A fairly recent cultivar, combining the Hypomelanistic gene with the Caramel gene. Calling them Hypomelanistic Caramels would have been appropriate, but we had a bit of a contest around here to see whom could come up with the best name. Aaron Gerson, whom was working for us at the time, came up with the name 'Amber' and we all felt it was the most fitting of the ideas we could come up with.
We produced the very first ones back in 1995 from normal colored parents that were the results of breeding the Caramel line with one of the lines of Hypomelanism I have been working with. I believe the first year I offered them for sale was in 1997.
Specimens vary from golden amber to a light greenish brown with highlights of yellow. Shades of gray and some white may grace the ground color as well, with the blotches generally being darker colored than the ground color and often flecked with white. The blotches are sometimes strongly bordered with black, giving it a rather unusual look about it. This is an animal that always gets people pointing their finger at it and asking me 'What is THAT!' The photographs just do not do it justice and nearly everyone has been surprised when finally saw one in person. Feedback from people who bought some of this line over the last few years have been very rewarding.
Although it's not a good practice to try to associate particular personality traits with animals such as snakes and especially relating to a particular cultivar, most individuals of the Amber corn are the most fearless of any of the corn snakes we have produced. They seem to have a highly developed curiosity about their surroundings and have absolutely no fear of being handled. Whenever someone asks us for the most mellow and laid back of any of the cultivars of the corn snake, THIS is the one that always comes to mind.
Now I always have people asking me "What's you favorite corn snake." And I always hem and haw about an answer. But recently it dawned on me that the Ambers have to be my favorite. The coloration is subtly beautiful and the personalities are incredible. I truly regret that I haven't held back more of them over the years,
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