Posted by:
Darin Chappell
at Tue Sep 21 16:51:26 2004 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Darin Chappell ]
The orange colored "wash" over the last one-third to one-half of a corn's body is normal for Okeetees and normals, mostly because okeetees are normals.
Here are the two definitions of "okeetee" as they are currently used in the hobby/business:
Okeetee (also called "Hunt Club" corns) -- any corn either taken directly from the grounds of the Okeetee Hunt Club, or an animal that is a direct descendant (in every direction) from animals that were captured on those grounds. Although a large percentage of these animals may well have a specific "look" to them, this is not the defining characteristic of these animals being known as "Okeetee." In this context, the filial generation designations (F1, F2, F3, etc.) are referring to the numbers of generations a particular snake is from its nearest wild caught ancestor.
Okeetee phase (also called "Lookeetees" -- Any cornsnake, regardless of origin, that have a "look" that was made famous by animals that had originated in the Okeetee locality. This "look" is usually identified by severaly key qualities all being present inthe same animal: Deep red saddles, outlined by thick black borders, on a dark orange ground color, with a white belly, having very black checkers. As the animal ages, its coloration intensifies until the animal is about four to five feet long. Also as it ages, the belly will oftentimes get a progressively, orange wash over the posterior portion.
Neither of these characteristics are determined by any type of recessive genetic consideration. Therefore, it is impossible for an animal to be "het" for okeetee, regardless of the definition used.
As to whether an animal is an okeetee or a normal, you can only make such a determination by dealing with the two definitions separately. Is it the product of pure locality breeding, with all of its ancestors tracing directly back tot he Hunt Club in every line? If not, it cannot be a locality Okeetee (Hunt Club corn). Does the animal have the characteristics of the Okeetee phase as described above so much that it stands out as being unique among other "normals?" If not, it cannot be rightly called an okeetee phase (Lookeetee).
The first definitin is cut and dried. Either the locality requirements are met, or they are not (although there are some who mix and match the definitions to a certain degree, but to each his or her own, I suppose). The okeetee phased animals are so called based on the subjective opinions of the ones selling the animals. They either are okeetee phased animals, or they are not, but each person will have to make up his or her own mind on each individual animal, and severla people looking at the same animal may well come up with vastly differing opinions.
Sorry to have been so long-winded in this, but there simply is no easy definition of Okeetee, and I haven't seen anyone put it all down in one post for a while. So, there you go.
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Darin Chappell
Hillbilly Herps
PO Box 254
Rogersville, MO 65742
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RE: Questions on oketees - Darin Chappell, Tue Sep 21 16:51:26 2004