Albino grass snakes are a rarity.  Reference to such coloration in the New Naturalist’s Amphibians and Reptiles (Beebee and Griffiths, 2000) stems from a report by Procter (1926) describing an albino grass snake that was donated to London Zoo.  Although the latter was a young snake, it was clearly larger than the current hatchling.  The snakes also differed in some aspects of their coloration.  In Procter’s snake the background coloration was ivory while that of the hatchling was pale pink. In both specimens the collar was cream and the bars and other normally black markings were pale mauve-pink.  Procter explained this as being due to muscle tissue showing through the transparent skin.  In Procter’s specimen internal organs could be seen through the transparent (normally black) areas on the ventral surface.  These were not apparent in the current hatchling.  In both cases the tongue was pale.  Procter described the eyes of the London Zoo specimen as being dark red with a pale orange iris; those of the DunwichForest specimen were pale pink, but also with an orange iris.

In most cases of albinism, the chances of survival in the wild must be lower than for normally coloured animals, as the individuals concerned are likely to be conspicuous to predators.  This particular hatchling was also not a vigorous animal.  It drew the attention of the householder who easily captured it.  Due to the low chance of survival in the wild, and the curiosity value of the animal, it was kept in a terrarium by a local herpetologist, Mark Jones.  However, its lack of vigour persisted.  It was lethargic, lying motionless in the open, rather than under the shelter provided, and was unresponsive to moving objects.  Three weeks after capture the snake died and was donated to Ipswich Museum.

References

Beebee, TJC and Griffiths, RA (2000). Amphibians and Reptiles.  A Natural History of the British Herpetofauna.  Harper Collins, London.

J. Procter (1926).  A note on an albino grass snake.  Proc.Zool. Soc.Lond. 1095-1096 (and plate)

John Baker

Suffolk Amphibians and Reptiles Group

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