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Pyros own the award for visual appeal, any way you look at it. There aren't even any close 2nd's and that is a fact, not just opinion. If you google search for the best looking snakes of all-time, the first 300 pages are filled with AZ mountain kings. Try it!

snake adventures

I think Mtn kings in general are pretty. I prefer the pulchra, agama and multifaciata over any of the narrow neck AZ mtn kings.

But back in the 70's when i saw my first sinaloan milksnake with the wide red bands. I thought that blew away any Mtn king for visual appeal. I like there temperment and ease of care also.
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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

Pyro markings are just so much cleaner than zonatas. Yes, the sinaloans and nelsons are clean and pretty, but the higher band count in pyros makes for a better-looking snake IMO. Yes, the pyros have their keeping difficulties but we are talking about visual appeal.

snake adventures

Pyro markings are just so much cleaner than zonatas

They are?

Most pyros i have seen have a lot of black crossovers. However, there are the exeptions from selective breeding. If you want to compare tricolor morphs the hondurans rule.

And the zonatas i listed are cleaner. The Sierras and San Bernardinos aren't as nice as the previous 3 spp of zonata I listed.

I wonder what Jerry Kruse thinks about this?

I still think the sinaloan is the more visually appealing because of the amounts of red and no crossovers. But of course, i prefer the calif zozntas because i grew up with them and (today) they are rarer in the hobby. But from a strictly unbiased point of view, I think the sinaloans are unbelievably pretty for a truicolor in its natural wild form.
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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

Visual appeal is in the eyes of the beholder. To me being from S Cal, it's Zonata all the way, but do love the many color variations of gray banded kings. Remember seeing my first gray banded in the early 80's and was blown away by the colors. A good looking Okeetee corn is a stunning snake.

I agree it is all in the eyes of the beholder.

just glad there are so many different snakes here in this world for us to play with.
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www.Bluerosy.com

"Pray for Obama. Psalm 109:8".

"They that can give up essential liberty, to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty or safety." -Benjamin Franklin

Really there aren't any zonatas that wouldn't fit into my collection and sinaloans have to be by far the prettiest snake for your buck. As for crossovers (flame throwers), a lot of people like those more than just a stamped out, plain jane pyro. My opinion of clean is that there are straight borders and no dark surrounding the red scales and no white fading to off-white.
snake adventures