Blizzard corn snakes are visually striking reptiles with snowy white skin and red eyes.
They are great snakes and easy to care for, making them excellent for even the most novice of snake owners.
They are very docile by nature and enjoy being handled once they’ve fully acclimated to their new home.
Blizzard corn snakes are pure white snakes with red eyes. They are bred from albino and charcoal breeding pairs. The result is the characteristic snowy white skin of Blizzard corn snakes. They are easy to care for, even for beginners, and are docile by nature.
Whether you recently brought home a Blizzard corn snake or are considering picking one up, we have all the information you need about the unique and beautiful creature.
Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about the Blizzard corn snake’s color, traits, and characteristics.
Table of Contents
Color, Trait, And Characteristics
The Blizzard corn snake is a pure white snake bred from crossing the albino and charcoal genes. The combination results in no light or dark pigments whatsoever. They have red eyes from the albino genes. Inquisitive, docile, and curious by nature, they make excellent beginner snakes.
Color
For a snake to be entirely white, it needs to carry recessive homozygous snake genes.
This is only accomplished by breeding an albino and charcoal snake together.
The result of the breeding leaves no dark or light pigment and only pure snowy white skin.
Some Blizzard corn snakes appear pink.
This is because their skin is so white.
The pink you see is from the blood inside the snake.
Sometimes people confuse Blizzard corn snakes with snow corn snakes.
While snow corn snakes are very light in color, they often have a tinge of color to their skin which sets them apart from the Blizzard corn snake.
Traits
Blizzard corn snakes are curious by nature.
They are also quite docile once they become accustomed to their new home.
It takes some time to feel safe and comfortable, but after they acclimate, they will start to warm up to their handlers.
Characteristics
Blizzard corn snakes bred in captivity tend to have one of the best temperaments compared to other reptiles and snakes.
This is one reason they are considered an excellent option for those new to caring for snakes.
Once your Blizzard corn snake acclimates to its new environment, its docile and curious demeanor emerges.
They love to be handled, and we recommend handling your snake at least every other week to keep them happy.
Babies are usually 11-14″ inches.
Adult Blizzard corn snakes reach lengths of 3-5′ feet at maturity.
This usually takes about 18 months.
With a lifespan of 15 to 20 years, these snakes make great pets for the long haul.
How Much Does A Blizzard Corn Snake Cost?
Blizzard corn snakes cost between $150 and $350. The range depends on the quality of the breeder. It is also affected by the sex of the snake. Unsexed snakes are the least expensive, and verified female corn snakes are the most expensive.
It is crucial to purchase from a reputable breeder whenever you buy a new snake.
This gives you peace of mind knowing your snake is a Blizzard corn snake.
The initial cost of the snake ranges depending on the sex and age of the snake.
The cost of a Blizzard corn snake ranges from $150-$350.
In addition to the cost of the snake, it’s essential to consider additional costs like habitat, substrate, and feed.
A 20-gallon vivarium like this usually costs about $200.
You’ll also want to budget $100-$200 for hiding places, climbing objects, and water bowls.
Recurring costs are relatively minor and include substrate and food.
| Expense | Cost Per Month |
|---|---|
| Substrate | $0-$20 |
| Feed; mice | $1-$3 |
| Feed; insects | $1 |
Are Blizzard Corn Snakes Poisonous?
Blizzard corn snakes are not poisonous. Once they’ve acclimated to their home, they rarely bite. Do not handle your snake during or immediately after feeding to avoid getting bit. It is crucial to approach the snake from the side rather than above, as this mimics predatory behavior.
Blizzard snakes have no venom or poison in their bites.
There is no reason to be too concerned if your Blizzard corn snake does bite you.
It will hurt initially, but there are no serious prolonged health impacts.
It is still important to practice caution and care when handling your snake.
Regular and responsible handling will reduce the chances of your Blizzard corn snake biting you or anyone else.
Related: Corn snake handling guide
How Big Do Blizzard Corn Snakes Get?
Baby Blizzard corn snakes usually range 11-14″ inches. At full maturity, they reach 3-5′ feet. Adult Blizzard corn snakes reach their full length at around 18 months. Make sure to have a good-sized vivarium. Snakes of this length require at least a 20-gallon tank.
While they are not the largest pet snakes, Blizzard corn snakes are sizable.
They need adequate space to move around.
If they don’t have enough space, they will suffer mentally and physically.
Adequate space is needed for them to move around and live happily.
Is A Blizzard Corn Snake Albino?
The Blizzard corn snake is an albino. They are the result of breeding an albino and charcoal corn snake. The result of the breeding gives them both the albino gene and the charcoal gene. This is why they have such pure white skin and red eyes, characteristic of albino snakes.
Blizzard corn snakes are certainly unique-looking creatures.
Their pure white skin and striking red eyes make them visually beautiful snakes.
Their physical traits resemble albino snakes.
This is because the Blizzard corn snakes carry the albino gene.
They are bred by crossing an albino corn snake with a charcoal corn snake.
Since both albino and charcoal corn snakes are homozygous, the Blizzard corn snake gets both genes, resulting in a complete lack of both light and dark pigment.
For more details, check out our albino corn snake information and FAQ.
How Do You Get A Blizzard Corn Snake?
You get a Blizzard corn snake by breeding an albino and charcoal, or anerythristic type B, snake together. Anerythristic type B snakes lack yellow markings. Combining genes for lack of dark pigments with lack of light pigments results in the pure bright white of the Blizzard corn snake.
There are so many possibilities for colors and patterns when it comes to snake breeding.
Sometimes there is a genetic mutation like albinism, which results in spectacular white skin and red eyes.
Breeders and snake enthusiasts find these physical traits to be desirable.
To understand how you get a Blizzard corn snake, there are a few factors to consider:
- Both charcoal and albino snakes are homozygous.
- Charcoal snakes are also called anerythristic B corn snakes. They lack yellow pigment in their skin.
- Albino snakes are amelanistic and lack all dark pigments. Some albino snakes have tinges of lighter pigments.
- Combining the lack of yellow pigment from the anerythristic B snakes and the amelanistic corn snake gene results in a complete lack of pigment. This is where Blizzard corn snakes get their pure, bright white skin.
Blizzard Corn Snake Habitat
Compared to other snakes and pets, Blizzard corn snakes are relatively low maintenance.
Keeping your pet snake happy requires a well-suited habitat with everything they need to be happy and healthy.
There are a few things you’ll need to get for your Blizzard corn snake.
They require a safe and sanitary environment and some decorations to provide stimulation and comfort.
Making their habitat mimic their natural environment will keep your corn snake healthy.
Vivarium And Tank Size
The first and most fundamental part of the Blizzard corn snake habitat is the vivarium.
There are a few things to consider when choosing a tank.
The most important is the overall size of the tank.
If the tank is too small, your snake will suffer from a lack of exercise, stimulation, and space.
All of these are important for your snake’s mental health and mood.
On the other hand, if a tank is too big, your snake may not feel safe.
For this reason, you’ll need to slowly upgrade the size of your vivarium as your snake grows.
Ultimately, you’ll need at least a 20-gallon tank to fit your fully-sized adult Blizzard corn snake.
Ideally, you want the length of the tank to be long enough for the snake to fully extend and stretch.
Another thing to consider when choosing a tank is access doors.
You want the tank to be secure as snakes are expert escape artists.
Having front access to the tank makes it easy to grab your snake for regular handling without making your snake feel threatened by reaching from above.
Reaching from above mimics the behavior of predators in the wild and may lead to you getting bitten by your snake because it feels threatened.
Lighting
Wild corn snakes do need sunlight.
Those bred in captivity don’t usually need sunlight, but it is still beneficial to have lighting for your snake and for you to see the beauty of your snake.
Make sure your tank is not in direct sunlight as this causes rising temperatures in the tank which may be harmful.
Usually, a desk lamp will suffice. It is beneficial to use natural light as it helps the snake get into a proper rhythm of day and night.
Albino snakes tend to have very sensitive skin.
We do not recommend using a heating lamp or any sort of light capable of burning their skin.
Heating
Snakes rely on external sources of heat to regulate their body temperatures.
Setting up your Blizzard corn snake’s habitat to suit their need for adequate temperatures is vital to keeping your snake happy and healthy.
You’ll need to set up both a warm and cool area of your tank to allow your snake to move back and forth to adjust its body temperature sufficiently.
The best way to do this is with a heating pad on one side of the snake tank.
Blizzard corn snakes require 75-85° degrees Fahrenheit (29° C) temperatures.
This means the warmer side of your tank should reach the 85° degrees Fahrenheit (29° C) mark while the cooler side sits on, the lower end of 75° degrees Fahrenheit (24° C).
Make sure to keep the hiding place on the cooler side of the tank, so it doesn’t get overly warm from the heating pad.
Blizzard corn snakes also require humidity levels between 40-50%.
Accomplish this by including a bowl of water and a quality substrate.
Good substrates hold moisture which helps to keep adequate humidity levels in the tank.
Check out our complete humidity and corn snake guide for more details.
Substrate
The substrate is an integral part of your snake’s habitat.
Corn snakes especially love to burrow and dig into the substrate.
Making sure you have a soft substrate for your Blizzard corn snake to dig and burrow into will keep them very happy.
Many people use shredded newspaper for the substrate.
This is great because it is free.
Newspaper is also soft and holds moisture well.
Other snake owners purchase aspen snake bedding like this in their tanks.
Aspen is very high quality and provides the perfect combination for corn snakes.
It holds moisture and shape, making it great for burrowing and humidity levels.
It is also very soft and non-abrasive.
This is especially important for albino snakes as they tend to have more sensitive skin.
Decorations
Providing decorations and furnishings for your Blizzard snakes makes your snake’s quality of life better.
It also makes the tank look aesthetically pleasing.
The most critical furnishings to include are branches and objects for climbing and a hiding place and water bowl.
Corn snakes are not particularly enthusiastic climbers, but it is still great to provide the option as it is a good exercise.
Hiding places are vital to the well-being of your Blizzard corn snakes.
A wild-type corn snake will burrow and hide throughout the day or whenever a threat is presented.
This instinctual behavior is essential for the snake to feel safe.
Without a hiding place, your snake will suffer from stress and may not acclimate well.
Using a hollowed-out log or PVC pipe is great for hiding places.
Lastly, make sure there is a water bowl in the tank. Snakes need to drink and stay hydrated.
Some snakes like to lay in the water to fully hydrate themselves.
