beginner snake

[fishwithoutabik]

Hey, well I went to the reptile expo to pick up some Ts, and I now feel the need to get a snake (always said I would never get one, cause I love rodents too much). So, I am looking for input as far as what would be good to start with.
I am interested particularly in king, corn, milk or hognose. I have kids, so I would ideally like something that usually is mellow, and does not get terribly big. Also, easier to keep would be a major plus. I have to say, I think the black mexican corn is amazing. Anyways, there is a major expo coming in 2 months, so I am trying to do my homework before then. If there is a particularly good source for snake info, please pass it on, it took me forever to find this board for T info!

Thanks

 

[OldHag]

Kenyan sand boa!! VERY mellow, doesnt get big. They are content to hang out on your hand and dont "have somewhere to go" all the time like colubrids seem to.
My Kenyans are very very mellow and slow. (Except the crazy ones I got from Swifty!! )
My second favorite would be the Hognose. They like to move around a lot but not the the extent that corns and milks seem to.

 

[Takumaku]

I would remove the hognose from the list just because they are more prone to being stubborn feeders which is something I wouldn't recommend a first time snake keeper experience.

For corn snakes (or any rat snakes - black, grey, etc.), I would recommend a yearly+ in age just because they are so freaking small as hatchings.

Kings/milks will also make good beginner. Alot are spastic as hatchlings and will musk sometimes, but most grow out of it.

A few snakes not of your list that I'll recommend:
1) Kenyan sand boas - small boa that stays under 30 inches. Males can live their whole lives in a 10g tank, while females will need a 15g.

2) Johni sand boas - alot bigger than the kenyans, but just as easy to keep.

3) Pituophis (pine, bull, gopher) snake - another great bluffing North American snake. Great feeding response and a few of them stay small, under 48 inches.

 

[Lorgakor]

I've been looking into snakes ALOT lately as I will hopefully get my first one soon too, and these are all the snakes that have been recommended to me as beginners.

Kenyan Sand Boas or other sand boas (though I hear the rough scale is more nippy)
Rosy Boas
Corn Snakes
King Snakes (the musking thing has turned me off of these though)
Milk Snakes
Children's Python
Spotted Python
Stimson's Python
Ball Python (one that is already an established feeder)
Carpet Python (a little more nippy apparently than the others, but still manageable for a beginner).

Of those I'm partial to the Kenyan Sand Boa and the Children's and Stimson's Pythons.

 

[ahas]

I' d say Corn snakes or Milk snakes.

Don' t get a Pituophis. They aren' t mellow not for a beginner. Only the Gophers stay under 4 feet. Pines and Bulls are big snakes when adults.

 

[fishwithoutabik]

I am partial to milk and corn for their appearance. I really can't get with pythons. I like how the hognose look, but I was just now reading that they can put on a real threat show... prob not what I want to start with. I will have to do some reading on the sand boa and rosy boa, I don't recall hearing much about those, so thanks for the suggestions.

 

[Brian S]

In all honesty, a Corn snake is the best beginner snake out there IMO. The problem with Hognose snakes is that they are toad poppers by nature and it is sometimes a bit difficult to get them to switch over to rodents. I had one that would never switch over. Milksnakes are squirmy and are prone to escape or at least they try all the time.

I totally disagree with this post

Don' t get a Pituophis. They aren' t mellow not for a beginner. Only the Gophers stay under 4 feet. Pines and Bulls are big snakes when adults.

Yeah they are big snakes but they are usually just pretty mellow. They calm down alot if worked with and I believe they are as good as a Corn snake for a beginner.

 

[ZooRex]

My top three are carpet python, corn snake, and ball python. I'll go into more detail tommorow...Little tired right now with still alot to do, if you know what I mean. ~ Rex

 

[Taceas]

I too would recommend corn snakes as a great beginner snake.

- They come in a rainbow of colors/patterns
- They are generally very good feeders (occasionally you'll come across a stubborn one, but it's uncommon)
- Generally calm and mellow (there are the occasional spastic/aggressive ones)
- Easy to house, no elaborate heating/lighting required

I would steer clear of a Ball Python till you have more experience under your belt. Most I've come across are sporadic feeders, and will sometimes go off food for months at a time. Even the adult I've got will go off food for 4 months during the summer and fall. Or he'll change his palate on whether he likes rats or mice, or which color he'll eat. I'm constantly pulling my hair out with him. And to be honest, they're boring as hell. All he does is cram himself in his hide and stay there 99% of the time, wow.

Kings, milks, and some rat snakes can be nippy, which can put you off from handling them. They also seem more prone to musking or outright pooping on you.

I don't know where you all got your Kenyan Sand Boas, but mine were spawns of Satan...they bit any chance they got.

Hognoses while cute, as mentioned they can be fussy eaters if they're not established already on rodents. They're rear-fanged, which is meant for their primary prey item, toads.

Whatever you get please...research, research, research on it before you buy it. Corn snakes have an excellent book out by Kathy Love, called "The Corn Snake Manual" or the newer one which has a different title, but is basically the same book. It's around $12 and has everything you want to know about corn snakes.

 

[fishwithoutabik]

I am really turned off of ball pythons because of bad prior experience. I am sure I will eventually come around to them, but I don't love them.

As far as corn snakes, are the different colors associated with different temperaments or is it purely aesthetics?

 

[cheetah13mo]

I just got into snakes and I didn't want anything that gets very big so I got me a Kenyan Sand Boa and a very pretty Coastal Rosie boa. Do a search on them and see what you think.

 

[Lorgakor]

In all honesty, a Corn snake is the best beginner snake out there IMO. The problem with Hognose snakes is that they are toad poppers by nature and it is sometimes a bit difficult to get them to switch over to rodents. I had one that would never switch over. Milksnakes are squirmy and are prone to escape or at least they try all the time.

I totally disagree with this post

Yeah they are big snakes but they are usually just pretty mellow. They calm down alot if worked with and I believe they are as good as a Corn snake for a beginner.

Hi Brian,
So would you say a Corn is less squirmy than a Milksnake then? I held a Sinaloan Milksnake once and it just would not sit still, and I assumed Corn snakes would be the same, is that not the case? I like Corn snakes but I just don't want a snake that is THAT active.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

I have kids, so I would ideally like something that usually is mellow, and does not get terribly big. Also, easier to keep would be a major plus.

How about the best little species that no one's ever heard of? http://www.rubberboas.com/Content/captivecare.html

The problem is finding them. South Mountain Reptiles sold them for years, but suddenly stopped.

 

[Lorgakor]

A Rubber Boa would be my very first choice for a first snake, but unfortunately we aren't allowed to keep them here. You guys are lucky that you can keep them, they are such cool snakes, I got to hold one this past summer and I absolutely loved it!

 

[ktblotchking07]

Well just to be different,
I think you should go with some kind of kingsnake. I personally bought one not that long ago and they are a BLAST! He's a ferocious eater (I've never seen the food sit in his tank longer than 5 minutes without being eaten) and he's a bunch of fun to watch and handle. Now kingsnakes are pretty nippy at first and usually a little squirmy when you try to pick them up, but they are GREAT pets. Once you get a kingsnake tame (only takes a couple of weeks) you'll have an amazing time with him/her and a great bond will form. Kingsnakes dont get very big either, usually not over 4'6", and they are one of the skinnier snakes, so they are very handlable. I have also personally been struck by my king (just the first week) and you barely feel it. I can hardly tell if he broke my skin and he sure didnt draw blood.

Overall I think you should totally get a king. To me they are SO much more interesting than milks or corns.

Here's a pic of my Apalachicola (Blotched) Kingsnake

 

[Geography Guy]

Hey, well I went to the reptile expo to pick up some Ts, and I now feel the need to get a snake (always said I would never get one, cause I love rodents too much). So, I am looking for input as far as what would be good to start with.
I am interested particularly in king, corn, milk or hognose. I have kids, so I would ideally like something that usually is mellow, and does not get terribly big. Also, easier to keep would be a major plus. I have to say, I think the black mexican corn is amazing. Anyways, there is a major expo coming in 2 months, so I am trying to do my homework before then. If there is a particularly good source for snake info, please pass it on, it took me forever to find this board for T info!

Thanks

I vote Corn snakes. They come in many splendid colors and get to a good size. I wouldn't recommend a milk snake for a beginner as they, or at least mine, can be really aggressive (they can have a nasty attitude) and they are quite skittish and unpredictable when being held.

Corn Snakes all the way!

 

[tinacouch]

I will also vote for the corn,very easy to care for and come in many different colors. Visit Corn Utopia of Corn Snakes(Kathy Love).She has some of the prettiest corns out there.I have bought several from her and have never had any problems.Good luck to you!!!!

 

[Brian S]

Hi Brian,
So would you say a Corn is less squirmy than a Milksnake then? I held a Sinaloan Milksnake once and it just would not sit still, and I assumed Corn snakes would be the same, is that not the case? I like Corn snakes but I just don't want a snake that is THAT active.

Laura, An earthworm is less squirmy than a milksnake LOL. Corns are less squirmy than milks but Bull and Pine snakes are often less squirmy than Corns or at least mine are

 

[OldHag]

and a kenyan sandboa is slightly less squirmy than a noodle

 

[Brian S]

and a kenyan sandboa is slightly less squirmy than a noodle

Hag, I bet you like 'em squirmy! I just cant figure out why you are such an Isopod fiend, why they arent squirmy at all