Albino Corn Snake Care And Requirements (Amelanistic)

Albino corn snakes are one of the most popular snakes kept as pets. 

They are easy to find in most pet stores. 

Their docile nature and low maintenance care requirements make them an excellent choice for beginners. 

Albino corn snakes make an excellent first snake for beginners.

When correctly cared for and regularly handled, the Albino corn snake makes a great pet.  

Albino corn snake care and requirements are relatively simple and easy for beginners, just like the typical corn snake. They require mice every 10-14 days as an adult or every 5-7 days as juveniles. Maintaining a clean vivarium large enough for the snake to stretch out completely keeps them happy and healthy. 

Whether you recently purchased an albino corn snake or are interested in getting one as a pet, we have all the information you need to give your snake the best care and environment possible. 

Read on to become knowledgeable on albino corn snakes’ needs. 

albino corn snake care
Keep your pet healthy with our guide to albino corn snake care.

Characteristics of Albino Corn Snakes

Albino corn snakes grow to be up to 2-6′ feet long. They require adequate space to stretch out and eat primarily frozen and thawed dead mice. They enjoy the heat and having a place to hide in their tank. Inquisitive by nature, they enjoy interacting with their surroundings.Ā 

There are some important things to know and consider about albino corn snakes. 

If you want to give the best care possible, we recommend familiarizing yourself with the characteristics of albino corn snakes.   

Albino corn snakes, or amelanistic corn snakes, were bred from a wild corn snake in the 1950s. 

In the wild, corn snakes are pigmented to camouflage into their environments. 

When the corn snake is amelanistic, it reveals a beautiful molt with various colors coveted by snake owners. 

Colors range from a wide variety of hues, including: 

  • Orange 
  • Yellow 
  • Red 
  • White 
  • Brown
  • Black

The colors also take on intricate patterns. 

Adult Size

When corn snakes initially hatch, they are usually around 12-15″ inches long. Once they reach full maturity, the adult corn snake reaches anywhere from 2-6′ feet in length. It takes about two years for albino corn snakes to reach their full size. 

Some snakes may grow after they reach two years of age, but it is not usually noticeable. 

Healthy adults are slim and long. 

The average weight of an adult albino corn snake is 250-800 grams. 

The wide range is attributed to whether the snake is male or female. 

Males are usually noticeably bigger than females. 

Lifespan

Albino corn snakes kept as pets live anywhere from 15-20 years, depending on care and overall health. Keeping stress at a minimum, providing proper care, and helping your corn snake feel safe in its enclosure helps them to live long and healthy lives. 

In the wild, corn snakes have to fend off a host of predators as well as harsh conditions to live. 

They also have to find and hunt their prey. 

Most corn snakes in the wild only live for about 5-7 years. 

Albino corn snakes kept as pets do not face the same hardships or threat of predators. 

They are regularly fed and provided with a clean environment.

Keeping your snake’s habitat clean and sanitary helps cut down on potential illnesses and infections. 

Your albino corn snake will live significantly longer if kept in healthy and sanitary conditions. 

It also helps to monitor your snake’s behavior and appearance. 

This way, you’ll be able to catch any signs of illness or infection quickly. 

Diet

corn snakes eat mice for their diet
Albino corn snakes eat mice like any other corn snake.

Albino corn snakes eat frozen and thawed mice. The mice must be thawed until they reach room temperature. Juvenile snakes eat small pinkies while adults eat full-sized mice. In general, the food should be the size of the width of the snake. They should only eat meat their entire life.

Younger, juvenile snakes require one pinkie, or baby mouse, every 5-7 days. 

They are fed more frequently than adult corn snakes. 

Some people feed their young albino corn snakes live pinkies to get them used to receiving thawed food. 

This often helps transition your pet snake over to frozen and thawed mice as food. 

Adult albino corn snakes require a full-sized frozen mouse. 

You want to make sure the size of the mouse is roughly the same as the width of the snake. 

For juvenile and adult corn snakes, it’s important to allow the frozen mice to reach room temperature. 

This helps to improve taste, smell, digestion, and overall experience for your snake’s meal. 

It is important to never give live mice to your snake unless they are baby pinkies. 

Mice will fight back when hunted by a snake. 

Sometimes the mice injure the snake. 

These injuries are fatal in some instances. 

Keep your snake safe by only giving it thawed frozen mice for meals. 

We also recommend having a separate chamber for your albino corn snake to eat. 

This will help your snake focus on eating. 

It will also reduce the likelihood of you being bitten by your snake when you handle it. 

If your pet snake associates your hand reaching into its enclosure with feeding, it may bite you. 

Separating the area helps to clear up any confusion. 

Should I Feed My Albino Corn Snakes Crickets?

We do not recommend feeding crickets to your albino corn snakes. 

Your albino corn snake is unlikely to recognize the crickets as food, and you’ll end up with crickets hopping around the enclosure. 

It is important to note albino corn snakes are carnivorous and require meat to live. 

They do not eat fruits, vegetables, and insects. 

The best food for your albino corn snake has frozen mice thawed to room temperature. 

Tank Size

If you are raising your albino corn snake from youth, you’ll need to increase the size of the tank throughout its life. When your pet is small, keep your snake in a container roughly the size of a large shoebox. You’ll need a 40-gallon tank to provide adequate space when they are fully grown.

When you first bring home a baby albino corn snake, it may be overwhelmed by the wide, open space of a giant vivarium. 

For this reason, it is best to keep them in a small container roughly the size of a large shoebox. 

This will help your corn snake gain confidence and not be scared. 

As it grows, you’ll want to upgrade to a vivarium. 

When your snake reaches about 6 months of age, you’ll want to upgrade it to a 10-gallon tank. 

Ensure to provide an area for the snake to hide as this helps make it feel safe and content. 

Often a hollowed-out log is sufficient. 

Make sure it is large enough for your albino corn snake to curl up under. 

When your albino corn snake reaches its full size, around 2 years of age, you’ll need to get a vivarium long enough for your snake to stretch out fully. 

For most snakes, this is a 40-gallon tank. 

Once your snake reaches this size, you won’t have to switch out the tank again so long as it stays in good working condition. 

It is also very important to ensure the tank is sure. 

Snakes are excellent escape artists, so make sure the lid is locked into place.

Are Albino Corn Snakes Poisonous?

Albino corn snakes are not poisonous. 

Sometimes this snake is confused for copperheads in the wild. 

Copperheads are highly venomous and dangerous, but corn snakes are generally harmless. 

While we don’t recommend taunting any snakes, you don’t have to worry about being poisoned by an albino corn snake.

Caring For Albino Corn Snakes

caring for albino corn snakes
Caring for an albino corn snake is easy!

Caring for albino corn snakes is relatively easy compared to other breeds. They are considered a very beginner-friendly breed for those new to keeping snakes as pets. The main thing you want to worry about is making sure your enclosure and habitat meet the criteria for providing a safe home.

The main things you’ll want to consider when caring for your albino corn snake are housing, heating, lighting, humidity, substrate, and food. 

Taking the time to educate yourself on the best way to care for your snake is an excellent way to start your journey with caring for your albino corn snake. 

Healthy corn snakes are happy corn snakes. 

Housing Albino Corn Snakes

The housing for your pet corn snake will change throughout its life based on how much it grows. You’ll need a secure tank your snake won’t be able to escape from. You’ll also want to include decor like hollowed logs to provide a safe hiding place. 

Most snakes are expert escape artists, so make sure the top of your tank is well secured. 

This is one of the most important things to consider in all enclosures your corn snake inhabits. 

It is also important to ensure your albino corn snake has a safe place to hide. 

In the wild, corn snakes will burrow and hide when they perceive a threat. 

They will also during this during the daytime as these snakes are primarily nocturnal. 

A hollowed-out log or section of PVC pipe provides an excellent refuge for your pet snake. 

In addition to the hiding spot, you’ll need to provide a clean water bowl for soaking. 

Ideally, you’ll keep water in a low-profile dish, so your snake doesn’t knock it over. 

Make sure to change the water bowl with fresh water daily or whenever it gets dirty. 

This is an important part of your snake’s health and hygiene. 

Consider a shallow and heavy reptile bowl like this designed specifically for your snake to soak in. 

These are also great because they look like rocks and fit the aesthetic for mimicking a natural environment. 

Albino Corn Snake Heating, Lighting, and Humidity

Albino corn snakes require a hot and cool space in their tank ranging from 70-82Ā° degrees Fahrenheit (28Ā° C) on the cool side and 80-85Ā° degrees Fahrenheit (29Ā° C) on the hot side with a basking spot of 88-92Ā° degrees (33Ā° C). Humidity is needed for proper shedding and should be between 40-50%. 

Albino corn snakes are generally very low-maintenance pets and do not require special lighting treatment as other breeds. 

These snakes require both warm and cool spots in their vivarium for heating. 

Ensure your tank isn’t in direct sunlight or too close to the window, as this tends to heat the tank to dangerous temperatures. 

For lighting, this snake breed does not require any special equipment. 

Natural light is usually sufficient for these snakes. 

Using natural light instead of artificial lighting also helps get the snake into a natural rhythm of day and night. 

You don’t need to use a humidifier or mister in your vivarium unless your snake is having trouble shedding its skin. 

The 40-50% humidity we aim for is the natural humidity in most homes. 

If your snake sheds its skin off in pieces, it likely needs more moisture to finish molting successfully. 

Use a damp towel or wet moss to increase the humidity in the tank. 

Promptly remove this after the shedding is completed to ensure no bacteria or mold grows.

Learn if heat lamps are the right choice for corn snakes in our article at the link.  

Substrate

Substrate is a very important part of your amelanistic corn snake’s enclosure. Aspen shavings are the best substrate for albino corn snakes. Sand or wood chips may cause injuries and should be avoided. Newspaper and paper towels are also acceptable. 

Keeping your snake’s enclosure clean and free of bacteria and pests requires high-quality substrate. 

It also requires you to routinely change the substrate, especially if it accumulates excessive amounts of droppings. 

Aspen shavings are non-abrasive, so they won’t injure your snake. 

Newspaper and paper towels are also great substrates. 

These softer options are great for your snake to burrow in. 

Avoid cedar or pine wood shavings as the oil tends to irritate snakeskin. 

Aspen shavings are the best substrate because they are absorbent and hold shape when the snake burrows. 

This helps to mimic the snake’s natural environment. 

We also recommend using this over other options like sand. 

Sand is easily inhaled and ingested. 

This will cause problems like respiratory issues or impactions if you are not careful. 

Common Health Issues

vets will help albino corn snake health
Learn about common albino corn snake health problems to know what to watch for.

Albino corn snakes are not prone to frequent health issues. Common health issues include dermatitis, respiratory illness, stomatitis, ticks, mites, and lumps. Knowing the signs of common health issues helps to catch problems early and get veterinary treatment before they worsen. 

We all want to give our pets the best life possible. 

Our albino corn snakes may still experience health issues despite our best efforts. 

For this reason, it is important to educate on common health issues and know the signs of an unhealthy albino corn snake.  

Health IssueCommon Symptoms
DermatitisScabs; Uneven shedding; Blisters; Shedding issues
Respiratory IllnessMucus from mouth or nostril; Labored breathing; Bubbles in the nose, ear, or mouth
StomatitisLoss of teeth; Loss of appetite; White, creamy substance in the mouth; Scabbing inside the mouth
Ticks and MitesIrritation on the skin; Signs of bites from ticks and mites; Visible ticks and mites in the enclosure
LumpsObvious raised parts on the body

If your pet albino corn snake shows any symptoms of common health issues, we recommend consulting a veterinary professional to treat the problem before it worsens. 

With issues like dermatitis, ticks, and mites, the problem is usually fixable by deep cleaning the vivarium and adjusting heat and lighting. 

Blisters, scabbing, and dermatitis are often caused by excess heat from lamps and heating pads. 

Should I Feed My Albino Corn Snakes Crickets?

We do not recommend feeding crickets to your albino corn snakes. 

Your albino corn snake is unlikely to recognize the crickets as food, and you’ll end up with crickets hopping around the enclosure. 

It is important to note albino corn snakes are carnivorous and require meat to live. 

They do not eat fruits, vegetables, and insects. 

The best food for your albino corn snake has frozen mice thawed to room temperature. 

How To Clean Your Albino Corn Snake’s Tank

Cleaning your albino corn snake’s tank is an important part of caring for your pet snake. 

You want to make sure the substrate remains clean and sanitary to prevent infections, skin irritation, and disease. 

Step One: Move Your Snake To A Safe Place

You’ll need to take your snake out of the vivarium to clean it. 

Put it in a safe and secure container while cleaning out the main tank. 

Step Two: Remove All Decor And Substrate

Take out all the decor and furnishings in your snake’s tank. 

You’ll need to clean these but set them aside for now. 

Once you have those out, you’ll need to remove all the substrate. 

Step Three: Scrub The Tank And All Decor With 3% Bleach Solution

Once the tank is empty, it’s time to clean it. 

Use a 3% bleach solution. 

This is the best way to kill off all bacteria and ensure your tank is completely sanitary. 

Spray this solution on all the furnishings and decor from your tank as well. 

Step Four: Allow Bleach To Sit For At Least 15 Minutes

Once everything has been sprayed with the bleach solution, allow it to sit for at least 15 minutes. 

This gives the cleaning solution sufficient time to work its magic. 

Step Five: Thoroughly Rinse The Tank

After the 15 minutes are up, it’s time to thoroughly rinse the vivarium. 

Bleach will irritate your snake, so make sure it is completely free of any bleach scent. 

This may take some extra time. 

We recommend rinsing for at least 5 minutes to eliminate all residue of the bleach cleaning solution. 

Step Six: Replace The Substrate And Furniture

Once the tank is rinsed and clean, you’ll add the substrate. 

We recommend using aspen shavings for their absorbency and softness. 

After the substrate is laid in the tank, it is time to put the cleaned and rinsed furnishings and decor back into the vivarium. 

Step Eight: Put Your Snake Back In Its Freshly Cleaned Home

Once everything is back into place, it’s time for your albino corn snake to enjoy its freshly cleaned home. 

Make sure you allow some time for the tank to heat back up, so your pet snake is comfortable. 

How Often Do Albino Corn Snakes Shed?

The shedding frequency of albino corn snakes changes throughout their lives. 

Younger corn snakes tend to shed their skin once a month. 

Once they reach adulthood and mature, this will space out a few times a year. 

When albino corn snakes shed, they sometimes also shed the skin of their eyes. 

When your snake is shedding, it is crucial to leave them be and not handle them during this time. 

This may interfere with the shedding process. 

It is also a vulnerable time for your snake where it may be more prone to infection from handling. 

If you notice your albino corn snake has trouble shedding its skin, you need to address the issue. 

Snakes should shed their skin hole in ideal circumstances. 

Sometimes the shedding comes off in pieces, and parts of the skin remain stuck to the snake. 

In these situations, you’ll want to increase the humidity in the tank to help your snake along. 

If you feel your snake is shedding too often or not enough, consult a veterinary professional to rule out any underlying health issues. 

Check out more on corn snake shedding, issues, and how to help.

FAQ

How Long Do Albino Corn Snakes Live In Captivity?

Albino corn snakes live about 15-20 years in captivity. In general, pet albino corn snakes live significantly longer than wild ones. They face less hardship and don’t have any predators making their lifespan significantly longer.

How Often Do Albino Corn Snakes Eat?

Albino corn snakes eat every 10-14 days once they mature and reach adulthood. When they are juveniles, they eat every 5-7 days. Albino corn snakes can go weeks or even a month without eating, but this is not advisable as it may cause health issues. 

Are Albino Corn Snakes Blind?

Some albino corn snakes are blind, but most have very poor eyesight. They rely mostly on scent to take in the environment around them. The albinism of the snakes will likely reduce the already poor eyesight of corn snakes. 

Do Albino Corn Snakes Need UVB?

Albino corn snakes do not need UVB. Natural lighting is usually enough for them when used with a heating pad. Many snakes still benefit from using a UVB light for Vitamin D3 and calcium absorption. Some people feel the light is too much for the sensitive eyes of albino snakes.

Can Albino Corn Snakes Get Sunburn?

Albino corn snakes will get sunburned. They do not have any UV protection and are susceptible to sunburn and skin cancer. Keep your snake out of direct sunlight. Direct sunlight also heats temperatures to dangerous levels for corn snakes and may be fatal. 

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