Chocolate Hognoses
For a western hognose, the gene Swiss Chocolate is known as Chocolate in the hobby. This gene makes the snake a warm chocolate brown which is most prominent on the head. You must check that an animal comes from Swiss Chocolate stock before you pay for it as a Chocolate.
About the Chocolate gene
Chocolate is the shorthand used by the hobby for Swiss Chocolate on a western hognose. Combo names use the short form. A Snow Chocolate, a Chocolate Superarctic and a Chocolate Arctic are all Swiss Chocolate animals. This gene adds melanin. Keepers buy it for a deep brown snake that makes other morphs look richer and darker.
Appearance
A Swiss Chocolate hognose is a hypermelanistic snake that is a much darker chocolate brown than a normal. The melanin is heaviest on the head, so the head reads darker than the body. These hatchlings are born dark and remain dark as they grow. Sable is the nearest look-alike. Swiss Chocolate has a tone that is a little darker and warmer, so you should compare photos carefully before trusting either label.
Genetics
Swiss Chocolate is a recessive trait. If a listing uses Chocolate or Pos Chocolate instead of Swiss Chocolate, you should ask the seller if the animal comes from Swiss Chocolate stock and what breeding records back the label. The name Tangerine is used for Swiss Chocolate with Albino. The gene was produced in Switzerland by Jules Toth.