The 2011 Breeding Season at SnickerSnakes has been, in a word, INCREDIBLE!! In the Pepper x Annabelle breeding I finally achieved my dream of hatching Avalanche Stripes. In addition, Pepper surprised me by revealing his Hypo gene, resulting in the breathtaking surprise Ghost Bloodred Stripe, Jörmungandr, who I will of course be keeping! There were also Fire Stripes, Fires and Avalanches. The normal-patterned babies are quite stunning, and there are several still available. Thank you, John Finsterwald, Colorado Corns, for the loan of your lovely female, Annabelle! I couldn’t have done it without her!

Before I could catch my breath from the Avalanche clutch, the Ancho x Aji Bloodred clutch brought me the thrill of a lifetime! My very first high-dollar cornsnake ever was a Plasma (Lavender Bloodred). I have loved this morph for years and was so, so envious when Rich Hume hatched the striped version a couple years ago. I jumped at the opportunity to take Ancho and Aji, Bloodreds het Hypo Lavender Stripe on breeding loan from Carol Huddleston, Low Belly Reptiles. These blazing beauties came straight from Rich Hume. Imagine my shock and amazement when the very first hatchling to pip was the target morph, Plasma Stripe! Hyacinth, above left, was followed by a lot of Bloodred brothers and sisters, some striped! The last baby to hatch, M, was a Plasma, and I named her Thirteen. This whole clutch is just a joy; big, beautiful babies who eat like there is no tomorrow! Six are available, including a flashy Bloodred Stripe with a Cubed pattern. Pictured below are Baby G, left, Carol’s keeper male and Baby E, right, female sold to John Finsterwald.

But to balance out the joy of the first two clutches, the third clutch to hatch brought incredible heartbreak. Expecting Bloodreds from the Fred (Rosy Bloodred Kastanie) x Penelope (Hypo Lavender Bloodred) clutch, I was stunned to discover a Lavender nose poking out of the first egg to pip. As I anxiously awaited the surprise hatchling, I researched my various theories of how this pairing could produce an unexpected morph. As it turned out, the one thing I hadn’t considered was retained sperm from Penelope’s 2010 mating…The hatchling emerged, a spectacular example of Hypo Lavender Bloodred, and was, unfortunately, extremely kinked. Two more eggs pipped and bubbled, but noses never appeared. I slit the eggs and no babies ever came out. When I opened the eggs, I found them all dead in the egg, all with extreme, non-surviveable kinking. I wasn’t sure if the lone surviving hatchling would make it, but he shed and ate and thrived. I named him Krinkle, and will keep him as a pet.

The babies are here, the babies are here!!! Pepper and Annabelle’s clutch hatched this weekend. There is nearly a 50:50 split of Avalanches and Fires, with a couple Stripes of each. Not a single Bloodred or Granite! Look at the colorful baby pile I woke up to Sunday morning! The first egg was slit Friday morning and when I arrived home Friday afternoon a little pink head was poking out. A few hours later the first hatchling emerged, an Avalanche Stripe, the target morph! What could be better than that? Well, it turns out something even more exciting was in store! I woke up very early Saturday morning and went to check the pips. There was a tiny head, with dark eyes. I got my camera for a close up. Wait…The eyes are blue! The pupils are ruby! What could this mean? This is not a Granite!! Well, it turns out that Pepper, the daddy, has a gene for Hypo as well, and the little unexpected surprise hatchling is a Ghost Bloodred Stripe! (Below, left) Wow!!

After the amazing start, hatchlings were emerging right and left. Avalanches, Fires, another Avalanche Stripe and finally a Fire Stripe! (Above, right) And what a beauty!! Then more Avalanches, more Fires, another Fire Stripe!! What a great clutch. Now, Monday morning, there are three babies left in the eggs, Avalanches and Fires. Hoping for Stripes! I’m very surprised that this clutch didn’t contain any Granites or Bloodreds. But this is even better! Thank you, John Finsterwald, Colorado Corns, for the loan of your lovely female, Annabelle. These Rich Hume beauties made gorgeous babies together! (Stay tuned: the next clutch, Fred x Penelope, is due to hatch in about two weeks)!

Zora was the first to go, producing a clutch of 12, but only four look fertile to me. This clutch will be Miami Motleys- just give me one nice Pinstripe, please!! Zora and her mate El Wray are the finest Huddleston Miamis.

Annabelle more than made up for it, popping out a clutch of 19 beautiful fertile beauties. Annabelle is a Hypo Bloodred het Amel, Anery and Stripe bred to Pepper, the Avalanche Stripe. This should be an amazing clutch with up to eight different morphs! Bloodreds, Fires, Granites and Avalanches in Saddles and Stripes!! John Finsterwald, Colorado Corns, is the co-breeder. Both parents are Rich Hume stock.

Hello my friends! I am sad to report that our hobby is under attack. It is time to put your money where your mouth is and show your support for USARK by becoming a member today. This is the BIG ONE- if this law passes, all herp lovers will suffer. No, it’s not our precious cornsnakes today, but every restrictive reptile-keeping law passed makes it easier for the next one. Here is a message from Andrew Wyatt, president of USARK. Please, please do what you can. Join today. I did.

US Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) has filed a final rule with the White House Office of Management & Budget (OMB). This filing has no material changes from the proposed rule that would add 9 constricting snakes to the Injurious Wildlife list of the Lacey Act. This would make import or interstate transport of the 9 constrictors a felony with heavy fines and potential jail time. This is the final stage of the rule making process. OMB’s role is to review the proposed rule to ensure that the costs to businesses do not outweigh the purported benefits. In spite of USARK’s information to the contrary, and the Small Business Administration’s findings that FWS did not do its due diligence in determining economic impact, we remain unsure of OMB’s position. As many as a million American citizens could be negatively impacted if this rule is enacted. It would create a whole new class of criminal out of law abiding citizens engaged in what is now a perfectly legal trade.

There is also likely to be an oversight hearing at the US House Natural Resources Committee because of the potential to destroy a viable $1.4 billion cottage industry; and the flagrant disregard by FWS for mandated process and procedure under the Administrative Procedures Act and Information Quality Act. USARK has uncovered evidence that appears to point to an intentional effort to manufacture science to support a policy directive based on staff preference at FWS. This preference by FWS could mean the loss of thousands of jobs and the destruction of viable sector of our nations economy in a time of hardship.

Members of the Reptile Nation should prepare themselves for the “Big Fight.” This process should take about 45 days to unfold. USARK calls upon the OMB, the US House of Representatives and the US Senate to look closely at how FWS has circumvented due process to create policy based on staff preference. USARK believes that these actions by a government agency, upon close examination, will be found to be arbitrary, capricious and unlawful.

USARK needs the Reptile Nation to pull together as never before. This is our chance to overcome unfair regulation. Please stay tuned to USARK alerts and forward this communique to you circle of influence.

Questions: Andrew Wyatt president@usark.org

Fred, left, the Rosyblood on loan from John Finsterwald of Colorado Corns has been breeding with Penelope, Hypo Lavender Bloodred, a Rich Hume snake also on loan from John. The offspring will be Bloodreds, het for Hypo Lavender Kastanie. Needless to say, John and I are anxiously awating this clutch! Meanwhile, Pepper, right, the Rich Hume Avalanche Stripe and Annabelle, Hypo Bloodred het Amel, Anery and Stripe (also Rich Hume, on loan from Colorado Corns) continue to breed successfully, with three breedings completed so far! They are such a striking pair.

El Wray, left, has mated with Zora successfully five times and is now back with last season’s sweetheart, Cherry. This couple produced a gorgeous clutch with a variety of Miami types, including stunning Classic Miamis, a wonderful Milksnake Phase, and the biggest surprise of all, a single Amel! I loved the last two hatchlings so much I kept them, and I think Milky Milksnake, right, will add some excellent genes to my Milksnake Phase project in a couple years!

The 2011 breeding season is underway! First to mate were Miami Motleys El Wray and Zora (above left). This pair has mated five times already and now Miss Zora will be exercising and eating to support her growing embryos! I am hoping that at least some of the babies will exhibit Zora’s Fully-Pinstriped pattern. Pepper, Avalanche Stripe and Annabelle, Hypo Bloodred Het Anery, Amel and Stripe (above right) have also started breeding. Their clutch will be a nice mix of hatchlings with Saddles or Stripes, in Bloodred, Fire, Granite and Avalanche! The parents are both Rich Hume stock, which is top-notch when it comes to Bloodred Stripes. I am very grateful to John Finsterwald, Colorado Corns, for loaning Annabelle to me to make this breeding possible!

I am also very excited to announce a new addition: Yuri, 2009 Lava Bloodred. Yuri was bred by Rich Hume. The cool thing about Yuri is she is possible het Stripe and Anery, which will be easy to prove out by breeding her to Pepper for the start of the Lava Bloodred Stripe Project! In addition, Yuri may be ph Caramel. Yuri will be of breeding size in 2012 or 2013. She is extremely sweet and gentle. Isn’t she a beauty?

While I’m waiting for the females to start showing interest in the males, I thought I would get some outdoor pictures. First up is Gartersnake the M 2010 SMR Tessera. Gartersnake is tough to photograph because he will not hold still! I thought I would try putting him in a tree and hope he decided to hang on! Luckily, he was very cooperative.

I also needed to take some pictures of Napalm, 2010 SnickerSnakes Bloodred, for a prospective buyer. Napalm was a perfect model, and I got some of the best photos ever! Napalm is quite typical of this clutch. They get more red and more diffused with each shed. Napalm will be traveling to Pennsylvania when the weather warms up, and brothers Baby C and Granite are waiting to go to Ohio and Maine. Molten has relocated to El Cajon, California and Lova is pursuing his modeling career near Eugene, Oregon. I’m sad to see them go, and amazed that they have scattered to all corners of the US. Good luck in your new homes, babies!

Fred-Rosy Bloodred, left. It’s almost spring, and the snakes that have been brumating for the past six weeks came back out into the light and warmth today. Brumation is a period of dormancy in reptiles in which the metabolism slows down and the animal “sleeps,” waking periodically to drink water. Brumating the snakes may increase fertility, and will set them all on the same schedule for the spring breeding season. It’s difficult to brumate them here in Florida because it just doesn’t get that cold. I’m hoping an abbreviated brumation will still be beneficial.

Lily, right, and Fred will have another chance this season at producing a clutch of Bloodreds het Lavender Kastanie. I’m hoping another year of maturity, plus the brumation period, will result in fertility this year! Fred, who is on loan from Colorado Corns, will also have a chance with Penelope, Hypo Lavender Bloodred. Fred loves the ladies, and I’m sure he will be up to the task!

El Wray, bottom left, Huddleston Miami Motley. El Wray and Cherry produced some beautiful hatchlings last season, in a last moment, probably too late for ideal fertility, breeding. So beautiful that I kept two, which I hadn’t intended to do. As an additional surprise, both parents both turned out to be Het Amel!! This year Big Daddy El Wray will breed with Milksnake Phase Cherry again, and most likely with Zora, the Fully-Striped Miami Mot. There could be some _wild_ hatchlings from that pairing!!

Last but not least is Pepper, bottom right, Rich Hume Avalanche Stripe. Pepper and Katie Haluska’s Buzztail produced a beautiful clutch of Granites and Bloodreds last season, whopping 8-10 gram hatchlings. Most have gone off to new homes now, or are waiting for warmer weather to travel. I love how they turned out! Wonderful diffusion in both, and bright, rich red in the Bloods. This year, Pepper will be paired with a different female, Annabelle, RH Hypoblood Het Snow Stripe. She’s on loan from Colorado Corns. Maybe my dream of hatching Avalanche, Fire and Granite Stripes will finally be realized this season!! I hope so- I’ve been working on that project for four years, and it came to a screeching halt when Ruby probed male. Oh well, back to the drawing board! (The Projects Page has up-to-date news on all the pairings planned for 2011, as well as photographs of all the snakes!)

I can’t believe the change in the hatchlings! They are almost two months old now and are going through their second sheds. The color change in the second shed has been dramatic, to say the least! They are eating like horses and growing like weeds! The biggest ones will be eating double pinks at their next meals! I’m talking 16 grams and up! The Bloodreds are turning flaming red, and the Granites are to die for. Silvery beauties with excellent diffusion. As gorgeous as any I have ever seen. I am _very_ proud of them.

And they are just a joy to handle, too. Confident, unafraid. They’ll hold on, not go flying and flailing away. You’ll definitely get a tail rattle. Possibly a bite if you make them impatient, but they are not hatelings. You won’t have a moment of worry about feeding- they feed right away with no tricks. They are big and strong and healthy. You can set them down for pictures and have a reasonable expectation that they will sit and look around, not run away in fear. They have been handled. They are used to the routine of being taken out, weighed, cupped for feeding, asked to stay in a deli for pictures. They are not terrified of humans. They are curious and out-going.

Many have departed for new homes, scattered to all areas of the country, but there are still plenty of beauties left to choose from! You can see the For Sale Babies on the Available Page. Please take a look! Shipping is quite reasonable and the weather is nearly perfect now!

I still can’t believe my luck! It started at the 2010 Cornsnake Supper Club Raffle, in Daytona Beach, Florida. The raffle is a benefit for USARK, a science and education based advocacy for the responsible private ownership of, and trade in reptiles. This is the second year we have put on a very successful raffle! The Grand Prize this year was a high white pied ball python donated by Tom Crutchfield. I bought a number of tickets and divided them among a few prizes that I would like. I thought, what the heck- I’ll put ten tickets in for the Grand Prize! I’ll never win…Imagine my shock when the ticket was drawn and my name was called!

I collected my beautiful little ball python and was immediately overwhelmed, both by the unfamiliarity with the species, the newness of the out-of-egg baby, and the breeding potential! It wouldn’t be fair to keep him as “just a pet.” So I was moping around the National Reptile Breeders Expo the next day, unable to enjoy the awesomeness of my incredible prize, when I happened to bump into Don Soderberg. I told Don and his friend, who happened to be a ball python breeder, of my dilemma. Don said to me “Well, would you like to trade the ball python for a 2010 male Tessera?” Would I!!! It took me all of about five seconds to make up my mind. I knew in my heart that it was the right thing to do. Thank you, Don, for giving me the opportunity to own a cornsnake morph that was beyond my wildest dreams. Don, being the kind, generous person that he is, went on to give the pied ball python to a friend who dearly wanted, and couldn’t afford, a pied. Don’s friend was thrilled with the gift, and will provide an excellent python-friendly home for the pied. What a crazy way to acquire my first South Mountain Reptiles cornsnake!! I still can’t believe my luck.

So I’d like to present Gartersnake (yes- the fun name stuck!) 2010 M SMR Tessera. I’ve got some big plans for him! You’ll find out in a month or so when Gartersnake’s future mate arrives from Low Belly Reptiles! Carol and I will be hoping to produce a new Tessera morph- I can’t wait!