Category: Old Shop

Lava 11-19-12

Each DAY at 11:00 am. ct (GMT – 5) we will post a different SMR snake being offered at a special price.
All snakes will be chosen for their rarity and/or unique beauty.
FREE SHIPPING for each Snake-of-the-Day.
DAY111912
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$125.00

toDAY’s SNAKE of the DAY (Mon. 19, 2012)

The U.S. Dollar bill in the picture is for size and color comparison.  Every computer monitor renders different colors so we put this slightly
used dollar bill in the picture so you can hold one next to your computer to assess the color of the snake.

This snake is in good health (not under or over-weight, no parasites or diseases that we are aware, no injuries or defects, and routinely feeding on unaltered frozen/thawed mice).

If we have noticed that the snake listed has any temperament or behavioral issues other than human-friendly, it will be detailed in Comments above.

To purchase this snake, click on the Buy this icon.  You will be launched to our shopping cart to submit your payment information and choose which TuesDAY or ThursDAY you prefer delivery.

#111912

Lava
Male
d.o.h. 2011
31″ long on November 17, 2012

$125.00 shipping

Charcoal 12-05-12

Each DAY at 11:00 am. ct (GMT – 5) we will post a different SMR snake being offered at a special price.
All snakes will be chosen for their rarity and/or unique beauty.
FREE U.S. SHIPPING for each Snake-of-the-Day.

DAY120512
 

toDAY’s SNAKE of the DAY (Wed., Dec. 5, 2012)

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Details

#120512
32″ long on Dec, 1, 2012
Charcoal
Male
d.o.h. 2011
$100.00 shipped

Comments:  Feeding on frozen/thawed fuzzy mice
 
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>
 
Charcoal (aka: anery B, Pine Island Anery)
Most Commonly Used Name: Charcoal
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Recessive
Morph Type: Single Recessive Mutation

Eye Color:  Black pupil & body ground colored iris

 

The second anerythristic-type mutation discovered in corn snakes (Anery A was the first), Charcoal corns were originally named for the origin of the first one to be discovered; Pine Island – off the Florida Coast.  Originally mis-perceived to be a variant of the Anery A mutation, the first one was bred to a Snow corn, in a presumed effort to use this new-looking anery type to alter the appearance of typical Anerys and Snows.  Subsequent generational results demonstrated that this was not an allele of the first anerythristic-type corn; Anery A.

Many of the original Charcoal corns lacked yellow.  Yellow was not common in the first generations of this morph, since early specimens apparently lacked the dietary carotenoid yellow trait/mutation common in most Anery corns.  Even toDAY, some Charcoal and Blizzard corns are devoid of yellow as adults, but in so much as that original specimen was quickly bred to a Snow corn, the carotenoid retention trait/gene is annoyingly persistent in most family lines of Charcoals and Blizzards.  Breeding trials to identify the mechanics and inheritance of the carotenoid retention trait/gene are on-going.

 

What to expect:

Possibly one of the most unchanging of all corns in the realm of appearance from hatchling to adult, neonates have an overall gray or bluish appearance.  Neonates often have a blush of pink or lavender around the sides of the face and neck, and some of those carry that color to adulthood.  Whether the one you get will mature to have yellow (or won’t), never expect to see yellow on neonates.  One obvious distinction between Anery and Charcoal corns (neonate or adult) is eye color.  In Anery corns, there is an obvious contrast between the iris and pupil of the eyes.  Most Charcoal corns show little or no contrast, having the same jet black pupils of Anery corns, but a much darker and sometimes equally black iris.  Throughout maturity, the eyes of both Anerys and Charcoals may change slightly, but and adults, the distinction between hatchlings remains the same.  Most of my corn snakes that are genetically both Anery and Charcoal are phenotypically Charcoal.  I’ve spoken to other breeders that say some of their double mutants more closely resembled Anery types.
 

Important Note:
  These images are not renderings of the actual animals being offered, (except for uniquely offered snakes found in the SURPLUSsection of this web site).  We do not provide pictures of individual hatchling snakes for sale, nor do we recommend that you ever choose a new pet based on an image of its neonatal form.  Corns change so dramatically from hatchling to adult, they will NEVER have the same colors or contrasts throughout maturity. While most of the snakes we produce will mature to resemble the featured adult image(s) on our web site, unlike manufactured products that are respectively clones of each other, the nature of polygenic variation results in each animal being similar but not identical to others of its morph. The snake we select for you may not mature to be identical to the pictured examples, but will be chosen based on our experience of observing which neonates will mature to properly represent their respective morph.  We take this responsibility very seriously, and therefore publish the guarantee that we will exchange yourSMR snake if it does not mature to be like our advertised examples.

Striped Java 111812

Each DAY at 11:00 am. ct (GMT – 5) we will post a different SMR snake being offered at a special price.
All snakes will be chosen for their rarity and/or unique beauty.
FREE SHIPPING for each Snake-of-the-Day.

DAY111812

toDAY’s SNAKE of the DAY (Sun Nov 18, 2012)

 

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Details

toDAY’s SNAKE of the DAY (Sun. Nov. 18, 2012)

 


 

#111812

Striped Java
Female

d.o.h. 2011

36″ long on October 17, 2012

$500.00 shipped

Comments: Mode of inheritance is currently UNKNOWN

–

 

JAVA
The first Javas were produced and named by a corn snake breeder in South Africa.  We purchased several of the Java corns from him, but neither he or anyone else at this time can identifiy the inheritance (are they polygenetic productions, a new mutation, or a variant of an existing mutation?). Some believe that their likeness to some of the Kastanies points to the potential that Java and Kastanie are the same mutation, but more breeding trials are necessary to make that determination.

Our Java types come in many shades of brown, not unlike the Kastanies.  The albino version of Javas (aka: Tangerines) look virtually identical to the albino version of the Kastanies (aka: Mandarins), so it is possible they are the same mutation, but again, more trials are indicated.
Example of a small adult Java Motley:
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Creamsicle 12-08-12

Each DAY at 11:00 am. ct (GMT – 5) we will post a different SMR snake being offered at a special price.

All snakes will be chosen for their rarity and/or unique beauty.

FREE U.S. SHIPPING for each Snake-of-the-Day.

DAY120812b
 

toDAY’s SNAKE of the DAY (Sat., Dec. 8, 2012)

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Details

#120812
28″ long on Dec, 1, 2012
Creamsicle
Female
d.o.h. 2011
$125.00 shipped

Comments:  Feeding on frozen/thawed fuzzy or small hopper mice.

 

~~~~~~~~~~>

INTERSPECIES  HYBRID !

Creamsicle (no aka)

Most Commonly Used Name:  Creamsicle

Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Recessive corn snake Amel + Emory’s Rat Snake

Morph Type: Single recessive HYBRID Mutation

Eye Color:  Red pupil

 

 

Formerly considered an intergrade of what used to be two corn snake subspecies (Elaphe guttatus guttatus X Elaphe guttatus emoryi), Creamsicles are the final product of crossing an Emory’s Rat (aka: Great Plains Rat Snake) with an Amel corn. Since the new taxonomic classification assigns distinct species to each (Pantherophis emoryi and Pantherophis guttatus), in herpetocultural vernacular, Creamsicles are now officially considered hybrids.  ANY progeny from Creamsicles or any corn snake that has any degree of Emory’s Rat Snake in it, is considered a HYBRID.  The albinos are called Creamsicles and the non-albinos are often called Root Beers.

 

 
What to expect:
Hatchling Creamsicles are orange hybrid versions of Amel corns, so they can have any pattern you see in corn snakes.  I’ve seen Creamsicles that were yellow on yellow, some that were orange on orange, and some that were red on orange – demonstrating the polygenic variability seen in all animals.  Not unlike some hybrid snakes that can be selectively bred to eventually hide all visual traces of their alien ancestor, some Creamsicles are virtually identical to Amel corns.  Creamsicles (and Root Beers) usually have what we call Hybrid Vigor (robust size and propensities for hardy appetites and rapid growth) from being out-crossed to unrelated snakes.  We all hope that breeders will always reveal the genetic background of all their snakes, but I know people that have purchased obvious Creamsicles in pet stores and reptile expos, but were never advised of their hybrid origins.
 

Important Note:
  These images are not renderings of the actual animals being offered, (except for uniquely offered snakes found in the SURPLUS section of this web site).  We do not provide pictures of individual hatchling snakes for sale, nor do we recommend that you ever choose a new pet based on an image of its neonatal form.  Corns change so dramatically from hatchling to adult, they will NEVER have the same colors or contrasts throughout maturity. While most of the snakes we produce will mature to resemble the featured adult image(s) on our web site, unlike manufactured products that are respectively clones of each other, the nature of polygenic variation results in each animal being similar but not identical to others of its morph. The snake we select for you may not mature to be identical to the pictured examples, but will be chosen based on our experience of observing which neonates will mature to properly represent their respective morph.  We take this responsibility very seriously, and therefore publish the guarantee that we will exchange your SMR snake if it does not mature to be like our advertised examples.

 

 

 

 

 

2013 Palmetto Reservations

 

2013 palmetto reservation 092912
 

All 2012 Palmetto Corn Snakes have been sold.  Below are instructions for reserving a 2013 Palmetto.

 

To those of you who reserved a 2012 female Palmetto Corn but did not get one, we have automatically transferred
your 2012 reservation to 2013 C level list.  Please, advise us if you wish to be removed from the 2013 C level
list OR if you wish to reserve via prepayment or partial prepayment on the Aor B level reservation lists.

 

 
 
 

 

In an effort to protect the market integrity of new corn snake mutations and morphs, here at South Mountain Reptiles we employ prudent marketing and sales practices.  Unlike the Ball Python and Hognose snake markets whose products sustain prolonged market vigor, corn snakes have always been over-produced and under-valued.  Sometimes, in just two or three captive generations (and often after just one generation) new, rare, and exciting corn snake mutations and morphs crash to half their initial market value – or less.

 

Naturally, affordability is what all consumers desire, but for those who wish to purchase corn snakes as potential money-makers, premature market devaluation is all too common and disappointing.To date – just like most consumer products – ALL corn snake mutations and morphs have eventually reached affordable levels, so the initial high price of new corn morphs is no indication that they will never be affordable. Every new reptile morph that is offered to the public is initially offered at an INVESTMENT PRICE. Just like most products, the fewer there are for sale, the higher their prices.  When supply of such products reaches or exceeds the level of consumer demand, prices begin to come down. Breeders expend great amounts of money, labor, and time in taking a new morph from discovery to market, and therefore deserve compensation for their investment, work, feeding, and maintenance expendatures.

 

What most people do not understand is that for every new morph that is popularly accepted by consumers, perhaps four such promising projects failed (in terms of expense compensation).  This is sometimes because the economy wouldn’t justify the price OR someone produced the same morph you did but offered them for less money OR the consumers and investors were simply not attracted to the new morph. This essentially means that for the hundreds or thousands of mice, dollars, and hours committed to five new and promising morphs, usually only one will reward the breeder with compensation for all five projects. In a market such as corn snakes – which is highly consumer-driven – profit on some morphs is frequently unattainable.  Most corn snake sellers are fortunate if they have enough sales to pay their mouse bills, but since it is only a hobby for those who have other careers, and therefore do not rely on snake sales for their living, low or no profits are acceptable to them.  For a few of us whose career is producing and selling corn snakes, without new projects to make up for the low-priced over-the-counter corns in depressed markets, reasonable profits can sometimes be difficult to attain. Therefore, new mutations and morphs like the Palmetto are essential for career snake-breeders so they can have the financial luxury of investing in other new mutations and morphs, without being forced out of business from insufficient sales.

 

My reason for detailing the pricing and marketing process is mainly because of the emails and calls I get over the years from frustrated snake lovers who wonder why a new morph like the Palmetto is so expensive and largely unaffordable. If you wait long enough, all new morphs will be affordable to the masses.  It’s not like the dog and cat industries that sell pet grade animals that have been altered so they cannot reproduce.  They sell such altered animals as pets for much less money than the ones that are capable of reproduction.

 

In the final analysis, the market reality of any thing or product is that respective value is the price someone is willing to pay. Before the IPO (Initial Public Offering) of female 2012 Palmetto hatchlings (which occurred on SunDAY, July 31, 2011 at 3pm (GMT-5) one person offered me $20,000.00 for a 2011 hatchling male Palmetto and another person offered me $20,000.00 for a gender pair of 2011 hatchlings.  The price I finally set ($4,000.00 usd) was set after the pleasant discovery that Palmettos were indeed reproducible (some odd and promising corn snakes turn out to be non-reproducible).  Knowing the corn snake markets as I did – from selling them every year since my first one hatched in 1973 – I knew the market would not support a price of $10,000.00 each.  Within 13 minutes of that IPO, all six 2012 $4,000.00 prepayment reservations were sold and all six 2012 $1,000.00 deposit reservations were sold. Hence, there was ample evidence that the value of Palmettos was at least $4,000.00 each.  If 14 people offered you $10,000.00 for the car you are selling, you would not list it in the newspaper for $5,000.00.  Most market analysts would judge from the speed of selling all those 2012 hatchlings (one full year prior to their availability) that $4,000.00 was too low, but I knew that offering them at a higher price would result in fewer customers.  Some new Hognose snake morphs toDAY still start at $15,000.00 for 6″ long hatchlings, and the Hognose species is considered venomous.

 

How To Reserve a 2013 Female Palmetto:

There are three ways in which to reserve a 2013 female Palmetto (NO males will be sold until 2015 or 2016).   Not knowing exactly how many will be available in 2013 (we estimate perhaps 20) we cannot guarantee that everyone who reserves one will have the opportunity to purchase, but the successful three-level reservation system we’ve used in the past will be used for reserving Palmettos.  We have decided that in order to minimize the potential of not being able to fill all orders, we will accept pre-payments for only ten 2013females to be reserved in level A (prepayment of $4,000.00 USD each) and only ten to be reserved via level B (partial prepayment of a minimum $1,000.00 USD each).  Anyone who does not get on the A or B reservation lists is welcome to reserve one without any form of payment; C reservation list.

 

 
 
 
 
Below are the only three ways a 2013 female Palmetto can be reserved:
 
 
 
 
 
 

A) Only ten2013 female Palmetto corns will be reserved at this level.  This top reservation level requires full payment ($4,000.00 USD each).  In the event that we are unable to fulfill any prepayment orders, prepayers on this list will be given the option for a full refund OR priority placement on the A level list for the potential second 2013 hatch season OR priority placement on the 2014 A level list.  In 2013, all ten prepayment purchase orders will be satisfied in the order in which they were reserved – before filling purchase orders for those in the next reservation level B.

 

B) Only ten2013 female Palmetto corns will be reserved at this level. This second reservation level requires prepayment of at least a $1,000.00 USD deposit per snake.  In the event that we are unable to satisfy reservations at this level, depositors on this list will be given the option for a full refund OR priority placement on the B level list for the potential second 2013 hatch season OR priority placement on the 2014 B level list.   Deposit payments larger than 25% of the listed price will not have priority over those who paid the minimum 25% deposit.  In 2013, B level listed depositors will be asked to finish payment for their reservations – in the order in which they were reserved – after purchase orders for the sixprepayers from reservation level A are satisfied.  Those who are unable to pay the balance of their order within 14 DAYs will be offered credit for the amount of their deposit that they may spend for any SMR animals or products.  Per our standard policy of no refunds, your credit will remain in tact for one year after it is granted.  During that time, you may spend your credit for our products or you are welcome to sell your credit to someone else – provided you personally advise us of said transfer of SMR credit.

 

C) Finally, there are two good reasons to be on the reservation level C list.  Information below requires that those who reserve by partial prepayment via level B will be given 14 DAYs to pay the respective order $ amount.  This mainly allows for the processing time often necessary for the completion of payments via direct bank wire transfers, but if for any reason any of the ten who partially prepaid for their orders is unable to pay for their reservation before their payment deadline, we will make their reservation position available to those who reserve in level C in the chronological order they were received. The other reason for getting on this list is that in the event we produce more than 20 female Palmettos in 2013.  Should this happen, we will offer them to those people on this reservation level C, in the order their reservations were received.

 

Recap:

  • Only TEN 2013 female Palmettos will be reserved by prepayment of $4,000.00 USD.
  • Only TEN 2013 female Palmettos will be reserved by partial prepayment of $1,000.00 USD.
  • After those 20 orders are filled, we will offer 2013 female Palmettos to anyone who reserved a 2013 female Palmetto via list C (no prepayment required) – in the order in which they were received.



How To Reserve:

Tessera 11-22-12 –

S O L D
toDAY’s SNAKE of the DAY (Sat. Nov 22, 2012)
DAY112212
This 36″ long adult female Tessera is now mature enough to breed.  She is empty for brumation (fasting since 11-08-12).
Het for Striped Hypo, she has great progeny potential as early as Summer, 2013.

 

Tessera (no aka)
Most Commonly Used Name: Tessera
Mode of Genetic Inheritance:Dominant
MorphType: Dominant to Wild-Type
Eye Color: BLACK pupil and ground-color matching iris


FIRST, what makes Tesseras so expensive? Other than appearance, the primary (and inherent) value of Tessera-type Corns is their mode of inheritance.  Since they are dominant to wild type, pairing any Ultra Type that is a Visual Het to ANY corn snake (other than a Tessera-type) will render 50% Tessera mutants in the F1 (first) out-crossed generation.  The results of pairing an Tessera homozygote with ANY corn snake (other than a Tessera-type) will render 100% Tessera mutants.
Anery Tesseras are virtually identical to exceptionally patterned Anery Striped Motleys in appearance, but that’s where the resemblance ends.  The remarkably consistent Striped Motley-type pattern that derives from the base mutation, Tessera, is inherited dominantly.  Hence, when you breed a Anery Tessera to a Anery, both Anerys and Anery Tesseras (approximately 50/50) will comprise the F1s (First Generation Progeny).  No waiting one more generation to get pattern mutants, since Tessera is dominant to wild type. 


What to expect:
At this early period in the Tessera’s resume, we still don’t know what phenotypic potentials exist.  So far, the only behavior that is atypical for a corn snake mutation is that many of the non-mutant siblings of Tessera types seem to have enhanced pattern and color features.  So far, I don’t see any hybrid markers, since the collateral sibling features to which I refer are – so far – in the realm of improving existing corn snake features (i.e. some non-Tesseras have better, brighter, cleaner, and/or more consistent colors and markings).
As hatchlings, Anery Tesseras look virtually identical to exceptionally patterned Striped Anery Motley.  Of course, the primary distinction is not visible.  It is that of the dominant inheritance. We’re still not quite sure what to tell you about the adult appearance of Snow Tesseras, as 2010 was the first year they were produced here.  Updated pictures will be made available as they mature.
History of the Tessera Mutation:
In 2007, Graham Criglow asked KJ Lodrigue to order a 1.2 trio of Striped Motleys that were advertised on one of the popular Online Classified sites – since Graham’s job prevented him from personally receiving them at that time.  When they arrived, KJ discovered that they constituted a 2.1 reverse trio (two males and one female) instead of the advertised 1.2 trio (one male and two females).  KJ and Kasi recommended that Graham gift the extra male to me, and that’s what Graham did.  Profound thanks to Graham, KJ, and Kasi for that gracious and fortuitous gift.  In 2008, both the Lodrigues and I independently bred our males (Graham’s and mine) to novel (unrelated) corns. I produced about 24 TESSERAS (so named by the Lodrigues for the tessellated lateral markings) from over 50 fertile eggs, but since the Lodrigues were in the middle of a career move to another State, they were less fortunate, producing just four non-mutant Okeetee-looking corns.  My Tesseras were produced by the pairing of the male Tessera to three novel female corns (two F1 Locality Okeetees from Chip Bridges Rhett Butler Line and one Okeetee-ish female, Het for Stripe and Amel).  Imagine my surprise in seeing what we thought were nearly flawless Striped Motleys from three different females, only one of which was Het for a recessive pattern mutation?  After the first brood of 50% Tesseras hatched from the female that was het for Stripe and Amel, except for the perfection of pattern, I was not thinking new dominant mutation, but when both wild-type Okeetees produced the same results, it was obvious that a new mutation was discovered.

Upon receiving the reverse trio from the seller, we all commented on the mutual peculiarity of the phenotypes.  Most appeared to be the most perfectly Striped Motleys ever seen – in so much as their dorsal stripes were nearly contiguous from neck to tail tip (something never before seen in any corn snake pattern mutant) – but that was hardly possible if the admission of the breeder were true – that they were products of pairing a Striped corn with an Okeetee corn.  How could these descendants of a Striped corn bred to an Okeetee be Motley types, instead of Striped?  It is still unclear if those 2.1 Tesseras were F1s (first familial generation) or F2s (the originator of this line is now out of the hobby and difficult to reach – for clarification).  If these three Tesseras are F1s, my deduction is that the striped corn he used in the original pairing was actually Striped AND Tessera.  Even if those three were F2s, the likelihood of the mutant patriarch being a Striped Tessera is strong.

In the 100+ Tessera mutants produced by me as of Fall, 2010, I’m seeing the following features:
The most obvious advantage of having Tesseras in your breeding inventory (aside from their inherent beauty) is that because the mutation is dominantly inherited, 50% of every brood of corns from them will be Tessera mutants. With most other corn snake mutations, one must raise all the Het F1 progeny, and won’t receive any mutants until F2 reproduction (a task that can take four to six years).  In the course of adding Tessera to the myriad current patterns and colors of corns, an entirely new market is now in the making.

Predominantly contiguous dorsal striping is the most unique feature of most Tesseras.  Even when the stripe is broken, it resumes immediately thereafter (unlike Striped and Motley mutants whose dorsal striping never resumes with any degree of renewal). Roughly 1/3 of all that have been produced so far have no stripe breaks.  Another 1/3 or so have two to four stripe breaks, and the other 1/3 can have five to 20+ stripe breaks, but those breaks are merely interruptions of the stripe.  Not unlike very good Striped Motleys, many Tesseras have an interruption of stripe at the girdle (anatomical location – polar to the cloaca), but unlike Striped and Motley mutants, the dorsal stripe almost always continues to the tail tip.  Thus far, fully striped Tesseras have been produced from parents with some-to-many dorsal stripe breaks.  Hence, broken-striped Tesseras can produce fully striped striped Tesseras, even though their stripe is broken.  Incidentally, none of the original 2.1 original Tesseras in this line have complete dorsal striping, but many of their progeny and grand progeny do.

More than 2/3 of the Tesseras produced by me so far have atypically large amounts of black pigment in their non-ventral pattern — a feature roughly 1% of all Striped and Motley mutants have demonstrated to date.  Less than 1/4 of all Tesseras produced by me have little to no black in their markings, and these are mostly Striped Tesseras.

te01110953-042411v
The belly patterns are all over the charts.  A precious few have enough belly checkering to qualify them as wild-type common corns — until you flip them over to see their mutant pattern elsewhere.  About 1/3 of them have roughly 15

Tessera Anery 11-23-12

toDAY’s SNAKE of the DAY (Fri. Nov 23, 2012)
DAY112312a
 
This 33″ long female Anery Tessera COULD actually be a Ghost Tessera.  Not only does she have the general
appearance of a Ghost, but some of her non-Tessera siblings were Ghosts.  I am playing it safe by saying she
is Anery Tessera, since even a Ghost Tessera is an Anery mutant.
 
 

 

Anery Tessera (no aka)
Most Commonly Used Name: Anery Tessera
Mode of Genetic Inheritance: Dominant
Morph Type: Dominant & Recessive Gene Mutations
Eye Color:  BLACK pupil and ground-color matching iris
 
 
 

FIRST, what makes Tesseras so expensive? Other than appearance, the primary (and inherent) value of Tessera-type Corns is their mode of inheritance.  Since they are dominant to wild type, pairing any Ultra Type that is a Visual Het to ANY corn snake (other than a Tessera-type) will render 50% Tessera mutants in the F1 (first)out-crossed generation.  The results of pairing an Tessera homozygote with ANY corn snake (other than a Tessera-type) will render 100% Tessera mutants.
 
Anery Tesseras are virtually identical to exceptionally patterned Anery Striped Motleys in appearance, but that’s where the resemblance ends.  The remarkably consistent Striped Motley-type pattern that derives from the base mutation, Tessera, is inherited dominantly.  Hence, when you breed a Anery Tessera to a Anery, both Anerys and Anery Tesseras (approximately 50/50) will comprise the F1s (First Generation Progeny).  No waiting one more generation to get pattern mutants, since Tessera is dominant to wild type.  

 

What to expect:
At this early period in the Tessera’s resume, we still don’t know what phenotypic potentials exist.  So far, the only behavior that is atypical for a corn snake mutation is that many of the non-mutant siblings of Tessera types seem to have enhanced pattern and color features.  So far, I don’t see any hybrid markers, since the collateral sibling features to which I refer are – so far – in the realm of improving existing corn snake features (i.e. some non-Tesseras have better, brighter, cleaner, and/or more consistent colors and markings).
 
As hatchlings, Anery Tesseras look virtually identical to exceptionally patterned Striped Anery Motley.  Of course, the primary distinction is not visible.  It is that of the dominant inheritance. We’re still not quite sure what to tell you about the adult appearance of Snow Tesseras, as 2010 was the first year they were produced here.  Updated pictures will be made available as they mature.
 
 
History of the Tessera Mutation:
In 2007, Graham Criglow asked KJ Lodrigue to order a 1.2 trio of Striped Motleys that were advertised on one of the popular Online Classified sites – since Graham’s job prevented him from personally receiving them at that time.  When they arrived, KJ discovered that they constituted a 2.1 reverse trio (two males and one female) instead of the advertised 1.2 trio (one male and two females).  KJ and Kasi recommended that Graham gift the extra male to me, and that’s what Graham did.  Profound thanks to Graham, KJ, and Kasi for that gracious and fortuitous gift.  In 2008, both the Lodrigues and I independently bred our males (Graham’s and mine) to novel (unrelated) corns. I produced about 24 TESSERAS (so named by the Lodrigues for the tessellated lateral markings) from over 50 fertile eggs, but since the Lodrigues were in the middle of a career move to another State, they were less fortunate, producing just four non-mutant Okeetee-looking corns.  My Tesseras were produced by the pairing of the male Tessera to three novel female corns (two F1 Locality Okeetees from Chip Bridges Rhett Butler Line and one Okeetee-ish female, Het for Stripe and Amel).  Imagine my surprise in seeing what we thought were nearly flawless Striped Motleys from three different females, only one of which was Het for a recessive pattern mutation?  After the first brood of 50% Tesseras hatched from the female that was het for Stripe and Amel, except for the perfection of pattern, I was not thinking newdominant mutation, but when both wild-type Okeetees produced the same results, it was obvious that a new mutation was discovered.

Upon receiving the reverse trio from the seller, we all commented on the mutual peculiarity of the phenotypes.  Most appeared to be the most perfectly Striped Motleys ever seen – in so much as their dorsal stripes were nearly contiguous from neck to tail tip (something never before seen in any corn snake pattern mutant) – but that was hardly possible if the admission of the breeder were true – that they were products of pairing a Striped corn with an Okeetee corn.  How could these descendants of a Striped corn bred to an Okeetee be Motley types, instead of Striped?  It is still unclear if those 2.1 Tesseras were F1s (first familial generation) or F2s (the originator of this line is now out of the hobby and difficult to reach – for clarification).  If these three Tesseras are F1s, my deduction is that the striped corn he used in the original pairing was actually Striped AND Tessera.  Even if those three were F2s, the likelihood of the mutant patriarch being a Striped Tessera is strong.

In the 100+ Tessera mutants produced by me as of Fall, 2010, I’m seeing the following features:
The most obvious advantage of having Tesseras in your breeding inventory (aside from their inherent beauty) is that because the mutation is dominantly inherited, 50% of every brood of corns from them will be Tessera mutants. With most other corn snake mutations, one must raise all the Het F1 progeny, and won’t receive any mutants until F2 reproduction (a task that can take four to six years).  In the course of adding Tessera to the myriad current patterns and colors of corns, an entirely new market is now in the making.

Predominantly contiguous dorsal striping is the most unique feature of most Tesseras.  Even when the stripe is broken, it resumes immediately thereafter (unlike Striped and Motley mutants whose dorsal striping never resumes with any degree of renewal). Roughly 1/3 of all that have been produced so far have no stripe breaks.  Another 1/3 or so have two to four stripe breaks, and the other 1/3 can have five to 20+ stripe breaks, but those breaks are merely interruptions of the stripe.  Not unlike very good Striped Motleys, many Tesseras have an interruption of stripe at the girdle (anatomical location – polar to the cloaca), but unlike Striped and Motley mutants, the dorsal stripe almost always continues to the tail tip.  Thus far, fully striped Tesseras have been produced from parents with some-to-many dorsal stripe breaks.  Hence, broken-striped Tesseras can produce fully striped striped Tesseras, even though their stripe is broken.  Incidentally, none of the original 2.1 original Tesseras in this line have complete dorsal striping, but many of their progeny and grand progeny do.

More than 2/3 of the Tesseras produced by me so far have atypically large amounts of black pigment in their non-ventral pattern — a feature roughly 1% of all Striped and Motley mutants have demonstrated to date.  Less than 1/4 of all Tesseras produced by me have little to no black in their markings, and these are mostly Striped Tesseras.

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The belly patterns are all over the charts.  A precious few have enough belly checkering to qualify them as wild-type common corns — until you flip them over to see their mutant pattern elsewhere.  About 1/3 of them have roughly 15% to 30% of the volume of checkering seen in wild-types, and about 1/3 or more have virtually no belly checkering at all.  Some of the ones with NO belly checkering have organized strings of black markings running the length of both sides of the belly, along the ventral keel.

 

Having grafted another entire branch on the already sprawling corn snake family tree, we think the Tessera mutation will offer genetic flexibility never before possible; mainly in the realm of making Stripe and Motley types without losing the black (or white in albinos).  Imagine all the current colors of corns infused with the Tessera, Striped Tessera, and Motley Tessera patterns?
 
Important Note:
  These images are not renderings of the actual animals being offered, (except for uniquely offered snakes found in the SURPLUS section of this web site).  We do not provide pictures of individual hatchling snakes for sale, nor do we recommend that you ever choose a new pet based on an image of its neonatal form.  Corns change so dramatically from hatchling to adult, they will NEVER have the same colors or contrasts throughout maturity. While most of the snakes we produce will mature to resemble the featured adult image(s) on our web site, unlike manufactured products that are respectively clones of each other, the nature of polygenic variation results in each animal being similar but not identical to others of its morph. The snake we select for you may not mature to be identical to the pictured examples, but will be chosen based on our experience of observing which neonates will mature to properly represent their respective morph.  We take this responsibility very seriously, and therefore publish the guarantee that we will exchange your SMR snake if it does not mature to be like our advertised examples.
 
 

 
 

Salmon Anery Motley 112412

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toDAY’s SNAKE of the DAY (Sat. Nov 24, 2012)
#112412
Salmon Anery Motley
Female
d.o.h. 2010
36″ long on November 23, 2012

$325.00 shipped

Comments: Superior color and size maturity.

This 36″ long female Salmon Anery Motley is the product of pairing a Salmon Anery Motley to a
Salmon Snow Motley.  She should, therefore, be a Strawberry Anery Motley, and of course, she
is Het for Amel.  Judging from other products of such a pairing, she should develop more of the
Coral overtone she exhibits now.

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Each DAY at 11:00 am. ct (GMT – 5) we will post a different SMR snake being offered at a special price.
All snakes will be chosen for their rarity and/or unique beauty.
FREE SHIPPING U.S. for each Snake-of-the-Day.

DAY112512

toDAY’s SNAKE of the DAY (Sun Nov 25, 2012)

 

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Details


 

#112512

GENDER PAIR of siblings from crossing a Neon Champagne Snow with an Old-school Bloodred

Male and Female

d.o.h. 2011

31″+ long on Nov. 25, 2012

$325.00 shipped

Comments: Prospect of new morph as a result of this genetic pairing.

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This gender pair of 2011 siblings are now eating frozen/thawed fuzzy mice.  These sibling corns are already showing a great red overcoat.  Pairing them will result in Old-school Bloodreds, Aneries, Amels, Snows, Fires, Granites and Avalanches; most of which will have a high degree of red overtones.

Ultramel Tessera 11-26-12

Snake of the Day 11-26-12
Each DAY at 11:00 am. ct (GMT – 5) we will post a different SMR snake being offered at a special price.
All snakes will be chosen for their rarity and/or unique beauty.
FREE U.S. SHIPPING for each Snake-of-the-Day
DAY112612
#112612
Ultramel Tessera
Female
d.o.h. 2010
36″ long on October 8, 2012
Possibly Het Anery
$550.00 shipped
This female Ultramel Tessera is now 36″ long, eating frozen/thawed small to medium adult mice. She offers great genetic potential when bred to any non-Lavender red-eyed corn snake.  Since the Ultra gene mutation is codominant with Amelanism, by breeding this feamale to any Amel corn, approximately 1/2 of the progeny will be Amel and the remainder of them will be Ultramels.  Since Tessera is a dominant trait, approximately 1/2 of the progeny will be Tesseras.  Therefore, approximately 1/2 of the Amels will be Tesseras and approximately 1/2 of the Ultramels will be Tesseras.

Comments:  Superior color and size maturity.
Re: Ultra mutation involved in this mutation compound:

INTERSPECIES  HYBRID

The founder (discoverer) of the Ultra mutation states that he originally paired a gray rat snake with a corn snake, in the discovery of this mutation.  By the time most of us were made aware of the HYBRID origins of Ultra types (originally named Ultra Hypos), we had already bred it into many other corn snake mutations.  It was therefore collectively decided that in so much as it would be virtually impossible to track down (and eliminate) each and every snake containing the Ultra gene (surely thousands of individuals in the collections of hundreds of breeders and keepers), the mutation would be treated like other pure corns.  In so much as it generally did not alter the corn snake appearance, it was known that even if peoples’ snakes had the Ultra gene mutation, they would either be unaware or could avoid mentioning it.  Those of you out there that are boycotting HYBRID corns are advised to avoid acquisition of suspicious-looking corns with the word ULTRA in the morph description. Likewise, purists that admirably endeavor to promote only the genetically purest of corns are urged to question corns that have suspiciously abnormal features that have been historically identified as hybrid markers.  Not that all such markers are proof of alien origins. Especially because of the difficulty and expense of formulating a DNA base line for all North American colubrid snake species, and in the absence of expensive DNA testing to identify authenticity of pure corns, without obvious visual and/or genetic distinctions, identification of legitimately pure (or impure) corns is difficult at this time, if not completely impossible.

Ultramel corns are the heterozygous (hobby abbreviation Het) products of the Ultra mutation.  At SMR, we seldom offer the homozygous version of the Ultra mutation because there is a subtle and often indistinguishable difference between the homo (Ultra) and het (Ultramel) versions. Genetically speaking, Ultras are the powerhouse genetic version of this mutation in so much as when you breed one to any Amel corn snake, 100% of the progeny will be Ultramels.  Breeding Ultramels to Amels results in approximately 50% Ultramels and approximately 50% Amels.  Generally, Ultramels are more colorful than Ultras, but there are exceptions in both directions.

Other than appearance, the primary (and inherent) value of Ultra Type Corns (Ultras and Ultramels and their color and pattern compounds) is their mode of genetic inheritance.  Since they are co-dominant to Amelanistics, pairing any Ultra Type to ANY Amel corn (or Het thereof) will render Ultra types in the F1 (first) generation of out-crossing to non-Ultra type corns.  The results of pairing an Ultra-type with a non-Amel corn (or Het thereof) will render Mendelian results that parallel recessively-inherited mutations; no Ultra-types will result and all progeny will be Het for Ultra when bred to non-Amels.

This is one of the few corn snake morphs that you should not purchase based on the pictured example.  This is because of the extreme diversity of appearance within the mutation/morph.  I could easily make this statement about most corn snake mutants, but the reason I do so here is because the real value of this mutation is its mode of inheritance.  Few corn snake mutations are inherited in dominant fashion, so the primary reason most snake lovers purchase Ultras or Ultramels is because when they breed one to any snake with a form of classic amelanism, approximately 50% of the F1 broods will be Ultra-type mutants (or approximately 25% – in the case of breeding the an Ultramel to a corn that is het for Amel and 100% if you breed an Ultra to an Amel type). I think you will be amply satisfied with any phenotype you receive from an Ultra type, but should you choose to buy one based on the sample picture on any web site, you may be disappointed if your’s does not mature to be exactly like the one that inticed you to purchase one.

Both Ultras and Ultramels render some of the most extreme examples of hypomelanism in corns, but a hypo-type phenotype is the genetic and visual function we recognize.  Some people call them Ultra or Ultramel Hypos, but I prefer to leave off the “hypo” since the chromosomal location of this mutation is the same as Amel (Ultra and Amel reside on the same locus of the chromosome) and therefore has nothing genetically to do with the Hypo gene locus.  Also, the hobby vernacular for the double mutant that is homozygous for both Hypo A and Ultramel would be Ultramel Hypo.  Upon hearing/reading these two words together, you would surely presume that the snake Ultramel Hypo is a double mutant.  Hence, those two words together are incorrect and confusing — when describing the single mutant genotypes, Ultramel or Ultra.  When you breed an Ultra type to any corn that is not Amel (or Het Amel), this mutation genetically behaves as a recessive.  Example:  Pairing an Ultra with an Amel results in 100% Ultramel progeny.  Pairing an Ultramel with an Amel results in progeny consisting of approximately 50% Amels and approximately 50% Ultramels.  Pairing an Ultra with a wild-type corn that is not het for Amel results in 100% normals (wild type) that are all het for Ultra.