good first snake?

[compnerd7]

Still wonder why Gathersnakes are so overlooked.....

ME eather! I love Gartersnakes, that was also my first snake when i was little, and to this day i still like them.

as far as them stinking, i never really had a problem with that, just clean the cage like ur spossed to anyways and once they get used to u they stop emiting that weird smell.


I used to have a pair of baby Thamnophis radix that i got from a friend who bred them.. they were awsome, untill they died from substrate bloackage that i didn't catch but i've been looking to get more, i just haven't seen a gartersnake being sold in many years, but that reminds me that maybe tomorrow i will go out and take a look!

 

[Heather]

In my experience I think that the kingsnakes make nice pets... Cali King, Common King and milksnakes all have been very docile and great eaters for me.

I kept a w/c adult Black Rat and that guy never calmed down, he was nippy and irritated all the time... But my little black rat juvy is eating well and is a sweetheart! )Yesterday he had his 1st fuzzy... he did his first bite and wrap! I'm so proud )

 

[JPD]

Two recommendations I would make:

1) If you buy a neonate, make sure it's eating before you buy it.

2) Ball pythons are great, but even well established ones like to go on extended fasts sometimes. Usually not unhealthy for the snake at all, but extremely nerve wracking for the new snake owner sometimes .

I consider the Ball Pythons the "Rose Hairs" of the snake world.
Commonly found in petshops, fast for no apparent reason, etc.
I have been out of the snake world for a while but if WC Ball Pythons are still out there then I would discourage them as a first snake due to ticks and unseen parasites. I remember years ago going into petstores and finding specimens overloaded with ticks and not eating because of parasitic infestations.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

I have been out of the snake world for a while but if WC Ball Pythons are still out there then I would discourage them as a first snake due to ticks and unseen parasites. I remember years ago going into petstores and finding specimens overloaded with ticks and not eating because of parasitic infestations.

Yeah, but there are tons and tons of captive-bred animals available from private breeders now, and THOSE are awesome pets. :clap:

 

[zimbu]

I would think it's considerably harding to buy a WC then a CB ball pythong nowadays...especially if you buy from breeders/reptile shows.

WC ones do make terrible pets though, you're right. Shy to the extreme, very hard to get eating reliably, probably gonna need multiple vet trips.