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| General Questions |
| Q- What is the ACR? |
| A- The American Cornsnake Registry is a registry database for cornsnakes. We collect and maintain information about the corn snake gene pool. |
| Q- What does the ACR do? |
| A- We collect data about individual corns and put it together into a registry database that is accessible to the general public through the internet. Our goal is to build a family tree of cornsnakes that is as inclusive as possible. |
| Q- What is the point of a registry? |
A- Some people simply enjoy being able to see a family tree. It’s just “cool,” and that’s enough of a reason for many people. Apart from its “coolness” the ACR creates a "chain of custody" for information, which has several other benefits, especially to people whose corns come from registered stock.
2. Anyone can do research on the inheritance patterns of recognized traits, or use the database to discover inheritance patterns in traits that are currently not recognized or even noticed. 3. When a new trait appears, the ancestors can more easily be located, and the spread of the gene throughout the gene pool could be tracked. Ancestors of the first specimen found to exhibit the trait would be possible carriers, and could be located and test-bred to help prove out and propagate that trait. 4. For those who care about breeding animals from specific localities and keeping their bloodlines true to that locality, they would no longer need to directly contact the original breeder to find out the important information about a specific animal. 5. Many smaller hobbyist/breeders come and go. When they leave, their information is often completely lost. A registry allows important information to be accessible forever. 6. Information about a snake can be kept with the snake much more easily. For example, breeder A (who is very well known) hatches a snake and registers it. He later does not need it and sells it to reseller B with the registration certificate. Reseller B sells it to buyer C, showing with the registration certificate that the snake originally came from breeder A. If buyer C then wants to sell the snake, he can show the registration certificate to potential customer D to prove that the snake really is from breeder A’s stock. Nobody has to say, “that’s what I was told” and there is no information lost from the "telephone" effect. Additionally, persons A, B, and C do not have to go to the trouble of telling each of their buyers all about the snake, since that information is available on the registration certificate and through the ACR website. |
| Q- Do you set or enforce any standards for breeding or morphs? |
| A- No. The ACR only takes the information it is given by each individual and makes it available alongside that supplied by many other people. The checkboxes are supplied as a convenience for users to find the named morphs that are extremely common. If anyone wishes to register their corn as a “super flim flam spam” corn they can. If anyone wishes to register an amelanistic corn as an anerythristic, they can do so. It will be up to the users to decide whether or not the data is useful or accurate. We encourage anyone breeding their own special lines to include that in the “special notes” section of our database so that it’s easily found. For example, if your snake is part of the "Silver Queen Ghost" lines, include that in the special notes. Users can then search the registry for that term and find the snakes belonging to that bloodline. |
| Q- I know someone who is breeding a morph called _____. Why don’t you have a checkbox for that? Are you excluding certain morphs? |
| A- We want to include all of the most common morphs and any genes that are known. Most breeders have special names for one or more of their lines, and it would not be practical to include them all as checkboxes. If a certain morph name is used in the “special notes” so often that we think it would be beneficial to add a checkbox for that, then we will do so in order to make the database more user-friendly. |
| Q- Will the registry be able to keep up with new genes and morphs that come out? |
| A- Yes. Our database is designed so that the structure can be easily updated to reflect changes in the genetics and morphs. Whenever a new gene is proven out, we will add that gene to our database so that people can track it just like any of the current genes. For example, the pied-sided and "Z" genes were added to the ACR in 2006. |
| Q- What does the registry mean to someone buying a pet or future breeding stock? |
| A- It allows them to find out any available information about the background of their snake. For some, this has its own value. |
| Q- What does the registry do for a breeder? |
| A- It allows a breeder to supply their buyers with a large amount of information about any individual snake without having to go through their own records to find out what the buyer wants to know. They will not have to bring their records with them to shows, or spend time writing emails or talking on the phone to supply this information. The preregistration program is FREE for breeders and makes it very easy to keep the relevant information with each hatchling. |
| Q- What do you do with the ID photos? Who owns the copyrights on them? |
| A- The person who took the photo will retain the copyright. By submitting ID photographs, the copyright holder agrees to give the ACR permission to use them (in perpetuity) in conjunction with the registry. ACR will only use the photos directly for the database. We will include them in the database, and we will print them on the certificates and pedigrees. We will not use them for any other purpose. |
| Who can Register? |
| Q- What about hybrids and intergrades? Can they be registered? |
| A- Absolutely! Registration of hybrids and intergrades will make information about their lineage available to the general public and keep their heritage from being so easily lost. |
| Q- Can any snake species be registered? Can I register my emoryi or milksnake or gopher snake? |
| A- Only if it is part of the cornsnake gene pool. Please note that emoryi, intermontana, meahllmorum, rosacea, kisatchie are all allowed as these are often classified as subspecies, but other rat snakes and colubrids are not. If your non-corn is hybridized with corn you can register it. If your non-corn is the parent of a corn hybrid you can register it. For example, if your California kingsnake is the parent of a king X corn cross, then that California kingsnake can be registered. |
| Q- Do I have to be an American or live in America to register my corns? |
| A- Anyone worldwide may enter their corns into the ACR. |
| Q- When will the registry close and stop allowing new stock from wild caught specimens or from unregistered or otherwise unknown parents? |
| A- There are no plans to close the books, as that would be determental to the whole idea of building an inclusive family tree. Enough new blood is coming in from wild caught animals to justify keeping it open. New genes that pop up in unregistered stock would also be difficult or impossible to trace. There is no good reason to exclude any stock from the registry, so it will remain open indefinitely. |
| Individual Registrations |
| Q- As a buyer or pet owner, how do I register my snake? |
| A- If both parents of your snake are registered stock, you can register your snake for a fee of $5. Print and fill out the paper form and mail it, along with any required payment, to the ACR. You will need the BreederID and the ACR ID numbers of both parents (supplied by the breeder) to fill out the form. Then take a full color photograph of the snake’s entire dorsal pattern and upload it to our server. For the $5.00 fee (add $2.00 for a printed pedigree, add $3.00 for pictorial pedigree) we will process your application and mail your ACR registration certificate and pedigree(s) to you. |
| Q- What if my snake does not have two registered parents? |
| A- Any cornsnake can be registered. Fill out the "Snake Registration" paper form for your snake, upload the ID photos to our server, and mail your form(s) and payment. This will create a new branch on the family tree, starting with your snake. |
| Q- Why do some names appear in parentheses? What are the "Dummy Records" in the registry? |
| A- The dummy records are placed into the registry by the ACR to serve as "virtual parents" to specific snakes. This allows siblings and half-siblings to be identified as such even if their parents are not registered. Please see this page for a more detailed explanation of dummy records. |
| Using the Registry |
| Q- How much does it cost to look something up in the registry? |
| A- The registry’s data is freely accessible to anyone who is able to browse the web. Click the "Browse the Registry" link at the top of any ACR page. We have included search features to make it easy to locate snakes by name, genotype, phenotype, owner, hatched by, etc. Click the "Search the Registry" link at the top of any ACR page to search the registry. |
| Q- What are the registration certificates and pedigrees? |
| A- The registration certificates and pedigrees supplied by the ACR provide much of the same information that is in the database in a printed form, and are embossed to prevent fraudulent copies from being created or used. They include the ACR ID numbers of any known parents, and a photo to allow for identification from the dorsal pattern. (Photos on "grace period" certificates are black & white, all others are full color.) The graphical pedigrees include (if available) full color photographs of the registered snake and its parents/grandparents. These can be supplied as proof that the snake is actually ACR registered. |
| Q- How accurate is the data in the registry? |
| A- Only as accurate as the people who submitted it. The credibility of the person who registered their stock is important. It is not possible for the ACR to verify the accuracy of the data submitted, but all data in the registry can be traced back to the person who submitted it. Misrepresenting and falsifying entries in a permanent public record reflects poorly on the submitter. That information is visible to everyone and linked to the submitter's name. |
| Q- How do I go about selling or buying a registered snake? How is ownership transferred? |
| A- The ACR considers possession of the certificate to be "proof" of ownership. The holder of a certificate is the only one who can request changes to the registration entry for that animal. When selling a registered snake, be sure to give the registration certificate to the buyer. When buying a registered snake, be sure to get the certificate from the seller. Registration Certificates should always stay with the snake. If you buy a snake and want to change the Owner Name on the certificate (and in the online database) then you will need to fill out a transfer form. If you wish to change the Registered Name of the snake, include that on the form, too. Write the name exactly as it should appear in the registry, including any "house abbreviation." The previous Registered Name will be put into that record's "aliases" field. If a new certificate is requested, the old certificate will be destroyed, and the new certificate will then be mailed back to you. Otherwise the old certificate will be returned to you. Any other changes not being made during a transfer (gender, genotype, etc) must be made through the correction process using the same form, and will require payment of the same correction fee. |
| Q- How do I make a correction? |
| A- Corrections require the Registration Certificate to be sent to the ACR as proof of ownership. There are two types of corrections: 1- Corrections that only affect online database. These cost $1.00. Send the certificate, a correction form, payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. The certificate will be returned to you in the envelope you supplied. 2- Correction made, with a new certificate printed. These cost $3.00. Send the certificate, a correction form, payment, and a self-addressed stamped envelope. A new certificate will be produced, and mailed to you in the envelope you supplied. |
| Q- What if I find out later that the information in one of my registrations (morph, gender, etc) was not accurate? |
| A- Corrections can be made to an existing registration. This includes adding notes or locality data, changing the gender, name, or changing any of the check boxes. If you believe there is an error in the database that is our fault, inform us of the error. If we find that the database does not match the forms filed with us, we will correct it immediately. If it requires a new certificate to be printed, mail us the original certificate, and we will mail you the new certificate at our own expense. |
| Q- What if the Registration Certificate is lost, stolen, or destroyed? |
| A- A duplicate certificate may be purchased for $5. Duplicates may only be purchased by the person whose name is listed in the database as the owner. |
| Q- What if my snake is sold or dies while its registration is pending? |
| A- Please note that processing fees are nonrefundable. · If the snake is sold: please inform the buyer that the snake is pending registration so that they do not register it themselves, which would create a duplicate record. You should send the registration certificate to the owner when you receive it. ACR will not forward papers to third parties. · If the snake has died: once you receive your papers, you can take the appropriate action with your records. You can use the "Inactivate" feature (provided with your papers) to inactivate that record. Please keep in mind that any snake registrations, even if they die before they are registered, still help provide family tree information that could be useful to siblings or ancestors, as well as statistical information about the overall population. If you do not wish to receive a certificate, please let us know by email before your order is processed. |
| Q- Can I unregister myself as a breeder or give my breeder number to someone else? |
| A- No. The breeder ID number, owner's name, and company/snakery name cannot be changed or deleted. Breeder ID numbers cannot be reassigned, either. The only case where an owner's name can be changed in the database is if the owner's name legally changes, such as after getting married.
· If you change your company/snakery name, you will need to apply for a new breeder ID number under that new name. You can update the contact information on the old breeder ID number so that it points to your new phone, email, website, etc. (If you change your snakery name from ACME to GenericCorns, someone who bought a snake hatched by ACME ten years earlier might want to look up the breeder. If the certificate says their snake was hatched by ACME, and they cannot locate ACME in the ACR, the database is useless to them.) · If a company/snakery has been sold and is now owned by a new person, a new breeder ID number needs to be established by the new owner. (Bob owns SuperBest Corns and breeds many corns which are registered as hatched by Bob of SuperBest Corns. He then sells the business to Suzie who breeds and sells Suzie's SuperBest Corns. Suzie might use different animals, or select for different traits, and many people will want to know whether their snakes came from Bob's stock or Suzie's stock.) |
| Q- Can I change the information in my Breeder ID Record? |
| A- Breeders are allowed to change their contact information at any time. This includes removing all data from the address, phone, website, and email fields. Also, map locations and minibanners can be updated at any time. No form is required, email acr@herpregistry.com to request any changes to your Breeder Record. |
| Q- When my snake dies, do I need to inform the ACR? |
| A- No. We don't track whether a snake is alive or dead. When you received your papers, there was a sheet included with a name and password on it. You can use the Inactivate tool to inactivate the record. This will flag that record so that it does not show up in searches for active snakes. |
| Q- Can I unregister a snake, or transfer a different snake into an existing record? |
| A- No. Once snake records are added, the numbers are permanent and cannot be deleted, removed, or reassigned. Identities be transferred from one record to another. Please keep in mind that the purpose of the registry is to have a permanent record of the family tree, which includes snakes that have died. |
| Large-scale Registration |
| Q- How much would it cost to register all of my existing breeding stock? |
| A- The cost for bulk registrations (10 or more snakes at a time) is $3 each for any snakes who already have two ACR registered parents. It is $6 each for snakes that do not have both parents already in the database. Note: if you need to register multiple generations of snakes in the same package, we can reserve a group of ACR numbers for you. This allows you to assign the numbers yourself as you fill out the forms. You can then register offspring using the ACR numbers of their parents instead of paying the additional fees for those particular snakes. |
| Q- As a breeder, how do I participate? |
A- Follow these steps:
2. We will then assign you a breeder ID number and email you with that information. We will also mail you an official ACR Breeder ID Certificate. 3. For each snake to be registered, fill out a registration form and upload photo(s) of the snake. 4. We will then enter all of the supplied information into our database, and send you an embossed registration certificate for each snake you registered. This will get you and your stock registered. 5. You can then give your breeder ID number and the ACR ID numbers of each parent to buyers. They will then easily be able to look up information in the registry, and they can easily register the snakes they purchased from you. 6. The Preregistration program makes it much easier to get needed registration information to your buyers, and lets you earn free future registrations for your own snakes. |
| Q- What if I am a breeder and want to register an entire clutch? |
| A- This could be handy for breeders who wish to ensure certain information (such as locality data or hybrid data) is more likely to be kept with the snakes and their future offspring. If you register 10 or more snakes at a time, the cost is only $3 each. Another option is the Preregistration program, which is free. |
| Q- What if I want to register all of my snakes, but I have a secret project and I do not want the genetics of a particular snake to be known? |
| A- If you wish to register any of your snakes with only an ID number, name, etc, but no genetic information, that is allowed. This will allow the progeny to be traced back to the originator(s) of the bloodline once the "secret ingredients" become known. |