Most Easterns in collections or pics are found either from PA or upstate NY. These,on average, are drab and unicolor from montane locales. While there are some nice ones that intergrade with the reds in the TN area, I think the real variability can be seen in some of these locales which are just not represented in collections. I have caught red,orange,brown,green and anery from a single spot! There are a few guys that have some nice easterns but its also because of the NAME that others shy away. I know that there were some NICE ones found in MD a year or 2 ago(Cecil I think)and because of color alone others were eager to name them Coastal plains....which would be very wrong.

Easterns remain difficult because people usually find and keep either adults or hatchlings,both of these are difficult to acclimate in captivity.I suggest to EVERYONE without alot of experience to let these go! It is the yearling or mid-size milks that acclimate the best, and its from these that we should try and develop cb lines. I consider myself an expert and I STILL have a very hard time with these. They are not for beginners,not yet.

As for color, it is because they are variable that many people think that they are escaped corn snakes. To compare them to fox snakes would be wrong because I have not seen many nice colorful fox snakes. But after acclimating these snakes actually become BETTER looking after a couple sheds.

Add to that there are now a bunch of morphs out there to work with and I think more people will start keeping them. There are only so many albino tri colors that will look different with morphs,and this is one of em.Jeff

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