refers to a pair of genes that are identical, meaning that there is two of the same genes paired at the locale in question.

Hooked Up: A polite slang term breeders use when referring to the successful mating of two snakes.

Humid Hide: A Damp hide that is placed in the cage with a snake during the shed cycle to help to keep the old skin soft and pliable. making it easier for the snake to shed the old skin.

Humidity: The level of moisture in the air in a given environment.

Hurricane: A term used to discribe one variation of the motley pattern where the saddles form dots that are surrounded by heavy boarders that fade as they get further away from the center - mimicking the eye of a hurricane. The side patterns will be reduced or eleimnated and the belly free of checkers.

Hybrid: The offspring of two different species, that are distantly related, that were mated together. A few examples include Jungle corns (Corn x Cali King), Creamcicle (Corn x Emoryi), and Turbocorn (Corn x Gopher).

Hypo: A short hand term for hypomelanistic. See hypomelanistic.

Hypomel: A short hand term for hypomelanistic. See hypomelanistic.

Hypomelanistic: Is the term used to describe the genes that reduce, but does not eleminate entirely, the black pigments in a snake's scales. There are currently several types of Hypo genes found in cornsnakes. A few examples are, Standard Hypo (called Hypo A by some), Sunkissed (Hypo B), Lava, (Hypo C), Dilute, Christmas, and Ultra. There are a few others, such as Strawberry, but they are still in the process of being tested against the known Hypos.

Hypo A: Another name for Standard Hypo, the firs tHypo gene discovered in cornsnakes.

Hypo B: Another name for Sunkissed.

Hypo C: Another name for Lava.

Hypo Lav: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Hypo A and Lavender.

Hypo Lavender: Another trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Hypo A and Lavender.

Hypo Sunkissed: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Hypo A and Sunkissed (Hypo B).

 

~ I ~

Ice: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Lava (Hypo C) and Anery A.

Ice Ghost: Another trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Lava (Hypo C) and Anery A. May also be used to descibe a cornsnake that is homozygous for Lava, Hypo A, and Anery A.

Incubator: A device of container used to incubate eggs at a steady temperature.

Incubation: The period of time that a clutch of eggs will be kept in incubation, usually spanning from the day the female laid the eggs to the da the eggs hatched.

Insectivore: A living creature or being that eats mostly bugs and insects.

In The Blue: A phrase commonly used to refer to a snake that is in the middle of a shed cycle.

 

~ J ~

Jungle Corn: Trade name for the offspring of a cornsnake that has been paired with a California kingsnake. These animals are hybrids.

 

~ K ~

Keys Corn: A short hand name for a group of cornsnakes that come from the Upperkeys islands around Florida. See Upper Keys.

Kink/Kinked: A term used to describe the appearance of a snake that was been deformed. The deformities are formed by fused segments in the backbone, injuries to the backbone that don't heal properly, and at times a knobby growth that has formed on the backbone of a snake. It is believed that the majoity of kinking found in snakes is the result of an environmental problem during incubation or a nutritional deficiency, though there may be cases where it is genetic.

Kisatchie: Another subspecies that has been lumped together with cornsnakes. They share several traits, but have a look all their own.

 

~ L ~

Lamber: Trade name that is sometimes used for cornsnakes that are homozygous for Caramel, Hypo A, and Lavender.

Laybox: A box filled with damp moss or dirt that is placed inside the females cage when she is nearing the end of the gestation period..

Lava: One of the many forms of Hypo in the cornsnake gene pool, it is also known as Hypo C and was formeyly referred to as a Transparent corn due to the faded look of the original animals.

Lavender: Another Anerythristic type gene that removes the reds and a good amount of yellows from a snakes pigments. They can range in color from a dark, rich brown to a soft peach as a hatchling and develop grays, purples, and pinks as they age. There is a high amount of variations in Lavenders, with the females tending to be slightly darker and developing less pinks as they matures.

Lavender Bloodred: Trade name for a cornsake that is homozygous for both Bloodred and Lavender..

Leucistic: Refers to a white snake that has black eyes, is sometimes considered to a type of albino, but it is not a true albino. There is currently no cornsnake gene that carries the Leucism trait. Though, leucistic Rat snakes have been crossbred to cornsnakes to introduce it.

Line Breeding: In a small group of snakes that are bred to produce or refine a certain look. These can be locality animals, such as Miamis or Okeetees, or a selective enhanced trait such as removing the white borders on an Amel to produce Sunglows. Some other line bred morphs include, Candy Canes, Reverse Okeetees, Look-a-tees, and Banded cornsnakes. Snakes can not be het for a line bred trait.

Live: Is a reference to offered prey items that have not been pre-killed or stunned.

Locality: A term that refers to cornsnakes that came from a specific location, such as Miamis and Okeetees. In order to consider any given captive bred cornsnake a locaility snake, it must have been produced from two parents that were also from that locality. Snakes can not be het for a locality.

Locus: A point where a pair of genes sits on a strand of DNA.

Look-a-tee/Look-eetee: A name used to indentify line bred snakes that mimic the look of a locality Okeetee. They usually have thicker borders and brighter colors. These snakes, while they may have Okeetee blood in them, are not themselves, Okeetees. They are simply an exceptionally nice looking normal (or classic).

 

~ M ~

Masking: Refers one trait being hidden, or masked, by another so that it is difficult to distinguish or verify that the second trait is present without conducting breeding trials. Some examples include: Amel masks Hypo, Anery masks Caramel, and Motley masks Bloodred to varying degrees..

Miami: Trade name for a locality cornsnake that is found near Miami Florida. These snakes are known for their bright red, or reddish orange, saddles, thick black borders, and pale silver background.

Miami Phase: Trade name for a group of cornskaes that are selectively bred to reproduce the look of a Miami corn. They may also be the outcrossed offspring of a locality Miami. They commonly get misrepresented as a Miami corn, though it may not be of that locality.

Milksnake Phase: Trade name for cornsnakes that have badned saddles that mimic the banded rings of a milksnake.

Mocha: The former trade name for Lavenders, given to that morph during their hatchling stage due to their dark brown coloration. The name was dropped when it became apparent that the adults did not retain the rich browns.

Moist Hide: A Damp hide that is placed in the cage with a snake during the shed cycle to help to keep the old skin soft and pliable. making it easier for the snake to shed the old skin.

Morph: A word used to describe the visual appearance of a snake, which may or may not include the genetic make up of the snake.

Motley: A gene that modifies the appear of the saddle and side patterns of a cornsnake. Motley, here, means that there is a large number of varied looks that the saddles can take on. From a series of perfect dots to Q-tipping, and a number of variations in between. The side patterns will be reduced or eleimnated and the belly free of checkers.

Motley-Striped/Motley het Stripe: A term used to discribe a snake that is carrying one Motley gene and one Stripe gene. The pattern appearance of the snake has many variations. The side patterns will be reduced or eleimnated and the belly free of checkers.

Multi Het: Snakes that carry one copy of two or more different resessive genes.

 

~ N ~

Neon Snow: A line bred snow with exceptionally bright colors, it is possible that it is homozygous for one of the Hypo forms, but that has not yet been confirmed.

Non-Feeders: Snakes, of any age and size, that refuse to eat - regardless of the type or size of food item offered.

Normal: A term used to indicate an animal that is not homozygous for any resessive traits. Also referred to as wild types, classics, or Carolinas.

 

~ O ~

Okeetee: Trade name for a cornsnake that comes from Okeetee, Florida. These snakes typically have brighter colors and thicker, black borders around the saddles. Okeetees are normals, or classic, corns that come from a specific regeion - they are considered locality corns. No cornsnake may be het for Okeetee.

Okeetee Phase: Trade name for a cornsnake that mimics the look of a locality Okeetee. These animals are line bred animals with thicker borders and brighter colors. They can be confused with locality corns at times due to the silmilar names.

Omnivore: A living creature or being that eats both plant matter and other animals or insects. They basically eat anything.

Opal: Trade name for a corn snake that is homozygous for both Amel and Lavender.

Orange Candycane: Trade name for a line bred corn snake that has orange saddles on a white background.

Outcrossing: A term used to descibe the process of breeding new blood lines into a select group of snakes. Typically done to improve and streghten the blood lines as well as to reduce the chances of genetic defects due to inbreeding.

Ovulation: The process a female snake grows through upon maturity when her egg folicles begin forming at the beginning of the breeding cycle.

 

~ P ~

Paradox: The term that descibes a snake that has developed one or more colors that are not usually found on that particular morph. Most commonly referring to patches of black on an Amelanistic or reds and blacks on a snow corn. Other morphs can be effected as well. Unlike in the Kenyan Snad Boas, the paradox pattern is not belived to be a resessive trait in corn snakes.

Patial Aztec/Zig-zag: Term used to describe a cornsnake that has an aberrant pattern that spans less than half of the full length of the corn. It can be a mixture of connected, broken, or shifted saddles.

Pastel Ghost: Trade name for a ghost corn (a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Anery A and Hypo A) that develops a considerable amount of pale grays and pinks. It is also sometimes used to indicate that an Anery is homozygous for both Hypo A and Dilute, however the actual definition of what a Pastel Ghost is may vary from breeder to breeder.

Pastel Motley: Trade name for an Anery Motley cornsnake that developes large amounts of pinks, or pinkish oranges. May sometimes be used in reference to a Dilute Anery Motley as well, though the difinition may vary from breeder to breeder.

Pattern: Term that refers to the shape of the saddles, or blotches, that are found along the back of a snake.

Patternless: The term used to descibe a snake whose pattern fades farley rapidly past the neck or first third of its body.

Pewter: Trade name given to a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Bloodred and Charcoal.

Phantom: Trade name given to a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Charcoal and Hypo A, can sometimes be referred to as a Charcoal Ghost.

Phenotype: A term for the physical appearance of a snake.

pied: Short hand term for piebald. See piebald.

Piebald: Term used to descibe one or more large patches of white that interrupts the pattern of a snake.

Pie-Sided: Term used to descibe a series of white patches that form along the sides of a cornsnake, similiar to piebald, but in this case it does not cross over the back of the snake - staying along the sides, close to the belly. It is believed to be a resessive trait.

Pink and Green Snow: Trade name given to snows that show high amounts of pink and greens in the saddles, borders and background.

P/K: An acronym for Pre-killed. See pre-killed.

Pip/Pipping: The process by which a snake first emerges from the egg.

Pippy/Pippling: Term used to decripe a hatchling snake during the first twenty four hours after it pushes its head out of the egg.

Piscivore: A living being or creature that eats mostly fish.

Plasma: Trade name that has been given to a cornsnake that is homozygous for Bloodred and Lavender.

Post-lay Shed: A phrase that refers to the first shed a female snake has after laying her eggs or giving birth.

Preditor: An animal or other creature that hunts living animals, usually for food. Snakes are natural preditors of small mammals, birds, and other reptiles, though there are a few species out there that eat insects.

Pre-Killed: A term used to describe a food item that has been humanly euthanized before being fed to a snake or other animal.

Pre-lay Shed: A phrase that refers to the shed a female snake will slough shortly before laying her eggs or giving birth.

Prey: An animal or other creature that is hunted by another animal or creature, usually for food.

Problem Feeders: Snakes, of any age and size, that frequently refuse to eat or will only eat a hard to obtain food item.

Possible Het: Snakes that may or may not carry one copy of one or more different resessive genes. Some breeders give percentages to depict the odds (or chances) that the snake is carrying the possible gene. This is usually the case when any given hatching in a clutch has the possibility of inheriting a known het from the parent.

Prolapse/Prolapsed: The term used to descibe one or more organs that have been exspelled from the body through the vent. Most often associated with a breeding male or female, it can happen to younger snakes or mature animals that have never been bred as well. Severe prolapses usually require immedite surgery to correct while some minor prolapses will be reabsorbed into the body with a bit of help. Cause of the prolapse can vary depending on the health of the animal in question. Frequently fatal if left untreated, and sometimes fatal even after surgery.

Proven Breeder: A male or female snake that has had one or more successful breeding seasons. This could mean that any hets or possible hets have been tested and found present, or that the snake(s) have produced one or more clutches of healthy offspring. If you are unsure how the breeder is using the term, be sure to ask them for clarification.

Proven Hets: Hets that have been tested through breeding trials, where one or more offspring from the resulting mating are homozygous for a particular resessive trait.

 

~ Q ~

Q-Tipping: A term used to discribe one variation of the motley pattern where a line of connected saddles has a large dot or blod on both ends of the line. It will look like a Q-tip, but may be distorted. The side patterns will be reduced or eleimnated and the belly free of checkers.

Quad Het: Snakes that carry one copy of at least four different resessive genes.

Quint Het: Snakes that carry one copy of at least five different resessive genes.

 

~ R ~

Recessive: Term used to describe a genetic trait that is visually unexpressed when in the heterozygous state. A few examples include Anery, Amel, Lavender, and Caramel.

Red Albino: Another name for Amelanistic snakes. See Amelanistic.

Reverse Okeetee: Trade name for a selectively bred Amel, known for having large/thick white boarders.

Rootbeer: Trade name for a cornsnake emoryi cross that has the wild type, or 'normal' coloring and pattern. These animals are hybrids.

 

~ S ~

Saddles: The term for the blotches that make up the pattern on the back of a snake.

Selective Breeding: The process of breeding snakes based upon certain traits, usually done to improve ground or saddle color, border thickness, or over all look of a snake. Can also refer to the breeding of snakes from certain locations, such as Okeetees or Miamis.

Side Pattern: The portion of a snake's pattern that runs along the sides of a snake - not to be confused with the dorsal blotches (or saddles) that sometimes extend down the side of the snake.

Shed/Shedding: The old skin that has been sloughed off during a rgowth spurt. Usually clear, with some traces of melanin, or black pigment depending on the moprh of the snake that shed it. The act of sloughing off the old skin.

Shed Cycle: The process a snake goes through when it casts away its old skin. Younger snakes will shed their skin around once a month as they rapidly put on length and weight, while adults may only shed every 2-3 months after their growth rate has slowed down. Snakes will also shed in short intervals after being injured - this is part of the healing process.

Snow: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Amel and Anery A.

Snowpal: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for Amel, Anery A, and Lavender.

Standard Hypo: Another way to differentiate Hypo A from the other forms of Hypomelanism that have cropped up.

Stargazing: A neruological disorder in cornsnakes that was recently found to be a simple resessive trait. Like Calico, Stargazing can be detrimental in most, but not all, cases. To learn more about Stargazing, visit the Health Section of our website.

Strawberry: Trade name given to a suspected new type of hypo gene in cornsnakes. Breeding tests are still being done in order to prove the look of these animals reproducable and establish the Strawberry 'gene' as a resessive trait.

Stripe: A gene that modifies the pattern of the saddles on a snake. Usually comprised of four thin lines that start at the base of the neck and run down to the tail of the aniaml, though they sometimes look broken or faded. The side patterns will be reduced or eleimnated and the belly free of checkers.

Striped-Motley: A term used to discribe one variation of the motley pattern where the saddles appear to be connected in one or more lines - usually right down the center of the back. Frequently combined with Q-tiped or zipper variations. It is easily confused with the term Motley-Stripe or Motley het Stripe which indicates that both Motley and Stripe genes are present in the same snake instead of two copies of either the Stripe gene or the Motley gene. The side patterns will be reduced or eleimnated and the belly free of checkers.

Substrait: Another term for the bedding a snake is housed on.

Sulfer: Trade name for a cornsnake that us homozygous for Amel, Caramel, and Bloodred.

Sunglow: Trade name for a group of Amels that are selectively bred to have little to no white and brighter reds and oranges. The quality of an Amel tat qualifies as a Sunglow can vary from breeder to breeder. A snake can not be het for Sunglow, as it is not a single resseive gene.

Sunglow Motley: Trade name for a Sunglow that has a Motley pattern.

Sunglow Stripe: Trade name for a Sunglow that has a Striped pattern.

Sunkissed: A trade name used for cornsnakes that are homozygous for Hypo B.

Sunkissed Amel: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Amel and Sunkissed.

Sunkissed Anery: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Anery and Sunkissed.

Sunkissed Blood: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Bloodred and Sunkissed.

Sunkissed Charcoal: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Charcoal and Sunkissed.

Sunkissed Okeetee: Trade name for a Sunkissed cornsnake that is Okeetee bloodlines.

Sunkissed Snow: Trade name for a cornsnake that is homozygous for Amel, Anery, and Sunkissed.

 

 

~ T ~

Test Breeding: A pairing of two snakes that is used to determine the genetics of one or both of the snakes involved. Usually used to prove out unknown or unproven hets, determine if an animal is het or homo for a masked trait, or to verify that the snake is of a certain morph.

Topaz: Trade name given to a cornsnake that is homozygous for both Lava and Caramel.

Transparent: An older trade name that was once used to indicate snakes homozygous for Lava (Hypo C).

Trait: The term used to pinpoint the visual markers for a particular gene, morph, or look. A few examples are, the check free bellies of Stripes and Motleys, the thicker saddle borders on Okeetee Phases and Reverse Okeetees, and the reduced side patterns that are common in bloodreds.

Triple Het: Snakes that carry one copy of at least three different resessive genes.

Turbo Corn: Trade name for the offspring of a cornsnake that has been paired with a Gopher Snake. These animals are hybrids.

 

~ U ~

Ultra: Trade name assigned to a hypo-like gene that behaves in a co-dominent fashion with Amel. Animals that are listed as 'Ultra' genetically have two copies of the Ultra gene and therefore can not be het for Amel because the two genes share the same locus or alelle. Earlier breeders who produced these animals were known to call them T+ Albinos before the name Ultra was adopted.

Ultra Anery: Trade name used for cornsnakes that are homozygous for both Anery A and Ultra. See Ultra and Anery A for more information.

Ultra Blood: Trade name used for cornsnakes that are homozygous for both Bloodred/Diffused and Ultra. See Ultra and Bloodred for more information.

Ultra Caramel: Trade name used for cornsnakes that are homozygous for both Caramel and Ultra. Also called Goldusts by some breeders. See Ultra, Ultramel, Caramel, and Goldust for for information.

Ultra Charcoal: Trade name used for cornsnakes that are homozygous for both Charcoal and Ultra. See Ultra and Charcoal for more information.

Ultra Lavender: Trade name used for cornsnakes that are homozygous for both Lavender and Ultra. See Ultra and Lavender for more information.

Ultra Rootbeer: Trade name used for the offspring of a cornsnake and emoryi breeding that produces animals that are homozygous for Ultra. Rootbeer being the trade name given to normal colored animals of the same type of pairing.

Ultramel: Trade name given to a cornsnake that carries one Ultra gene and one Amel gene. These animals are, technically, het for both Amel and Ultra, because they reside on the same locus. There are debates as to whether Ultras (homozygous Ultra) and Ultramels can be identified visually when appearing in the same clutch. See Ultra for more information. Short hand verion of Ultra Amelanisitic.

Ultra Amelanistic: The long hand version of Ultramel. See Ultra and Ultramel.

Ultramel Anery: Trade name for cornsnakes that are homozygous for Anery A and het for both Ultra and Amel. See Ultra, Ultramel, and Anery A for for information.

Ultramel Blood: Trade name for cornsnakes that are homozygous for Bloodred/Diffused and het for both Ultra and Amel. See Ultra, Ultramel, and Bloodred for for information.

Ultramel Caramel: Trade name for cornsnakes that are homozygous for Caramel and het for both Ultra and Amel. Also called Goldusts by some breeders. See Ultra, Ultramel, Caramel, and Goldust for for information.

Ultramel Charcoal: Trade name for cornsnakes that are homozygous for Charcoal and het for both Ultra and Amel. See Ultra, Ultramel, and Charcoal for more information.

Ultramel Creamcicle: One of the trade names used for the offspring of a cornsnake and emoryi breeding that produces animals that are het for both Ultra and Amel. Creamcicle being the trade name given to homozygous Amel animals of the same type of pairing. See Ultra, Ultramel, Creamcicle, Creamsicko, and Rootbeer for more information.

Ultramel Lavender: Trade name for cornsnakes that are homozygous for Lavender and het for both Ultra and Amel. See Ultra, Ultramel, and Lavender for more information.

Upper Keys: Trade name used for locality corns that come out of the Upper Keys Islands in Florida. Sometimes referred to as Rosy Red Ratsnakes.

 

~ V ~

Vanishing Stripe: Genetically the same as a Striped Corn, Vanishing stripes generally fade into the ground color of the snake from at least half way down the body. The side patterns will be reduced or eleimnated and the belly free of checkers.

Vent: The belly of a snake, specifically the opening at the base of the tail through which snakes deficate and lay eggs.

Ventral: Refers to the belly of the snake.

 

~ W ~

Whiteout: Trade name for a corn snake that is homo for Amel, Charcoal (Anery B), and Bloodred (Diffused).

Wide Stripe: Trade name used for certain cornsnakes that display a wider than normal stripe down their backs, usually associated with the Aztec pattern. May or may not be a recessive trait.

WC: An acronym for wild caught. See Wild Caught.

Wild Caught: An captive animal that was taken directly from the wild.

Wild Type: A term used to indicate an animal that is not homozygous for any resessive traits. Also referred to as normals, classics, or Carolinas.

 

~ X ~ Y ~ Z ~

Zig-zag: Trade name for a cornsnake that has a fairly high number of connected saddles along it's back. This pattern trate is commonly found in combination with the Aztec or Aberrant pattern.

Zipper: A term used to discribe one variation of the motley pattern where the saddles are connected in one or more long sections of jagged lines - mimicking the alternating teeth of a zipper. The side patterns will be reduced or eleimnated and the belly free of checkers.

The information on this page was last updated on 10-10-08.