Royal Python Or California Kingsnake

[david31337]

If you were going to buy one of these snakes which would you get?
I would tend towards the King coz he;s less nocturnal, but I've heard they can be snappy when they are young. Can any one make a reccomendation?
Thanks!!

 

[Wade]

First snake? Then I'd go with the Cal king. Easier and hardier to maintain. Royals (balls to most of us in the US) aren't difficult either, but a bit more touchy about humidity and temperature.

Wade

 

[david31337]

Thanks wade, yup first snake. Got 2 t's, 3 scrops, and orb weaver. So gonna broaden out. Got a 6ft aqurium not in use so gonna use that with a nice heater. Gonna make sure I get everything setup nicly first though. Are there any other beginner snakes that are quite cheap?

 

[Wade]

King snakes and corn snakes are probably the best choices when starting out. Both get to a decent size without ever getting too big, they are generally good feeders, and they're almost always available as captive bred. They do well at ambiant room temps with a heated area at one end.

A six foot tank is a HUGE cage for kings or corns, I definately wouldn't put a baby in there (they'd get lost) and if you get an adult or larger juvinile, make sure it has good, snug hiding spots available. Sometimes snakes can get stressed if they have too much room, believe it or not! A well-acclimated king or corn would probably do fine, but it's definately not a good idea for a royal. They've been known to go off feed when kept in cages that are too spacious.

Wade

 

[xelda]

Kingsnakes make great first snakes, but I wouldn't limit it to just Cali kings. Mexican black kings, South Florida kings (brooksi), Eastern chain kings, blotched kings, and speckled kings are some other choices. All are pretty inexpensive depending on what morphs you pick.

Brooksi and Easterns are capable of reaching 5-6 feet, so they would be great for your aquarium. That might sound big for a kingsnake, but it's not too overwhelming. I'm just shy under 5'3," and find a colubrid that size pretty awesome to handle.

Temperament varies. Most of my kings are really sweet, but I have one or two that are inclined to defecate.

 

[Thoth]

If you have a such a huge tank why not try a communal garter snake setup or put a divider down the middle (make sure it is secure) and get a corn and a cal king.

 

[arachnojunkie]

Get the King, they are much more interesting than Royals IMO. and easier to care for to boot.

 

[siucfi]

I am gonna be the odd ball here and say you should go with the ball python. My first snake was a ball and I lover her to pieces. They are very docile and hardly snap at you. On the other hand they can be very finicky eaters but its not that big of a deal. Kings, corns and rats never really did it for me.

 

[david31337]

If you have a such a huge tank why not try a communal garter snake setup or put a divider down the middle (make sure it is secure) and get a corn and a cal king.

LOL, I think start with one.

I am gonna be the odd ball here and say you should go with the ball python. My first snake was a ball and I lover her to pieces. They are very docile and hardly snap at you. On the other hand they can be very finicky eaters but its not that big of a deal. Kings, corns and rats never really did it for me.

I think im gonna go with the king, it sounds easier to look after. On a diffrent note what do you mean snap? I know they have no poision but they must have fangs, I've been trying to read about handling them but there is little info, do they bite and if so should u wear gloves?

Thanks for all the info!!

 

[Psoulocybe]

GLoves? hahahahah...

no... i've been bit by hundreds of baby corns and kings... they can't even draw blood.....

an adult may barely pierce the skin... but it doesn't hurt at all.

you know, there are about a million other species of snake out there as well that are just as hardy.

Hog Island boas being one of my favorite starter species. Little more money, but awsome snakes.

Rosy Boas are awsome as well.

Corns are a lot less nippy than baby kings and come in some wild colors and patterns. might want to look in that direction as well.

As for a cage being too large, the reasoning is that a snakes thermal regulation would be at risk for a juvinile in a large container. As they grow, they get better at this and cage size isn't a concern.

 

[david31337]

I think im gonna go for an 04 snake, just coz I don't wanna kill it. Had a look at corns, they look nice and easy as well, just so many to choose from.

 

[defour]

I think im gonna go for an 04 snake, just coz I don't wanna kill it. Had a look at corns, they look nice and easy as well, just so many to choose from.

Not to bash kings, but corns IMO are more likely to be docile. Most of the black ratsnakes I've had were more enjoyable to handle, come to think of it, than the average cal king. I'm just not a big fan of snakes that musk. In addition, Florida and Eastern kings tend to be a bit more tractable than Cali kings (unfortunately not IME, based rather on what the king guys on ksnake have said).

Nobody has suggested a bad choice though, so you're picking a winner no matter what you get.

Steve

 

[david31337]

Well after everything, I went for a lovely orange and white cornsnake. I'll put up some pics later! Its lovely!! thanks for all the help!

 

[fluffy]

id go for cali king
failing that get a mexican black lol
lee

 

[Psoulocybe]

I have a friend selling some awsome albino kings... if you're interested, get a hold of me.

 

[DracosBana]

I'm planning on getting a juvenile Cal King. Would it be ok to house it in something large enough for an adult, or would that cause problems? I plan on feeding it pre-killed only.

Thanks.

 

[Thoth]

If you do you should have plenty of snug hides for it, like it was mentioned previously small snakes are stressed by too much space, they don't feel as secure. As long as you also feed it in a seperate container (so it can easily find the prey). It should be okay, if not ideal.

 

[Denisthemenace]

Im not even going to bother to read through this threads feedback..

BALL PYTHON ALL THE WAY WITHOUT A DOUBT, yes they are slightly harder to maintain because of the very common off feed but with the proper temps and lighting cycle it can be easily avoided. First off cali kings are known for a slight temper esp. when they are young they require training. I just got my ball not too long ago and she was worth it, total sweet heart. Plus i personally enjoy larger snakes, the way i see it Colubridae are mere peasants when it comes to the Boidae.

 

[Mushroom Spore]

BALL PYTHON ALL THE WAY WITHOUT A DOUBT, yes they are slightly harder to maintain because of the very common off feed but with the proper temps and lighting cycle it can be easily avoided.

Nah, going off feed isn't particularly common (barring bad husbandry or illness) with healthy captive-bred. As I understand it, the bad rep comes from wild-caught specimens (the majority of pet shop pythons, and thus the majority of what the public runs into) and the fact that ball pythons react badly to stress...which WC animals are subjected to in abundance. They also don't really need a lighting cycle of any sort. They're nocturnal and could care less about daylight, at least that's how mine is.

Temps are important, keeping humidity in the 50-60% range is important, that's about it. Balls are great snakes, pretty markings and nice bulk without turning into 18-foot monsters. Real sweet-tempered, too. My Rorschach is absolutely my baby.

Guy's already gotten a cornsnake, though, so the point's moot. Good luck with your new snakey, post pics soon!

 

[DracosBana]

If you do you should have plenty of snug hides for it, like it was mentioned previously small snakes are stressed by too much space, they don't feel as secure. As long as you also feed it in a seperate container (so it can easily find the prey). It should be okay, if not ideal.

Plenty of hides won't be a problem. The room is dark and quiet most of the day anyway. Do I still need to feed in a sepearte container if it's only getting pre-killed?