Good morning,

to my chagrin, I didnt even know I was being called out until this morning so my apologies for missing all this. I'm no campbelli guru or anything of the sort, but only claim extensive working with some of the best campbelli circa 1995 through early 2000's. In addition, I've been in contact intermittently with a friend that collected some of the very first campbelli that made their way into the U.S., a fella by the name of David Blody who is now retired from the Fort Worth Zoo. I have some original stock photos of the very campbelli that made their way here, but I will need to find them and re-post either tonight or tomorrow.

While it is true that a majority of the campbelli that are being bred in captivity are descendents of the many that were imported in the 1980's (prior to the closing of Mexico's doors to exportation), there have been (most unfortunately) many hybridizations out there of all debunked sorts (Pueblans crossed with Hondurans, or crossed with Cal kings, etc etc). And it is safe to say that many folks question, including myself, the reliability of some of the campbelli we see including the beautiful hypomelanistics that are available.

So is your PetSmart campbelli really a Puebduran? Well, it appears so in my eyes. I've never seen a pure campbelli with such a strong rostral chevron as well as all those markings as evidenced in your second side-shot, as well as something just unusual about the way the sockhead band looks.......it really does scream Honduran to some degree. It's an absolutely gorgeous snake, but I concur with my comrades that something's up with that specimen. Especially pet store snakes......that's usually where the unsellable or the cheap bulk items are let go to for resale to the unbeknownst and innocent public who look in s snake book and then see what resembles what they saw in a "General Care and Maintenance" book (hey old farts, remember those things by P. deVosjoli...?)......so please, no offense, but we really want to help those who appreciate pure, quality snakes be able to maintain their specimens' integrity as best possible. It's obvious you have great taste in campbelli as evidenced by the "look" that you're going for, but again, that one specimen is indeed questionable.

I'll be happy to locate those original campbelli import photos, but will do so in a later post this evening.
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Jerry Kruse


And God said, "Let there be zonata subspecies for all to ponder..."

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