The perfect beginner snake?

[BrentlySnow]

Im looking for some help and advice on trying to find the perfect beginner snake.

First of all, i want somthing i can handle, somthing i can take out and injoy, i do not want a snake that i just look at.

Becuase iv never had snakes before i want somthing that doesnt grow past 6feet, by the time the snake i get is full grown, most likely il have a snake that gets that big, but i want somthing smaller.

Iv read abit about corn snakes, milk snakes, king snakes boa's and pythons and i also really like the hognose but i dont like there colors to much aside from the tri color, cornsnakes and kingsnakes have alot of cool coloration. I think a milksnake would be perfect aside from i read there nocternal (could have the type of snake mixed up) and i want somthing i can handle and not only at 4:21am.

What are all of your suggestions, im not afraid to get bitten, i just want a snake that will injoy me as much as i will injoy the snake.

 

[PA7R1CK]

Without a doubt I would recommend a corn snake. Corns are very docile and come in a huge variety of colors and patterns. I'v only been bitten once by a corn and it was because I was a fool and I had my hand in the tupperware feeding container and she got the scent of the mouse on my hand. Corns are beautiful, smaller snakes. Just be sure not to house corns together because some have been known to be cannabalistic. My corns also seem to enjoy handeling and will actually come too me in their enclosure. Hope this helps take care,

Patrick

 

[padkison]

My 3 suggestions would be cornsnake, cornsnake or cornsnake.

 

[Gigas]

Prolly corn snake or bull snake, bull snakes get way big, i started with a western hognose whose a bit of a drama queen , false strike every time i put my hand in the tank, but loves watching tv.

 

[wicked]

I would recommend a rosy boa. My 7 year old son recently got his first snake after a year of begging, and we are very happy with the little rosy he picked. They are very easy to keep, feed well and only get about 2'-3' long at most.
Their requirements are pretty simple. This is how ours is set up.
20gal long tank.
Substrate they can burrow in (I am using crushed walnut)
a heat mat on one side of the tank.
a hide.
we have a large twisting grape vine that he likes to hang out on.
A water dish.
They do not like it humid, do not mist or use a large water bowl.

Good luck with whatever you pick.

 

[Mina]

I would try a cornsnake or a ball python. We have had a baby ball python as out first snake for almost a month now and are very happy with him. The difference between them is that the balls don't move quite as fast, and don't musk. But the cornsnakes come in just about every color of the rainbow, and don't get as much girth as a ball. Both are easily gotten used to handling, and both are sweet natured. Check out Ball python.net. They have a section on cornsnakes as well. And there is a cornsnake.com as well.

 

[pitbulllady]

I'd recommend a Corn Snake, a Black Rat Snake, an Emory's Rat Snake(the midwestern version of a Corn, basically)or any of the Lampropeltis getula Kingsnakes(California, Eastern Chain King, Florida King, Brooks, Speckled, Desert, Eastern Black). If you want something a bit bigger, but still easy to care for, and don't mind paying a bit, go with a Taiwan Beauty Snake. Stay away from boids as a first-time snake, especially large boids like Burmese Pythons, AND I would NOT recommend a Ball Python, either. Ball Pythons do require extra heat sources, while the aforementioned Colubrids are comfortable at normal room temperature, and Ball Pythons are notorious for frustrating behavior, especially fasting for long periods of time, even captive-bred specimens. They are more prone to respiratory problems, generally speaking, than any of the Corns or Ratsnakes or Kingsnakes, too.

pitbulllady

 

[BrentlySnow]

boa's and pythons just get to big, i flat out dont want one at this time, so far everyone seems to suggest a corn snake which i think would work just fine.

I no there are alot of diffrent kinds of cornsakes when it comes to color morphs and whatnot, is there also a diffrence in temperment and care between them?

 

[Gigas]

nop, same snake diff colour, the major difference is the price!

 

[BrentlySnow]

should i get a male or female, is one clamer then the other, will a female have problems producing egg's if not mated, still learning on snakes just going by what i no from other pets, once i no what il be gettin i can study it.

 

[rattler_mt]

captive bred ball python. males get 3-4 feet, females a lil bit longer, a 6 foot ball is a HUGE ball and actually fairly uncommon to have one legitamitly tape that long. i prefer them to corns because a hatchling ball is much bigger and easier to deal with then the pencil sized hatchling corn. i had a 10 year old 3.5 foot male that anyone could hold without fear of getting bit.

avoid cheap wild caught ones like the plaugue, they are only problems, especially for a beginer

 

[ajlauer1984]

Can Anyone Say Kingsnake

how can everyone forget the kingsnakes now, i just picked up a 20in striped albino kingsnake and its the biggest sweetheart i ever had, this is my 5th snake in 2yrs and like i said the biggest sweetheart i have to fight her to get back in the cage... i would recommend a kingsnake to anyone....i have to apologize to pitbull lady, i didnt read all of your post srry..... i agree any kingsnake

 

[GartenSpinnen]

I too will have to vote cornsnake. I have 2 cornsnakes in a 20 gallon long and they are both sweethearts. The thing about them though, is you have to consistently hold them and let them be used to you or they will get nippy and reclusive. However, if you spend time with the frequently and handle them often they are the sweetest most layed back snakes you will ever get to know. Keep in mind though, if you get a cornsnake get some grapevine or something for the snakes to crawl in, they seem to really like to climb. Some people say not to house cornsnakes together, but i have had no problems and i just make sure that i seperate the snakes when i feed them. Good luck!
Sincerely,
Nate

 

[Linda Landsman]

I have 2 milksnakes, an Albino Nelsons, and a Tangerine Honduran, and they are both beautiful, gentle snakes. I have had the Albino for over 2 years, and she has grown like a weed, but not a big snake by any means. Very easy to keep too. I am sure Corns are nice, just never have had one, so I cannot comment. They come out at all times of the day, I take them out whenever I want, of course not after they have just eaten. They are great eaters too, both are on thawed mice.

 

[BrentlySnow]

From what i understand most poeple get bitten while in the snakes cage, so would it be advised to get (dont no the proper name) a longer hook so i can take her out with that, and then hold her so she always know's that what is in the tank is food, and what is out of the tank is friendly?

Im really injoying everyone point of view on this, if you all can keep shareing your opinion that would be really great.

Any more opinions on hognose's, there face's are so cute.

 

[clocker]

at the beginning

I've just nicely gotten past the stage that you're at. I now own three snakes. My only addition to this thread might be to suggest that you focus on buying a snake you really like a lot.

I missed a nice corn snake early in my quest for a beginner snake because I just didn't know enough to recognise it as a good thing. I have no regrets about having let that one get away on me though. There are a lot of really nice snakes to buy. :}

I handled a lot of snakes before I recognised one that I was really drawn to. It ended up being an 04 50/50 California King snake. He's small, but I was struck by him and really liked how active he was and how cool his colouring was.

I knew I would adapt to a really docile snake very quickly. I knew the activity of the King would remain of interest to me for a long time to come. Since then I came across a 700g male ball python with a really nice pattern that I really liked and now an adult Jungle Carpet Python that's non stop entertainment.

I go by the premise that if I really like something, I'll take really good care of it. I'll be observing it a lot and able to enjoy the changes as they come. So if you don't yet know the difference between a snake you are really attracted to and one that leaves you unimpressed, you might want to see and handle a whole lot more snakes before buying one.

Not all snakes within a species will be the same temperament. There are nasty corns out there just like there are really tame Jungle Carpet Pythons, but it's buyer beware, so be aware and get out there and shop till you drop. Eventually you'll get to a place where you'll see your snake and then you'll know without a doubt that the time has come to cough up the cash. :clap:
Cheers! Ian

 

[Mushroom Spore]

From what i understand most poeple get bitten while in the snakes cage, so would it be advised to get (dont no the proper name) a longer hook so i can take her out with that, and then hold her so she always know's that what is in the tank is food, and what is out of the tank is friendly?

Probably more hassle than it's worth. If you have an individual that insists on being bitey, yeah, go ahead and get a hook.

You should NOT be feeding in the tank, anyway, for a lot of reasons. Get a rubbermaid tub for cheap from Walmart or something, and use it as the feeding box. Always feed frozen/thawed, most decent breeders will get their animals eating that before they even sell it to you.

 

[wicked]

As you can tell by this thread there are quite a few nice choices for beginners. Cornsnakes are popular because they come in many colors, are easy to find and not too expensive. I still think rosy boas are an underrated species, but they are a bit pricey compared to corns.
http://www.arachnoboards.com/ab/showthread.php?t=60403
This is the thread about our rosy, he is not now, and never will be, a large snake.


As for feeding, Dread has a very good feeding response so we use a seperate container for feeding. A clean empty ice cream bucket with clean paper towels in the bottom is just right for him. He eats thawed fuzzie mice.

I always liked the coloring of kings and milksnakes, but as another poster mentioned find what is most appealing to you.

 

[BrentlySnow]

Probably more hassle than it's worth. If you have an individual that insists on being bitey, yeah, go ahead and get a hook.

You should NOT be feeding in the tank, anyway, for a lot of reasons. Get a rubbermaid tub for cheap from Walmart or something, and use it as the feeding box. Always feed frozen/thawed, most decent breeders will get their animals eating that before they even sell it to you.

Sorry if this is an odd question, but what are the "alot of reasons" for feeding your snake in a seperate container, the only one i no of is keeping the sent of food away from his tank.

 

[clocker]

reasons

The only reason I've ever read for not feeding in the enclosure is to avoid associating entry into the environment with feeding.

I go in a lot more times than just to feed so I've always taken that as the buffer to avoid that problem. I haven't run into any problems yet, but my enclosures are clean.

Moving a snake that's just eaten has to draw about the same degree of caution as feeding in the enclosure. I expect it's simply a matter of which variables you feel most comfortable managing.
Ian - open to correction.