Transcription of the chat with Don Soderberg (March 4th)

[Caroline]

A big thank you again for Don for his availability and his great answers. And a big thank also for all of those who were able to make it. It sure was fun and instructive.

Here is the transcript of the chat tonight. I only kept the questions and answers for it to be easier to read.



[] 8:01 pm: Tonight, we receive Don Soderberg, autor of Cornsnakes in captivity and one of the big breeder of cornsnakes in USA. He has more than 32 years of experience in keeping and breeding cornsnakes.

Welcome Don and thanks for beeing here.


We can start now.

[] 8:01 pm: New book's hiding in my computer. Shhhh. Here we go.

[] 8:02 pm: Don, have you taken any recent pictures of your pied bloods?

[] 8:02 pm: I promise to put some on my site soon. OK

[] 8:03 pm: do you find any issues with fatty deposits in your young corns? I've had that happen recently in several two year olds. raising too fast on fatty mice?

[] 8:03 pm: Too much calories, for sure.
[] 8:03 pm: I don't see that in mine, but I'm very careful not to push too hard. OK
[] 8:04 pm: As long as you're aware of it now and reacting accordingly.

[] 8:04 pm: Hey Don. If in 50 years you wanted people in the corn hobby to look back and remember you for just one thing, what would you choose and why?

[] 8:04 pm: Wow. What would I want to be remembered for?

[] 8:04 pm: Yeah, pretty much.

[] 8:04 pm: I'd say for being fair and selling healthy animals.
[] 8:04 pm: That's not as easy as it sounds when you get to the volume of stock I'm at. OK

[stangs13] 8:05 pm: What new morphs( if any) will you be releasing this year or upcoming ?

[] 8:05 pm: Wow, I'm so careful not to get too excited until I see their little noses poking outta the eggs.
[] 8:05 pm: Honestly, it will just be the complex morphs.
[] 8:05 pm: You know. Triple and quad homos. OK

[stephen] 8:06 pm: heh Do you think the pied sides will get more white down the road

[] 8:07 pm: Oh yeah. I've seen so much variation in them, I know there'll be some with completely white sides.
[] 8:07 pm: Some seem to be "cryptic carriers", showing no white at all, but I can tell they're p/s. OK

[stephen] 8:10 pm: whats the best temps for corns to digest at

[soderberg] 8:10 pm: Temps?

[stephen] 8:10 pm: I keep them at 88 to 90 hot end

[soderberg] 8:10 pm: mid to high 80s, but not up to 90 and not in a very large vicinity
[soderberg] 8:11 pm: best to have just a very small place with high temps so they can cook only the stomach. OK

[] 8:11 pm: With the ever increasing number of hobbiest breeders of snakes and reptiles, do you see an end to the snake/reptile market in the forseable future?

[soderberg] 8:11 pm: 88-90 is Okay in small areas.
[soderberg] 8:11 pm: I see no end EVER

[soderberg] 8:11 pm: Honestly, I used to think so, but now I see there'll be new morphs and high demand for the next century and longer. OK

[] 8:12 pm: it seems that there would be an end at some point

[soderberg] 8:12 pm: I'm a pessimist and I'm saying it'll never end. OK


[Cornsnakesalive] 8:14 pm: Do you have any test breedings planned for the Pied-sides to test for compatibility with other wide-sided lines this year?

[soderberg] 8:15 pm: Yes, but until this year, I've only had hets. I HATE pos hets so I have not been doing trials outside the fam.


[soderberg] 8:15 pm: I plan to plug p/s into several other colors and patterns this year. Luck me! OK


[] 8:16 pm: Have you found certain morphs get so inbred your having females of that line having difficulty producing?

[soderberg] 8:16 pm: Just the opposite.

[] 8:16 pm: I'm finding my Candy Canes seem to be more difficult to produce.

[soderberg] 8:16 pm: The bloods were really in trouble 12-15 years ago.
[soderberg] 8:16 pm: Now they're the genetically strongest line I have.
[soderberg] 8:16 pm: I can't think of any that are what I'd call INBRED or in trouble. OK
[] 8:17 pm: that due to the refinement within the line rather than outcrossing

[] 8:17 pm: Have you ever gotten excited about a prospect morph only to have the results not be that thrilling?

[soderberg] 8:17 pm: Candy canes are tough to make, but it's not because they're inbred.
[soderberg] 8:19 pm: Prospect morph?
[soderberg] 8:19 pm: Yeah, there're always disappointments.

[] 8:19 pm: Yeah, something that sounds good 'on paper'

[soderberg] 8:19 pm: I can't think of any that disappointed other than the sulphers and other complex bloods that didn't WOW me like they were supposed to. OK

[] 8:19 pm: Do you think that it's possible for p/s to occur in morphs other than blood morphs? Like, hypothetically, could you breed for a p/s butter?

[soderberg] 8:20 pm: I'm sure in time, even those'll come around. OK
[soderberg] 8:20 pm: I don't think the p/s will be linked to other morphs, but I sure hope I'm wrong.
[soderberg] 8:20 pm: Others are in the process of testing that out. Like Rob/Louise. OK


[] 8:21 pm: Have you ever tried or considered crossing other genes besides amel, specifically diffusion, into emoryi/meahllmorum lines to produce "bloodbeers?"



[soderberg] 8:21 pm: I have become allergic to the hybrids
[soderberg] 8:21 pm: I do some now and then, but I've really tried to stay away from them. . .
[soderberg] 8:22 pm: Mainly cuz people will see an odd variation of a known morph and because they see I do hybrids, they'll presume the odd new one is such. OK


[Fenderplayer108] 8:22 pm: Will you be producing any Aztec Zig-Zag Ghosts this year ? Those pictures on your site are stunning.

[soderberg] 8:22 pm: Yes, I'll have a few this year
[soderberg] 8:22 pm: But I've noticed they're straying from the zagtec patterning and moving toward the wide stripe. OK

[Carol] 8:23 pm: Kind of cheesey, but what was your first snake?

[soderberg] 8:23 pm: Wow. First snake?
[soderberg] 8:23 pm: Besides the ones my brother and I used to catch, it would be a Colombian boa
[soderberg] 8:23 pm: Then, a Cal king. I LOVE Cal kings, but hate their manners. OK


[Cornsnakesalive] 8:24 pm: Since you are allergic to hybrids, how are you going to approach the Ultras?

[soderberg] 8:25 pm: Hi, Joe. I'm taking the position everyone is. They're here and everywhere so "what the heck".
[soderberg] 8:25 pm: When I refer to hybrids, I don't consider the ultras and creams. OK
[soderberg] 8:25 pm: Even though in my heart, I believe the ultras ARE hybrids.

[stangs13] 8:26 pm: What quad morphs will you hatching? MMMMM Pied sided snows..:whistle:

[soderberg] 8:26 pm: 'Quads

[stangs13] 8:26 pm: Yes

[soderberg] 8:26 pm: Wow, not coming to mind now, but there will be many new quads this year. OK
[soderberg] 8:26 pm: I'll try to think of some between Qs tonight. Sorry.

[Joni Garcia] 8:27 pm: I usually try to witness two breedings (a few days to a week apart) for each pair. How many times do you breed each female to the selected male?

[soderberg] 8:27 pm: Two times only.

[Richard Hume] 8:27 pm: hello to don and all - i've just spent a long day waking all the snakes up for this year and figuring out this year's projects, one of which will hopefully be some striped miami's from the pair I got from you (don) 3 years ago - last year all duds from the female, I think she was too small. Don, will you have many striped miami's this year?

[soderberg] 8:27 pm: Exception would be if at the end of the season, no new gals are signed up for a particular male. OK
[soderberg] 8:28 pm: Yup. I'll have very few, but I'll have the striped Miami motlies.


[stephen] 8:28 pm: with all the genes in the cornsnake world what percentage would you say are pure?

[soderberg] 8:29 pm: Pure? Ouch.
[soderberg] 8:29 pm: O
[soderberg] 8:29 pm: I'm the dooms day sayer for this subject.

[stephen] 8:29 pm: So o% considered pure cornsnakes?

[soderberg] 8:29 pm: I believe we're all in for some shocking surprises if the day comes we're able to tell who's real and who's counterfeit.
[soderberg] 8:30 pm: Especially so many of the new morphs coming on the scene. Lots of obvious hybrid markers. OK
[soderberg] 8:30 pm: Couldn't give that a %. OK

[DaemoNox] 8:30 pm: What would you say would be the optimum feeding scheduale for both hatchlings and adults to achieve premium growth but also stay healthy (avoiding the fat problems)?

[soderberg] 8:31 pm: If you're feeding the proper size/age of rodent AND you have the correct temperature, you can power feed every two to three days without hurting them.

[stangs13] 8:31 pm: WOW!

[soderberg] 8:31 pm: I caution everyone against this practice unless they're positive the perfect conditions exist. OK

[Carol] 8:31 pm: Is your Rosy Bloodred list full for 2007?

[soderberg] 8:32 pm: Hi, Carol. No, the list isn't full. I should have about 15 of them this year. I never have very man. OK
[soderberg] 8:32 pm: I meant very many.


[stephen] 8:32 pm: Do you feel the people offering pure bred cornsnakes that are new morphs fooling themselfs and others?

[soderberg] 8:32 pm: Of course, some are and some aren't.
[soderberg] 8:33 pm: The problem today is that many of us believe we have pure corns based on testimonies or reputations of the people from whom we get those snakes.
[soderberg] 8:33 pm: Some of those people are deliberately fooling us while others honestly believe they're PURE. OK


[stangs13] 8:35 pm: Are most corns actualy arn't corns then?

[soderberg] 8:35 pm: Not most.

[stangs13] 8:35 pm: Most corns actualy arn't corns then?

[soderberg] 8:35 pm: Most corns are pure corns, but the subject is complicated.

[stangs13] 8:35 pm: I got confused with the whole Hybirds talk here

[soderberg] 8:35 pm: If you went back in a time machine 100,000 years ago, there wouldn't be corns.
[soderberg] 8:36 pm: They sprang from hybridization. OK

[Cornsnakesalive] 8:36 pm: What other morphs are you planning on breeding the Pied-sides into first?

[soderberg] 8:36 pm: Youch.
[soderberg] 8:36 pm: Stripes, motlies, albinos, and a few others.
[soderberg] 8:37 pm: I can't tip my hand to you, Joe!!! You grow your snakes too fast. You'll be at the finish line too fast. lol. OK


[Drizzt80] 8:37 pm: Don, you spoke of hybrid markers. What would some of those be and how accurate are they?

[soderberg] 8:38 pm: Lots of subtle markers out there.
[soderberg] 8:38 pm: Frosting, banding, head markings, belly markings. Some are bold while some are subtle. It takes many years of experience to spot some of them. OK

[DaemoNox] 8:38 pm: If you could produce and color/pattern on a corn what would it be? Or if its already been produced what is it?

[soderberg] 8:39 pm: I'm scared to death for the first leucistic.
[soderberg] 8:39 pm: It will surely be a hybrid, but I hope not.
[soderberg] 8:39 pm: That morph will be so important, it will surely be scrutinized and hopefully qualified for DNA testing, but that won't be easy either.
[soderberg] 8:40 pm: White sided/leucistic and of course, the holy grail. ALL BLACK PATTERNLESS. OK
[soderberg] 8:41 pm: Do I dare wish for green or blue corns? OK

[] 8:41 pm: we got blue corns...dilutes

[soderberg] 8:41 pm: Yeah, but they're not BLUE corns yet.

[stangs13] 8:41 pm: Do you think there will be any Dom/co-dom morphs? Like a visual het lucy!

[soderberg] 8:41 pm: I'm talking all blue.
[soderberg] 8:42 pm: I'm sure there'll be doms, but not sure what. OK

[stangs13] 8:42 pm: Lucy doms would be sweet

[Serpwidgets] 8:42 pm: I've seen pictures of pied-sided hypo blood and a pied-sided that's supposed to be het for charcoal. Are you aware of these, and do you know if (or suspect that) these are related to your line?

[soderberg] 8:42 pm: Good Qs.
[soderberg] 8:43 pm: Not knowing the lineage of mine (not precisely), they could be the same fam.
[soderberg] 8:43 pm: I'm dubious about the p/s pewters. I'd love to think that's what's out there.
[soderberg] 8:43 pm: And wassup with the p/s anery bloods? They don't seem to be allelic to mine. OK

[kitty] 8:44 pm: In your book you mention feeding breeder females every seven days. Is that smaller than normal prey? or appropriate size on that sched? and is that both pre- and post-breeding?

[soderberg] 8:44 pm: I feed 95% of my adult female corns one medium adult mouse every five to seven days throughout the breeding season. Rarely (if ever) large mice. OK
[soderberg] 8:45 pm: After the breeding season, I revert to every seven days. OK


[CaptBogart] 8:45 pm: What other species are you focusing on this year besides corns?

[soderberg] 8:45 pm: Lots of bulls and pines.
[soderberg] 8:45 pm: I do several ssp of the milks too, but I'm really getting hooked on the giant bulls. Lots of color there. OK

[stephen] 8:46 pm: have you been working with dillutes? And if so when added with amel do they produce high pink snows

[soderberg] 8:47 pm: I have 1.2 blue motlies here that may go this year and six other varieties of the morph that are a year behind them. I haven' t had them long enough to PLAY with them yet. OK

[] 8:47 pm: Knowing the genetics/background of corns so well, do you think it is really possible to produce a pure white or solid black corn without having hybredizing somehow?

[soderberg] 8:47 pm: Yes, I'm positive it's possible.
[soderberg] 8:48 pm: The black "morph" is so prevalent in other species, I know it's not "if", but "when". OK
[soderberg] 8:48 pm: Of course, the photo inverse (albino) of that snake is consequently possible. OK

[DaemoNox] 8:48 pm: Has there been anything throught your time breeding that has totally shocked you?

[soderberg] 8:49 pm: Honestly, the pied sided blood bowled me over.
[soderberg] 8:49 pm: I'm sure others have too, but I never saw that one coming. Long and funny story that I can't go into now, but most of you out there know it. About how Walter was so behind that concept and I wasn't. ARgggghhh. Boy, was I every wrong. OK


[] 8:50 pm: Are you still breeding your Rubber Boas? If so, will you have many this season? They're so cute!

[soderberg] 8:50 pm: Yes, I have a few breeders here, but I'm flailing along. I don't produce enough for the demand so I have to get some from my supplier. OK
[soderberg] 8:50 pm: Yes, the rubber boas are really cute. OK

[shed'n my skin] 8:51 pm: Hi Don, I was curious what is your opinion of the cinder/z morph, some hybrid in there maybe?

[soderberg] 8:52 pm: My personal belief is that it is a hybrid, but honestly I wouldn't put that in my next book without first seeing more breeding trials with them. Some of them are dead ringers for the Emory's hybrids I've produced over the years, but again. I'm not making that declaration. Let's just say " I'm dubious ". OK

[Carol] 8:52 pm: What is the "most Western" show you vend at? As in, closest to CA?

[soderberg] 8:52 pm: I proclaimed last year that I was done doing shows altogether.
[soderberg] 8:53 pm: Since then, I've been invited to do some, but I don't expect to do shows outside Texas. That could change. OK

[] 9:53 pm: When will your new book be published ?
[] 9:53 pm: I agree on dead ringers for emoryi
[] 9:54 pm: Like your new new one

[] 9:54 pm: New book is in the works and it's gonna be awesome. I hate to brag, but it's huge. I'd bettern not put in print on this chat when I think it will be out cuz my publisher is already upset it's not out yet. OK

[] 9:55 pm: So i shouldnt buy your other one, and just wait?

[] 9:55 pm: If you can't afford $8.95, wait for the big one. OK

[] 9:55 pm: I can..lol

[] 9:55 pm: Its going to be like VPIs BP book isnt it.
[DaemoNox] 9:55 pm: What got you into this hobby?

[] 9:56 pm: I wish it would be as big as VPIs, but nope.
[] 9:56 pm: What got me in the hobby?
[] 9:56 pm: Just like most of us, it started with what my brother and I could catch and stuff in our pockets as kids.
[] 9:56 pm: Then, when I was old enough to breed them, I really got the fever.
[] 9:57 pm: I think it's either in your blood or it isn't. OK

[] 9:57 pm: How much should we save up for the new book? :whistle:
[] 9:57 pm: 'What ages should you stop power feeding them every 3 days?

[] 9:57 pm: I'm not sure, but it will surely be over $30 USD.
[] 9:57 pm: When a snake is over 30", I believe you should slam on the feeding brakes.

[] 9:58 pm: It's so easy to horribly mess up a snake by over feeding. I can't over emphasize that. OK

[] 9:58 pm: Just promise us the book will be coffee table size, I like big pictures...
[] 9:58 pm: so for thirty bucks, it better be...LOL!

[] 9:58 pm: There will be over 300 pix. I hope you can quote me on that.
[] 9:59 pm: It's a hard bound book with a dust jacket.

[] 9:59 pm: I shall do that...


[Carol] 10:00 pm: Sorry got booted, didn't get answer to.... What is the "most Western" show you vend at? As in, closest to CA?

[] 10:00 pm: I only do shows in Texas right now, but the day could come that I'll go west again.
[] 10:00 pm: Not sure all the way to CA, but maybe. OK

[] 10:01 pm: did you take the pics yourself?

[] 10:01 pm: There will be many pix in my big book from others.
[] 10:02 pm: I will soon be asking people for pix of snakes for the book, but they must be pix not viewed on the Internet before. OK

[] 10:02 pm: Now that you look back over many years in this hobby, what would you say is your one 'highlight' that surprisd you the most genetically speaking.

[] 10:03 pm: Well, without getting "corny", I do recall in the 70s proclaiming that I'd never be so fortunate as to own a snow corn.

[] 10:03 pm: Hmmm? Surprise?

[] 10:03 pm: I keep getting back to my shock over the p/s bloods.
[] 10:03 pm: I'd have to say the best surprises I'
[] 10:04 pm: I've had are the myriad different bloodreds. OK

[] 10:04 pm: will you be doing a booth in Daytona this fall with your new book?
[] 10:04 pm: just so I know if I have to lug a copy to Daytona...
[] 10:04 pm: for you to sign

[] 10:04 pm: I don't yet know about Daytona. I don't have plans at this time. Depends on when the book will be back from the printer. OK

[DaemoNox] 10:05 pm: Whats the biggest hurdle you had to jump to get to where you are now?

[] 10:05 pm: I guess the biggest hurdle was the Internet.
[] 10:06 pm: A mature web site is very important today. It takes lots of honest transactions and consistent quality to get a site to a place where it will serve a snake business properly. OK

[] 10:06 pm: Do you remember when amels and snows were the hot morph?

[] 10:06 pm: Oh yeah.
[] 10:06 pm: Bought my first amel corn for nearly $200 because it wouldn't eat.
[] 10:07 pm: It was a baby and I eventually lost it after force-feeding it for months. Broke my heart. OK

[] 10:07 pm: Will you be producing White-Sided Black Rat snakes this year, and if so how many clutches do you hope to get? I saw a photo of Terri’s SMR male and he is absolutely perfect. Cleanest sides I’ve seen. I’d love to get a pair that look like him!!!

[] 10:07 pm: I should have two broods of the white sided blacks. One brood of the white sided yellow rats, but they're not nearly so pretty. OK

[] 10:08 pm: but you will join us at Daytona for at least dinner again? lol

[] 10:08 pm: I'd have to be very sick not to go to Daytona. Been going since it was Orlando. Yup. I'll be there to eat with everyone. That was fun. OK

[Rockmonky] 10:09 pm: What are your thoughts on Blood Motleys? do you think it is a good project?

[] 10:09 pm: I think it's a great project, but tough to get off the ground. It requires proving you have both genes in the same snake.
[] 10:09 pm: Ya can't do that by looking. Only breeding trials will prove out your first doubles. OK

[] 10:10 pm: On your website you have a bloodred that is the nicest I have seen. Dark, solid color all the way through with virtually no saddles showing. My idea of the perfect bloodred. Have you had offspring from that specimen that turned out as nicely or is that one a "one of a kind"? I have not seen another quite like it anywhere else.

[] 10:10 pm: I don't produce lots of those, but I estimate that of the 350+ bloods I produce annually, at least 100 will be like that at maturity.
[] 10:11 pm: I don't hold back too many of any morph so I only have two or three of adults like that. OK


[Lore_CSICorns] 10:11 pm: Sorry if this has been asked already, as I got here late. What is the oldest you will allow a snake to get to still breed? What do you usually have as a cut off?

[] 10:11 pm: Great Q
[] 10:11 pm: I rarely have females producing sufficient qtys of quality eggs past their tenth b'day.
[] 10:12 pm: I'll usually give them two years of poor production around that age before I put them out to pasture. Males do great up to 15 years. OK

[Lore_CSICorns] 10:12 pm: good to know. Thank you.

[Carol] 10:12 pm: Have you seen any proven Blood Motleys that had good Motley pattern? (connected circles?)

[] 10:12 pm: I don't get out much as you can see from my conspicuous absence in the forums.
[] 10:13 pm: It's not because I don't want to be here. I LOVE this web site.
[] 10:13 pm: The A to your Q is that I have not seen really good double homos of the blood motley complex other than the stripers Rich Hume makes.
[] 10:13 pm: I'm sure they're out there, but as I said, "I don't get out much".
[] 10:13 pm: If anyone has great shots of proven double homos of motley and blood, I'd love to see them. OK

[] 10:14 pm: Do you think we still have genes/morphs to discover or are we left with combining those we have in quads and quint combinations. Or have we just scatched the surface and there are many more yet to be discovered?

[] 10:14 pm: Anyone that knows me will be shocked at my optomism, here but . . .
[] 10:15 pm: I think we have just scratched the surface.
[] 10:15 pm: There will never be a corn breeder that will have ALL corn morphs. I think it's impossible. OK

[] 10:15 pm: that's wonderful news

[DaemoNox] 10:15 pm: Do you think there's a future for other okeetee morph phases besides amels?

[] 10:15 pm: Oh yeah.
[] 10:16 pm: The Okeetees are just beginning to WOW us.
[] 10:16 pm: I have banded charcoal Okeetees that are really nice, but the anery Okeetees have been disappointing so far. OK

[Caroline] 10:16 pm: Do you have pic of the charcoal Okeetees?

[] 10:17 pm: Okeetee ultramels???? Yummy !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
[] 10:17 pm: Write to me after this chat and I'll scare up a pic of a banded charcoal Okeetee for ya. OK

[DaemoNox] 10:17 pm: I was just thinking of those earlier, okeetee ultramels
[DaemoNox] 10:17 pm: I've got to see those too

[] 10:17 pm: Imagine TONS of gray or silver bordering the markings of ultramels. WOW

[] 10:18 pm: why do you think patterns havent been worked with much in bloodreds?

[] 10:18 pm: Mainly cuz they're relatively new, but there's more . . .
[] 10:19 pm: The blood mechanism of changing quantity of black makes some markings hard to distinguish.
[] 10:19 pm: Just like motley. It's very hard to drag black into motlies and stripes.
[] 10:19 pm: Likewise, bloods will be tough to creat wtih very pronounced markings. I hope I'm wrong. Time will surely tell. OK
[] 10:20 pm: I meant black is hard to drag into GOOD bloods.

[Carol] 10:20 pm: Have you seen any evidence in your own breedings or others that Caramel X Lav will be a worthwhile endeavor? Or is that top secret?


[] 10:20 pm: I produced my first F2 broods of lavender X butter seven years ago.
[] 10:21 pm: I showed all the babies to Rich and he didn't see any obvious complex homos.
[] 10:21 pm: I didn't either. There was surely masking of traits Vs stacking of traits and I never persued it. Too much on my plate then AND now. OK
[] 10:21 pm: To A your Q, I don't think the complex of those morphs is worthwhile, but hope I'm wrong.

[Carol] 10:22 pm: Were they all amels?

[] 10:22 pm: I got all of it. Amels, caramels, butters, lavenders, and even hypos of all that mess. It was overwhelming. OK
[] 10:22 pm: Opals too, of course.

[Caroline] 10:23 pm: Did you ever saw a caramel lavender?
[Caroline] 10:23 pm: or amber lav?

[] 10:23 pm: Maybe. Wouldn't know one if it crawled into my ear.

[Carol] 10:24 pm: Ever come across a proven Anery Charcoal? homo for both?

[shed'n my skin] 10:24 pm: What's the most unusual thing you ever hatched?

[] 10:24 pm: Yes.
[] 10:25 pm: I used to have several snow blizzards that gave me some great variety.
[] 10:25 pm: They were all phenotypic blizzards.
[] 10:25 pm: I know I've had anery charcoals too, but don't recall which morph was doing the masking. OK

[DaemoNox] 10:25 pm: What about lavender charcoals? I'd assume its masked but which morph does the masking?

[] 10:26 pm: I honestly don't recall if there were lavender charcoals. I don't recall seeing any that I thought were both those morphs. OK
[] 10:26 pm: I'm sure Zuchowski would have the answer to that Q about masking.

[] 10:26 pm: What is the strangest birth defect that you've seen in your days hatching? siamese twins?

[] 10:27 pm: I've had a few sad looking Siamese.
[] 10:27 pm: Those were probably the most depressing looking GOOF-UPS.
[] 10:27 pm: There'll be some interesting deformations in the next book. OK

[Cflaguy] 10:28 pm: Mr. Soderberg, you mentioned Pines as breeding projects; will you doing any Mexican Pines?

[] 10:28 pm: I have some deppei and jani here, but not idea what I'll be getting from them yet. They're not quite awake from brumation yet. OK

[DaemoNox] 10:28 pm: Whats the average number of snakes you keep at any point in time, not including hatchlings?

[] 10:29 pm: Usually around 200 yearlings and two year olds and 500 to 700 adults. OK

[Caroline] 10:29 pm: Last question for tonight. To who are you selling the majority of your babies?

[] 10:30 pm: It may shock you to know that over 90% of my customers are first-time corn snake owners.
[] 10:30 pm: Great Q.
[] 10:30 pm: Most are first -time snake owners. OK

[Caroline] 10:30 pm: wow
[Caroline] 10:30 pm: You have good contacts lol

[Lore_CSICorns] 10:30 pm: With that many snakes, I'm assuming you have "staff" to help with all of them?

[] 10:30 pm: It's the web site. . . .
[] 10:31 pm: You'd laugh if you knew what my "staff" amounted to. . . . .
[] 10:31 pm: other than your guard dog you mean?

[Lore_CSICorns] 10:32 pm: I was curious as I know I feel overwhelmed sometimes even with my 21 snakes. So that many has got to be quite a feat

[] 10:32 pm: Yeah, it keeps me hoppin'
[] 10:32 pm: My guard dog may cause you to trip over her, but she'll never scare anyone. lol.

[Caroline] 10:33 pm: Ok that's it for tonight. Thank You very much Don for your time. It was really instructive. Also thanks to all you participated tonight.

[] 10:33 pm: Presuming this is about over, let me complement everyone. Caroline and everyone here. The program for this chat is fabulous and you've all been indredible tonight. I'm thoroughly impressed with the quality of the Qs tonight and the great manners of this bunch. I'll be back. Thank you very much for having me. DON