Breed: Corn (Amelanistic)

Sex: Female

Date of Birth: 01/12/2020

Measurements: 

Neck –  6cm

Length (base of neck to tail): 125cm

Height (floor to shoulder): 3cm

Width (circumference of chest/torso): 6cm

Weight: 900g

Candy the corn snake is a striking example of the species which is mainly found in the South Carolina locale.  

The gorgeous colours that Candy displays are due to her being amelanistic (abbreviated as Amel).  This term refers to a snake with a total absence of melanin; the result of the gene mutation with the same name.  Reptiles have more than just melanin in their make-up and Amel only removes melanin, and not the other pigments, leaving a white/pink/red/orange/yellow reptile marking.  

Although sometimes referred to as the same thing, Amels are different to albinos, where in an albino, breeding theoretically removes all pigment, so it should leave a pure white reptile with red eyes. 

Corn Snakes are often featured in film and TV.  We see them regularly in shows like I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here!  Unsurprisingly, they featured heavily in Snakes on a Plane.  During production, snake wrangler Jules Sylvester kept 60 live snakes on set at all times. Corn snakes were especially prized since they came in 30 different colours and were known as “good wrigglers”!  Other films include Falling (2020) and Fatal Pursuit (1995).

In Native American mythology, the corn snake was viewed as a benign serpent that helped protect crops. The way corn snakes moulted became a symbol of death and rebirth. The snake’s skin was equated with leaving the old self behind to embrace change and new beginnings.

Candy was rescued via National Exotics Search & Rescue following a house fire and although slightly malnourished upon adoption, she is now thriving in her forever home and at a good weight for her species.  Although she had clearly been neglected, her experienced handler has spent a lot of time socialising the snake and she is becoming a very friendly companion to her new human.  Named Candy due to her appearance of an American candy corn sweet and an amalgamation of her species name, Candy is just as sweet to look at.

Candy’s fast movement, general agility and incredible strength is very impressive to behold.  She has confidence in abundance 

Candy is not only a beautiful corn snake that looks striking on film, she’s also very easy to work with.  True to her species, Candy has a docile nature and the amiable disposition that corn snakes are renowned for.  

Corns are a species that appear to enjoy human attention and will usually happily stay with their human out of the vivarium for several hours. Candy absolutely loves to be out and about, exploring her environment. Although a large (or should we say “long”?) snake, Ronnie can safely be handled by adults, under supervision from his handler.

Candy is quite a rapid snake in movement and her speed is fascinating to capture on film.  She will also climb and will beautifully support himself on objects as required.  Candy is also comfortable working outside, providing correct precautions are being taken.

Corn snakes have funny facial expressions and are often considered one of the ‘cute’ species of pet snake.  For this reason, Candy will suit a variety of filming themes from comedy, to cute and friendly, as well as dramatic and dark filming opportunities.

Candy’s scales are a vibrant display of cream, orange, pink and yellow.  The colours are almost cartoon like and are incredibly impressive.  This lady makes a striking photographic subject.

She makes a fabulous model because of her vibrant markings and sedate temperament.  She is easy to work with and appears stunning in photography.  Her movement is sleek and purposeful and she has the most adorable, cute face.

Snakes in general make wonderful photography subjects.  They have been associated with some of the oldest rituals known to man and represent dual expression of good and evil.  Ever since Eve’s transgression in the Garden of Eden, snakes in Christianity have been associated with lies, evil and temptation. But in other cultures, as far-flung as ancient Greece and Egypt and indigenous North America, snakes symbolise fertility, rebirth, renewal and even immortality.

Snakes are sleek and clean cut and make a striking image.  If looking for action shots, Candy is the corn snake for you; she has adorable facial features and looks particularly cute when she’s exploring different surfaces.

Candy is suitable to work out on location as well as in a studio; she can tolerate slight changes in temperature which allow for a variety of background imagery.  She is a truly beautiful snake that will make a fantastic addition to your photoshoot.

Candy has experience of a professional studio photography shoot for a promotional campaign.  Candy had to work around props and different backdrops.  She coped with the studio lighting and environment in an exemplary manner.

Credits

PJ Pet Photography – Professional promotional studio shoot