Ball Python vs. Corn Snake - First Time Keeper

[Mushroom Spore]

If there's a snake "friendlier" (no snake is genuinely friendly, but they can come close!) than the average ball python, I haven't heard of it yet. They're very chill, and will happily latch onto you and sleep for a few hours.

 

[Midnightrdr456]

personally like i said before, i find boas more "tame". For only one reason, the ball is a naturally nervous snake, so it gets scared easily. Thats why the curl up into the infamous ball for their nick name (they are really called Royal Pythons, but everyone jsut calls them balls).

But other than being scared they are wonderful. I find corns to be worse for handling (though not bad at all). B/c they are faster. Balls will love to just nestle in and latch onto your hand with their tails.

 

[BugToxin]

Ok, so tell me more about boa's. I know very little about snakes, and the only boa's that come to mind are the red tailed boa and the amazon tree boa. I thought that red tailed boa's got huge and would need about a 120 gal. tank or more as an adult. I know even less about the amazon tree boa, but have read that they are similar in temperment to the green tree python which we already ruled out. Are there other, smaller varieties of boa that I should consider? Could any live happily as an adult in say a 40-60 galon tank? I'm not the least bit afraid of handling a bigger snake, I just want to make sure that I can properly care for the animal before I buy.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

Balls will love to just nestle in and latch onto your hand with their tails.

This is so true. The one time my boy ever had to go to the vet while I've had him, early this spring, was to get shots to clear up the start of a respiratory infection. After the first time (we had to go back like three times to finish the full round of medication), the vet couldn't even pry his tail off me. It was like a toddler clinging to your fingers while getting a shot. So cute, though I obviously felt pretty bad, you could tell Rorschach did NOT like what they were doing to him, even though he never bit.

 

[Joe]

You can't really go wrong with either a corn or a ball. If you go with a ball, make sure it's CB. In addition to parasites and whatnot, WC balls are notoriously stubborn feeders. As far as corns go, in my opinion, nothing beats a normal phase/Okeetee. Morphs are for the birds. Rosy boas are another good choice if you're leaning towards a boid, although some of them can be a little finicky when it comes to feeding, as well.

 

[Midnightrdr456]

Boas get large, and need proper humidity/temps (same kind as balls). Some boas stay on the smaller scale like a male hogg island (though they arent as tame as red tails).

Male BCI's get about 5' on average, and 6' though 7' can happen. Females get about 6-7' and can hit 8-9' pretty often, 10'+ can happen but is rare.

True redtail boas are BCC and those get larger, males get about 7' on average and females get 10-12' with the largest on record is 14 or 15'.

If you want a boa you would need to get a better cage than an aquarium, i personally use Boaphiles b/c they are lightweight, nice looking, heat built in, and holds humidity perfectly.

A male BCI will cost you about $100-200 for a nice one, if you get a hatchling it will be about 3' at the end of 1 year, and in the next two years reach about 5'. Then with moderate feeding stay around 5' (moderate being a small-medium rat every 10 days or so, which is normal).

Stay away from females if you were to get a boa, females often grow large enough to eat jumbo rats and even rabbits when full grown.

Now, if you can handle the size in terms of cages then they are probably the best snake IMO. They get large so its impressive, they are tame with good handling (tame being in respect that they are a snake, always keep an eye on them). I also personally think boa's are much more attractive than balls, plus you can get boa morphs much cheaper than balls, (until y ou start to get into the really nice morphs like Pearlescent and Bloods).

One thing you need to realize is both balls and boas like to feel secure, so if your holding them they will wrap around your arm alot, this can freak people out thinking the snake is constricting them. Both balls and boas are usually very calm. Balls are nippier than boas usually, only since they are smaller, adults are usually fine. The only time ive witnessed a boa bite was when i was cleaning my snake tanks with my father, he then fed my corn and king, and came to my room to check on the boa with me, i washed my hands, he didnt. The smell of mice made Mitch (my boa) bite his hand, and then instantly let go.

But again, if you cant properly house a large snake, you shouldnt get one obviously. A full grown male boa, would need a tank thats at least as large as he is lengthxwidth. So a 48"x24" tank would be good for a male boa thats about 5-7' anything past 7' should really be in a larger enclosure.

 

[xgrafcorex]

sounds like many have already made good points for both, but i just wanted to chime in with a vote for corn snakes! ;P

 

[ErikH]

Either one should be fine. Balls have more rigid temperature and humidity requirements, so if you are at all worried about husbandry, go with the corn. Corns tend to be squirmier when you handle them than ball pythons, in my experience. Both are fairly docile, and don't get too awfully big.

 

[BugToxin]

You have all been very helpful. Two more questions:

1) What about jungle carpet pythons? I looked these up and some caresheets say that they are wonderful first snakes. Others say that they are not very nice. They are almost as pretty as the green tree python IMO. What is your opinion on these as a reasonable size snake to be handled?

2) My wife has a cat. What is the likelyhood that either a ball python or jungle carpet will kill and/or eat the cat if it gets loose. It is a big cat (about 13 LBS).

 

[ErikH]

You have all been very helpful. Two more questions:

1) What about jungle carpet pythons? I looked these up and some caresheets say that they are wonderful first snakes. Others say that they are not very nice. They are almost as pretty as the green tree python IMO. What is your opinion on these as a reasonable size snake to be handled?

2) My wife has a cat. What is the likelyhood that either a ball python or jungle carpet will kill and/or eat the cat if it gets loose. It is a big cat (about 13 LBS).

I don't own a carpet python, but from what I understand, they are kind of nippy when young, but tend to mellow out as they get older, and can be handled. They get larger than Ball pythons, up to 6 or 7 feet I believe.

There is no way a ball python would be a threat to a cat, quite the opposite, I believe. Can't speak for the carpet, but again, I doubt it.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

2) My wife has a cat. What is the likelyhood that either a ball python or jungle carpet will kill and/or eat the cat if it gets loose. It is a big cat (about 13 LBS).

This is beyond hilarious. Unless the cat is the size of a mouse or rat, the only danger it's in is choking to death on the snake.

A ball might have a heart attack and die if a cat started pawing at it.

 

[BugToxin]

This is beyond hilarious. Unless the cat is the size of a mouse or rat, the only danger it's in is choking to death on the snake.

A ball might have a heart attack and die if a cat started pawing at it.

That's what I thought, but I had to ask. My wife might become iritable if I let something happen to kitty.

 

[Midnightrdr456]

a boa or a carpet could easily kill a cat. The ball no threat, but if your worried about that, most of the good enclosures for boas/large pythons, have locks so it wont get out.

BUT there is always a possibility. If a boa or carpet python hit 7 feed and got out, it could kill your cat and could theoretically try to eat it (possibly would regurge it though).

If you got a Male BCI boa that is on the smaller side from feeding and only hits 5 feet, it would probably not be a threat to your cat, but you never know, it could still kill one easily, but wouldnt want to eat it.

Corn - No
Ball - No
Boa - Most likely, larger ones definately
Carpet - Most likely

 

[OneSickPuppy]

He told me that it was likely a green tree python and probably would not really make a good pet if I was interested in holding it at all. Well, bummer!!!

That depends on what you want in a snake. Youd be amazed at the amount of people that get a ball, corn, king or boa and never spend time handling it. For people that want a snake they just look at and never touch, a tree boa makes an awesome pet. They prefer to be left alone, and you know theyll be visible on a branch for all to see nearly all of the time. For those of us that do handle them, we get little round specks of blood lightly protruding from our fingers from the little pissy things.

 

[JonathanF]

If you want something beautiful and easy-to-care-for you can always get a kingsnake..
There are the regular ones- Cali and Florida kings, but there are the more special and attractive ones like the alterna (Gray-banded kingsnake) and the mexicans (L. mexicana mexicana/thayeri/greeri)

 

[Mina]

It would be a hard call for me to pick between them. I have, and love, both. Yes, ball pythons have a little more you have to do in the care department, but it isn't difficult. My ball python is a real sweetheart!! Very gentle. He is shy and if you move to fast and startle him he sticks his head under the nearest coil of his body. However, I haven't had any problems with him eating, shedding or anything else.
My cornsnake is 5 months old and is the word curiosity put into a living being. Whatever it is, he must examine it. He never stops moving, and when you hold him, you never stop moving!!
They are both wonderful snakes, it depends on what you want in temperment. Ball pythons are very quiet, shy, and just like to hang out on/with you. Mine is a wrist snake. Corns are always moving, even if its just to do the "head dance". Corns don't get as big around as balls, and they come in hundreds of colors. You really can't go wrong with either one.

 

[secular]

how about a hognose (like a red or a green morph) or perhaps a tricolor..? i didn't think i saw those mentioned so i thought i'd add to the confusion.

 

[Mina]

how about a hognose (like a red or a green morph) or perhaps a tricolor..? i didn't think i saw those mentioned so i thought i'd add to the confusion.

Well, Secular, if you want to add to the confusion, how about a rosy boa? I've personally never had one, but I got to hold one at the big NRBA show in Tinley Park, Il, in October and fell in love!!!! Definitely my next snake!!!!!

 

[secular]

Well, Secular, if you want to add to the confusion, how about a rosy boa? I've personally never had one, but I got to hold one at the big NRBA show in Tinley Park, Il, in October and fell in love!!!! Definitely my next snake!!!!!

i'd love to add that to the confusion as well, the rosy boa would be a great pet. i don't have one currently but i did just pick up a sand boa a few weeks ago. i think you'd have great fun with a rosy!

i would mention that the sand boa does like to spend most of it's free time just under the substrate, so if you are looking for something to be visible much of the time it might not be a good fit. it's a great snake though that is easy to care for and won't get big enough to eat the cat.

my hognose spends most of her days sitting there waiting to be picked up (they are diurnal).

 

[arrowhd]

They don't call them Kings for nothing.

I've handled most of the snakes mentioned in this thread. I would highly recommend a kingsnake as a first buy. I've had mine for the past 10 years. She is easy to care for and 99% of the time docile. The 1% is when shedding and this is normal for any snake. Bought her when she was about 12 inches. She is around 5 ft as an adult. California kings are easy to find and usually moderately priced. It's also cool to think your pet is capable of killing and consuming a rattlesnake!