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How do I know for sure it's an Okeetee?

M

Moneypit

New member
I've been checking out local pet stores for corn snakes since getting my first two about a month ago. Looking at the different types is educational and leading me to wanting a more mature snake that is distinctive in appearance. There are so many, it's tough to choose. I really like the lavender that are pink/purple, stripes and tessera. Something that really appeals to me are zigzag or Aztec okeetee corns based on google image searches.

So this all led me to a shop 40 miles from my home that has advertised a 2 year old and a three year old okeetee corn snake. I bought my normal not knowing anything about the morphs or types and once I started looking, I was thinking it might be an okeetee because of what appeared to me, distinctive black borders.

When I look at these two okeetee's, I really don't see anything that is much different from my normal. The reds and orange may be a little more vibrant but, I'm looking to convince myself at that point. What can I do to ensure they are okeetee? Something visually that is a clear marker other than black borders ?

I guess my morph and type identity capability are still way off because they also have an amel stripe that thought was more of a butter type.
 
Can you take and post a pic? I still can't tell the smaller differences between most morphs, but there are snake wizards here that can tell you in a heartbeat.
 
I'll be able to get back there the early part of next week and will post some pictures. In the meantime I'll double check my phone to see if I have any.
 
I'm not an expert by any sense of the word, so the only major identifier i know of is particularly wide bands. Standard coloration would be similar to a normal, bright orange and reds in adults.
 
Unfortunately with some of the local okeetees you may not know unless you get the snake from a reputable breeder. With line bred okeetees you maybe able to tell by the wide borders. If you are looking specifically for an okeetee I would look for a breeder TBH.
 
If you are looking at an adult "Okeetee" -phase (selectively bred for the Okeetee look, not a locality-collected animal) there should be no doubt in your mind what it is. There are several types, but all will be vibrant black and orange snakes. That's how you know- it's coloration will scream Okeetee. Now with babies, aside from black borders, there is really no way to tell, unless you can see the parents.
 
yeah I'd try and find a breder if your looking for a okeetee,
and it also depends on wether or not you just want the look of an okeetee or a 'true okeetee' in the sence of the locality.. okeetees were found in a certain range in the us. and snakes have been bred from that stock have the 'true okeetee' blood. lines,

you can still get a really nice oketee markings wise it just may not have the true oketee linneage.
but that wouldn't matter to most!
 
Sadly, many wholesalers call all of their normals produced from other projects "okeetees." There should be no doubt when you see an okeetee phase what it is. I've heard it said, if you have to ask, it probably isn't. Here are a couple of mine, first a locality, then a line bred animal:

Wild caught locality Okeetee:
29m6k9v.jpg

Okeetee phase (fauxatee):
2hwi90h.jpg
 
Thank you all for the Info on identifying the okeetee and the distinction between the types. The wild caught okeetee has great colors! And the selective bred one has the nice thick black borders that I like too.

I'll use this information when I can check out the two okeetee's I have been referring to in my posts.
 
Here is a picture of my normal that I was instantly drawn to because it's black borders were so much more pronounced than any others I saw locally.

56f1b2d982f0feb0ec6635743279161b_zps586fa751.jpg
 
That snake has nice borders. There are people breeding lesser "okeetees."
 
OK this has got to be one of my biggest pet peeves since getting back into cornsnakes. Okeetees don't look like okeetees to me any more. (speaking strictly okeetee phase, not getting into a locality deal here) I swear it seems like everyone I see for sale has great borders, some even weird looking they're so bold, but the color doesn't look right. They all have more of an orange lighter look than the bright red colors I had. That locality okeetee that chip has is picture perfect to me as to what it should look like. The picture under that is what I keep seeing. The closest thing I've found to what I'm looking for is some redcoat okeetees.
 
Okay. I made it down for the picture Monday but, just able to post today.

One of the two Okeetee's was sold. Here is the remaining one:

665fdb3af2de6ae2212ffc35e5d7c6b1_zps711a0645.jpg


Now, here is a picture of a non Okeetee:

7b2693c0200b1f3505310a3b2d776bb6_zpsf55a03dc.jpg


To my eye the Okeetee doesn't appear to have much more brilliant reds and oranges or, thick(er) borders. I've looked at a lot of pictures and I've seen some that, based on my admittedly recent and not extensive understanding, match my expectations and some that I wouldn't have a clue they were Okeetees if I wasn't told.
 
I forgot to add that both pictures were taken with the same iPhone on the same day, indoors without a flash.
 
I would choose the snake I liked the best, best looks, best personality more, without thinking about an arbitrary label.
 
Nanci

I agree completely. Just trying to understand the different types. After looking at pictures of okeetee's, I thought I wanted one enough to search some out locally to look at. When I got their, they were not what I was expecting. Seems like most corns change in appearance over time from younger to older so I just want to give myself the best chance of ending up with what I want visually in a corn.
 
Don't settle, zigzag Okeetee's are out there. WAY too many snakes get tagged "Okeetee"; it sells better than calling them "Normals". Keep looking and doing your homework til you find "the one" :)
 
I also would not call those okeetees. You can get an okeetee from a well known breeder on here or elsewhere and a really nice one at that. They are not usually expensive either!
 
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