Hobbies And Interests
Identification
A corn snake has a yellow-brown or orange base color with darker red or red-brown figure eight-shaped blotches with a black outline running down the center of its back. The slender snake ranges from New Jersey to Florida and west to Louisiana. It grows 24 to 72 inches long and prefers wooded areas. The coloration of albino corn snakes depends on the severity of the melanin deficiency. Pure albinos have white scales and red eyes. Albinism can appear as paler colors, making the bright-colored snake pink, yellow and white instead of red, orange and brown. Albinos corn snakes can also have blue eyes.The bright markings and docile nature makes the corn snake a popular pet for first-time snake owners.
Medical Care
If you get bitten by an albino corn snake, clean the puncture wound as soon as possible to prevent long-term problems. Start by rinsing the affected area under running water and washing it with a mild anti-bacterial soap. Do not clean the bite with peroxide or alcohol, which can dry out the edges of the wound and make it slower to heal. Bandaging isn't necessary unless the wound might get dirty. Some corn snake bites need emergency care. You should go directly to the hospital if the snake bite punctured an eye or left a gash deep enough to stitch. If the wound continues to bleed profusely after 15 minutes or you have a clotting disorder, an emergency room visit may be required to get the bleeding under control. A tetanus shot is recommended.
Consequences
The effects of a non-venomous snake bite, such as from a corn snake, usually last only a few days. More serious issues such as infection and parasites can result, but they're not life-threatening, if treated correctly. A round of antibiotics typically clear up infections. Parasite infestations, such as roundworm and tapeworm, and bacteria, such as salmonella, transfer from the snake to the person through the wound. Treatment varies by severity.
Prevention
Considered one of the most passive snakes in the northern hemisphere, corn snakes rarely bite humans unless they smell prey on human skin or feel threatened. To prevent bites by domestic albino corn snakes, keep your hands out of the cage at feeding time and wash your hands after handling prey items. Cornered animals, wild or tame, bite. Wild albino corn snakes do exist, but most get killed young as they are easy to spot. If you encounter one in the wild, observe from afar and avoid contact with the snake. After most encounters, the docile creature slithers away as quickly as it can.