Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My corn just left me this.....

According to what I've read, both males and females leave that red/bloody skin when they shed, however, I've only seen it with my 1 male (my 2001).

On the other hand you can get a better estimation by counting the scales of the shed skin.

Count the ventral (belly) scales down to the vent. Then count each pair of scales under the tail (subcaudal scales). Then subtract the tail scale count from the belly scale count. If the number is less than 154 then you most likely have a male. If the number is greater than 154 you most likely have a female. The farther away from 154, in either direction, the more confident you can be that the result is correct.

For example:

My 2001 male has these scale counts:

Ventral (belly) scales = 212
Subcaudal scales (under the tail) = 82
Difference = 130
less than 154: He is male

My 2002 female ghost has these scale counts:

Ventral (belly) scales = 225
Subcaudal scales (under the tail) = 64
Difference = 161
more than 154: She is female

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alstiver@hotmail.com

1.0 '01 Hypo snow cornsnake (Tesla)
0.1 '02 Ghost (pastel) cornsnake (Banshee)
1.1 '02 Bloodred cornsnakes (Desi and Luci Too)
0.0.4 '03 American toads
0.0.3 Goldfish (Kabuki, Isamu, and Yuki)
1.0 American Eskimo mutt (Rusty)

When i did the count i got these numbers, pretty close to the same as your female.

Ventral (belly) scales = 230
Subcaudal scales (under the tail) = 65
Difference = 165

At the store where i got my corn we tried gendering them by how there tails ended and this corn snakes tail was more abruptly tapered than my other one, but we still weren't sure but using this method we have gotten 2 female matches so its gender is becoming a little more clearer.

Thanks

Yes. Sometimes they they shed the hemiphenes intact. That looks like the hemiphenes shed to me and I'd say you have a boy.

I see that someone else already said they thought it was female. Please show us a picture of your snake's tail so we can see who is right.