Reptile & Amphibian Forums

It must have been about 8 years ago, but I still remember this picture of an amazing new Black Ratsnake morph, posted here on this forum. It was an all white snake, much like a leucistic, but speckeled with little dark spots the size of one scale. It was called a 'Chocolat Chip' Black Ratsnake.

Never heard of it again. Which I think is rather odd, considering it's commercial potential.

Now I was wondering, does anyone know what happened with this morph? Or does anyone have a decent picture? Any input would be highly appreciated.
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I'm Dutch. Somebody shoot me.

Herman,......here is what my friend said about one that sounds just like it, but the time-frame seems way off....

"Doug Moody had a teenage boy bring him a snake that was a black rat with whitish to gray ground color and numerous "chocolate" chip colored spots all over. That snake perished in a heater accident before it was ever reproduced and that was back in the mid to early 90's"

PM me if you want.

~Doug
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"a snake in the grass is a GOOD thing"

serpentinespecialties.webs.com

Well, the thing is I'm not too sure about this time frame either. As I remember, the picture did seem rather course, much like a scanned photograph. So I wouldn't rule out the early to mid '90s.
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I'm Dutch. Somebody shoot me.

I thought I remembered you authored an article on the chocolate chip black rat snake?

Either way, the original visual animal perished in a heater acident in the late 90's (97-98 I believe)and others have said that "hets" were produced but I have never seen any others produced.

Still seems like a very long reach to get to the destination you are headed for.

dc

"I thought I remembered you authored an article on the chocolate chip black rat snake?"

Not exactly. I once wrote an article featuring Pantherophis obsoletus morphs for a Dutch herpetocultural magazine, in which I merely mentioned it's existence.

"Either way, the original visual animal perished in a heater acident in the late 90's (97-98 I believe)and others have said that "hets" were produced but I have never seen any others produced."

So I've heard. To me, but maybe that's just silly old me, losing a morph this unique in a way this blatantly negligent, seems rather odd, especially when considering it's commercial potential. But then again, happens.

"Still seems like a very long reach to get to the destination you are headed for."

Probably, yes. But then again, destination isn't defined by distance alone. There's also direction.
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I'm Dutch. Somebody shoot me.

Negligent maybe, blatant as you state would suggest that Doug Moody didn't care any about what happened, not to mention several other breeders (large, small & myself included) that this has happened to. Is that what your intention is or am I misunderstanding you here. Plainly stated, it seems as if you feel the heater accident story was concoted (sp?) just to create a new hybrid corn morph project that has taken nearly 15 years and has been kept quiet by no less than 5-6 breeders. I am not one to beat around the bush or insinuate, so is that what you have been skirting around for the last several weeks? Do you think this morph "disappeared" to create this black ops project?

Doug Moddy is no longer in the trade due to the accident and it would be really hard to believe he would risk his rputation with such a wild story after openly showing the morph to others as a black rat. After all he was the originator of the albino nelsoni, why would he tarnish that with a created/hybrid corn morph that he has nothing to gain from. Trust, me, I was the one who bought the snake from Parrish, it was costly, but the money spent would not be wortht eh effort of a 13-15 year project by several people. Again, is that what you are suggesting? It still seems like a far reach, but then again, we were told you were the one that said "since when did Americans stop lying". So if that ridiculous statement is true, then I should just consider the source and dismiss it. If the statement is not true then I guess you would be suggesting a well know member from another forum is a liar right? Sorry, but like I said, I don't like inuendo and skirting around hinting at things, I believe in being a very open person.

Daryl Camby

"Plainly stated, it seems as if you feel the heater accident story was concoted (sp?) just to create a new hybrid corn morph project that has taken nearly 15 years and has been kept quiet by no less than 5-6 breeders. I am not one to beat around the bush or insinuate, so is that what you have been skirting around for the last several weeks?"

"Doug Moddy is no longer in the trade due to the accident and it would be really hard to believe he would risk his rputation with such a wild story after openly showing the morph to others as a black rat. After all he was the originator of the albino nelsoni, why would he tarnish that with a created/hybrid corn morph that he has nothing to gain from. Trust, me, I was the one who bought the snake from Parrish, it was costly, but the money spent would not be wortht eh effort of a 13-15 year project by several people. Again, is that what you are suggesting? It still seems like a far reach, but then again, we were told you were the one that said "since when did Americans stop lying". So if that ridiculous statement is true, then I should just consider the source and dismiss it. If the statement is not true then I guess you would be suggesting a well know member from another forum is a liar right?"

I haven't been "skirting around" all that much, really . So unless you have a habit of frequenting all herp forums all over the world, regardless of language or significance, I really don't see how my academical remarks on a little Dutch forum would trigger you to bring this "black ops project" up in your response to a very simple question which really doesn't insinuate anything. Unless of course, a certain directional hint in a certain email to a certain individual has somehow become part of the equation. And to think I haven't even dropped the P-word...

"Do you think this morph "disappeared" to create this black ops project?"

Well, let's put it another way. If there really was such a "black ops project", it would be very convenient for anyone involved if this other highly similar morph mysterically vanished into thin air, now wouldn't it?

"Sorry, but like I said, I don't like inuendo and skirting around hinting at things, I believe in being a very open person."

You're also a remarkably lucky herper. And for that, I salute you.
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I'm Dutch. Somebody shoot me.