Want To By a Snake...

[Dark]

Hi. Recenty I have had a Deep Desire to own a snake. Since My Ferrets didn't work out (had to return them) and almost all my other pets find a way to get under my skin. I thought I would get a snake, The first reason I have come to wanting one is because I never really had one, well... The one Corn snake and the One ring neck snake don't really count because one of them managed to find their way out of their container and neither of them were very exciting, I been Thinking and I decided I want a snake that gets massive or atleast gets relatively big, So far I have seen several snakes I have my eye on, First the classic Ball Python, But I want to have something a little different because everyone I know who owns a snake has one. So I also been looking into a Columbian Red Tailed Boa, but the price of $300 is a bit much for a baby. And all the Arboreal snakes are completely out of the question on price. What is a Good snake that gets to a good size, That won't try to kill me, and isn't extremely expensive..

Oh yea, I also seen a snake that looks extremely cool called the Jungle Carpet Python, What are they like?

Also, I know how to feed snakes, and what they require, I am just wondering what you all think is a good snake to have.

Thank You..

Eric

*PS. I know Corn Snakes can get to a good size, and they are great for beginners but please spair me. I am not a corn snake fan =P



*Edit* and I just Realized I spelt the Thread Heading wrong ><

 

[Falyn]

O.k you had a corn snake and a ring snake escape but you want to get a python or a boa? Might not be the best idea since they are much much stronger and can pop tops that corns wouldn't be able to.Also if a corn or a ring escape theres not much chance they will be able to eat any other pets you have a boa or a python would.Also most snakes not that exciting they don't really do a whole lot. My RTB never really does much lol my snow corn is more active them she is.Now i'm not passing judgment or anything like that but ya really might wanna look into this a bit more before u go out and buy a big snake.

 

[Dark]

Sorry, I wasn't clear about my first two snakes, The Ring neck snake escaped, The corn snake on the other hand was given away, Also, I had these snakes in my possession when I was ten, eleven, maybe twelve years old, right now I am turning sixteen, work at a Pet store, and a lot more capable of caring for something now. I also care for Rats at the Pet store I work at, and I have seen them at work, and I am pretty sure after caring for them, I have mastered the art of making a cage Escape proof (using reptile locks).

As for activeness, I don't expect my snake to do a backflip, infact, I am very content with it sitting in a ball all day and all night, all I want, and expect from my snake is that when I occasionally go to handle it, It will weave in between my fingers, and possibly even coil around my arm.

All I want in my snake, is Kindness, and Beauty

 

[blacktara]

I'd vote king snake. They are tame and easy to keep.

Feeding wise, once you've given it a week or so to get adjusted to his new digs, feed an appropriate sized live rodent - give it three days to take care of biness - if it doesnt, the rodent earns his pardon and try again in a week or so.

If you leave the feeder in the enclosire too long, it's smell permeates the whole thing and Slither wont be able to home in on it well

If it eats, keep going every 7-10 days during the long daylight season and cut back to between once every two weeks to once a month when the days are short

I have found that the length of the days has as much or more to do with feeding habits than ambient temp

Kings are easy to keep, and hardy. Give him a hide, a largish water pan that you keep filled, something rough to help him shed, and change out half the substrate every two months and he'll be happy as a clam.I lost mine for three weeks once in my car during a move and when he slithered out he was fine. Just recently he went from mid Feb to mid May totally uninterested in food - I got worried enough that I tried that reformulated reptile feed crap they sell at pet stores, which went over about giving a cat a pill - a week later I tried a mouse one more time and presto he pounced on it and is eating regularly again

In two years, he one time took a nip at my ear while sliding around my neck - mustve resembled a pinkie - beyond that, he actually seems to enjoy being handled.

One thing - they are escape artists. If they do get out, you just wait and they'll eventually show up.

I had a corn snake for a short while - wild caught in Florida. Nippy SOB - and when I moved recently I released him. Just recently caught a 4 ft Texas Ratsnake and had a baby racer given to me - trying them to see if they'll settle in.

By the way, my cat thinks the activity in the snake cage, especially when there's a feeder in there, is the best entertainment value on the planet

 

[KUJordan]

Ask for advice on owning a snake when you learn to stop capitalizing random words! Are you not in high school? Lord help us if 16 year olds haven't even learned proper use of capitalization...

 

[Mushroom Spore]

All I want in my snake, is Kindness

You have GOT to be kidding me. I love snakes as much as the next person, but "kindness" is not in their vocabulary. Some of them will tolerate human contact for the body heat. Don't mistake this for liking you personally. They don't.

And yes, The random Capitals Have got to Go.

I think you're in this for all the wrong reasons. "Because I never had one," "the other snakes weren't very exciting," a newbie wanting a massive snake (you do realize anything over six foot CANNOT EVER be interacted with without backup because they can kill you by accident, yes?)...not really good signs.

Also, sixteen is not really the best time to start getting into long-lived pets, since you're coming up on college. Are your parents really going to want to deal with this animal while you're living in a dorm? You're probably better off waiting until you can live off-campus.

 

[ZooRex]

Alright, my experiences:
When I was younger I had two ball pythons, they were my first snakes and both only lasted a few months. I had researched be for hand, but obviously not enough. Though many lessons had been learned while they were in this realm (never hand feed snakes!). Years afterwards I finally felt it was time to try again, gathered up some money and really did my homework. For my third and this time long-term snake, I chose a Jungle Carpet Python.

About Carpets:
These are really great snakes, if its what your looking for, and if you have what it takes, there's no reason why this can't be your first "real" pet snake.
First things off, Carpets are truly wild animals and will never be corn snake tame. When they are young they can be extremely feisty and nippy. Also something that most keepers don't tell you is that your new baby loves to "musk" you. And by musk you I mean spray you with steaming, rotten, rat juice. Yet after two years of handling and conditioning, my now four foot snake has calmed down some. He no longer musks me and only sometimes gives a warning strike if I make a sudden movement. Yet he still doesn't enjoy being handled, and so I don't often. When he is out, he likes to slip out of my hands and explore.
The truth is that Carpets make amazing display animals; they are not the kind of snake you would take out and have your friends hold. Yet they fit wondrously in natural vivaria. I have never understood the mentality that thinks that the only way to house a snake is in a shoe box. I currently house my JCP in a 40Breeder with a much needed locking top. I use Cypress mulch as substrate and incorporate a large rock pile, several sticks/logs and a huge photos plant, and full spectrum lighting to create a shard of Australian Scrub Forest in my house. When snake and habitat are added it is really quite the spectacle especially for Carpets for they come in a number of different colors.
Iran Jaya Carpets are from new Guinea are smaller(5') and have dark zigzag stripes with a lighter cream colored background. The same can be said for the Coastal Carpets except they are much larger(14') and are from Australia. While Jungle Carpets are also from the land down under, they top out around (5' to 7') and are a bright yellow with black zigzagging stripes. Yet most of the time "yellow" can become amber and "black" becomes gray. Brown may also infuse with the yellow. It is all a matter of how much you want to spend, the prettier the animal the more it will cost ($100-$300).
If you choose to keep a JCP I wish you all the best and recommend you to check out www.acreptiles.com, while I've never done business with them, they really know carpets! As well as get your hands on "the Art of Keeping Snakes" the best vivaria book out there for creatures with no legs.
If you choose a snake other than a JCP, I still wish you the best and recommend you to check out redtailedboas.com for great info on boas and snakekeeper.com for info on ball pythons and to still find "the Art of Keeping Snakes" you'll think twice before you ever but a living creature in a box! ~ Rex

 

[ZooRex]

Wow, wrote a lot (I guess I've got a lot to say). While I was writing my thesis, several people posted. All I have to say is this: In my opinion it is better to pick you battles and conserve your energy instead of getting upset over something as inconsequential as over capitalization.

Also, it is quite easy to find beauty in a snake if they're housing resembles where they are found in nature. But kindness is something you will never find in a snake, I really hope you understand this. It won't happen. If you can't grasp this than please don't get a snake. ~ Rex

 

[pancho64]

carpets are great snakes. i got my jungle carpet when she was a baby, maybe a foot and a half long at most. now shes pushing 6 feet but is still slender so she doesnt look too big. when i first brought her home she bit anything that moved and what within striking distance for the first month. but i worked with her everyday and now shes pretty calm. she hasnt attempted to bite me in over a year. mind u they have decent sized teeth as some catch birds in the wild. if u get one know that the cheap part is getting the snake....the cage is the expensive part. i keep mine in a 4x2x2 with lots of branches for her to climb and bask on. if ur gona get a snake as a real pet then invest in its enclosure .

 

[dangerprone69]

Go for the Red Tail! I don't have one of my own but I've been helping raise my friend's for the past 2 years. When they got her she was a little over a foot and now she's close to if not over 4 feet. Just keep in mind that an adult will need a fairly sizable enclosure; an adult will be at least 7 feet long, probably more.

I don't know where you're at, but $300 is quite ridiculous for a baby. Depending on the time of year baby Red Tails can be had for as little as $55. Keep an eye out for reptile shows near you, check one out and see what you like. And most importantly do your research before you buy one and know what you're getting in to!!!

 

[pitbulllady]

A Common Boa is probably the best way to go if you want a large, impressive snake that is typically very laid-back and docile, and pretty. The thing with nearly all boids, though, is that they are tropical snakes, and do require an auxilliary heat source day and night to keep them at a minimum of 80 degrees on the COOL end of the enclosure. Most often, this is in the form of heat lamps and undertank heat pads(those made specifically for reptiles, NOT for humans, and NEVER a Hot Rock). If you live in an area that is subject to power outages in the winter due to ice or snow, this could be a problem. You might also consider one of the Asiatic Ratsnakes, especially a Taiwan Beauty. These can be very docile, they can excede 8 feet in length, and are otherwise as easy to care for as Corns. I've always kept mine at room temperatures, and they do just fine and breed like rabbits if I leave the pair together. They are attractive snakes, too. With Carpet Pythons, you will have some individuals that become very tame, while others will remain "bitey" and high-strung. Generally speaking, they are a more nervous and active snake than Boa Constrictors are, and the Jungles tend to be more so than the Coastals. My male Diamond x Jungle has not struck at me(YET), but he's very flighty and definately does not want to be handled, so he's pretty much a "look-at" snake. He is also a representative of what seems to be a fairly large segment of the captive JCP population-one of those highly-irritating large snakes that will only eat live mice...not RATS, but mice. These are virtually impossible to switch over, and it takes a LOT of mice to make a decent meal for this adult python! I've heard from several other JCP keepers who have had this same problem with many of their snakes.

pitbulllady

 

[AviculariaLover]

Are you going to go to college? And for how many years do you suppose? Because you need to think about that... I didn't quite so much and for the next three years (finished my first year) have to leave my snakes at home with my parents. Luckily my dad loves them, most were his idea, and my mom tolerates them. And if you think you'll just get an apartment in college... most schools require you to stay in the dorms your first year at least, and dorms are so much easier than trying to find off campus housing, ESPECIALLY one that will let you keep a very large snake. My boyfriend is getting huge headaches from trying to find an apartment close to his college that will let him keep snakes.

I have seven snakes, some of which I've had for years, and it's heartbreaking to leave them home during the school year. If you get a small snake you could hide it, but something big, will need a biiiig cage and will be quite conspicuous, and think about having to move it, will a cage for a 7 foot boa fit in your car? Sure the snake will start out small, but they grow quick.

You need to be prepared to have this pet for 20+ years of your life. You need to be prepared to get a large, expensive enclosure (or build one yourself) if you want to get a big snake. You need to think about where you're giong to keep it, and how you'll be able to transport it.

If you can leave the snake at home or find a way to take it with you if you go to college, have enough money to create the correct setup for the snake you choose, and feel you will still be interested in it years from now... go ahead. But I know that I didn't completely think through some of my snake purchases a few years ago, and it gets so complicated. But I love my babies, and it makes summer break so much more enjoyable to be with them... but you need to be committed.

As for the snake itself, if you want something big and impressive but handlable, go for the red tail boa. I'm partial to ball pythons myself, they're my favorite snakes of all, and even normals can have really interesting patterns if you search around. I also agree that a king snake would be a great choice, they dont get as fat but they still get long, and have some awesome colorations. Just make sure you do your research.

 

[ChrisNCT]

Ask for advice on owning a snake when you learn to stop capitalizing random words! Are you not in high school? Lord help us if 16 year olds haven't even learned proper use of capitalization...

Lay back on the critiziation....the person was just asking simple questions. If you can't control yourself not to insult someone...maybe you should go to other forums.

I meAn It's Just too haRd not to insuLt Somone...Isn'T it?

 

[Potemkin]

About Carpets:
These are really great snakes, if its what your looking for, and if you have what it takes, there's no reason why this can't be your first "real" pet snake.
First things off, Carpets are truly wild animals and will never be corn snake tame. When they are young they can be extremely feisty and nippy. Also something that most keepers don't tell you is that your new baby loves to "musk" you. And by musk you I mean spray you with steaming, rotten, rat juice. Yet after two years of handling and conditioning, my now four foot snake has calmed down some. He no longer musks me and only sometimes gives a warning strike if I make a sudden movement. Yet he still doesn't enjoy being handled, and so I don't often. When he is out, he likes to slip out of my hands and explore.
The truth is that Carpets make amazing display animals; they are not the kind of snake you would take out and have your friends hold. Yet they fit wondrously in natural vivaria. I have never understood the mentality that thinks that the only way to house a snake is in a shoe box. I currently house my JCP in a 40Breeder with a much needed locking top. I use Cypress mulch as substrate and incorporate a large rock pile, several sticks/logs and a huge photos plant, and full spectrum lighting to create a shard of Australian Scrub Forest in my house. When snake and habitat are added it is really quite the spectacle especially for Carpets for they come in a number of different colors.

Hahaha, you got a mean carpet I think! I just got mine and even as a little guy he's not nippy at all. But they are absolutely beautiful snakes, and I agree with you're keeping style- I only have one snake so I intend to give it the prettiest container possible.

 

[jr47]

Boa's are great pets. Redtailed boa's were my favorite when i kept snakes. A few things to keep in mind with large snakes is they can do alot of damage if they bite. i seen one case where a man got struck on the wrist. the snake wrapped and wouldn't let go. he ended up in surgery getting teeth removed and tendons reattached. Things like this dont happen often but do happen. The largest boa i had was around 9 feet. I had her on my shoulders one day, Her tail slipped off my arm and she thought she was falling. Clamped down on my neck to hold on and i thought my head was going to pop.
Not trying to scare you. Just if your new to snakes, Do your research and keep in mind the bigger snakes are very powerful and can be a hand full. No matter what, Dont ever trust a snake and think it likes you. You never know what they will do or when they will decide to strike. I kept snakes for 10 years and seldom got bitten. But its important to keep in mind what a ten foot snake can do. Just my oppinion but i think its better to start off with smaller ones till you gain experience.

 

[jr47]

Ask for advice on owning a snake when you learn to stop capitalizing random words! Are you not in high school? Lord help us if 16 year olds haven't even learned proper use of capitalization...

This kind of thing is just pointless.

 

[Dark]

You have GOT to be kidding me. I love snakes as much as the next person, but "kindness" is not in their vocabulary. Some of them will tolerate human contact for the body heat. Don't mistake this for liking you personally. They don't.

And yes, The random Capitals Have got to Go.

.

Ask for advice on owning a snake when you learn to stop capitalizing random words! Are you not in high school? Lord help us if 16 year olds haven't even learned proper use of capitalization...

You Two Are Sooo Helpful, Many Thanks Infact, I Really Should Care Alot More About Random Capitals, Oh and BTW, The Only Reason I said I want Kindness in a snake Is Because If I said I like Watching Mice get Swallowed alive, Twice as Many People would Reply Saying " You Sick PErson" ....

Some people Make me So Angry







Soory, about that folks, For those of you who actually recommended snakes, and told me of your experience I thank you. For those of you regard me as a little punk ass Kid who wants a Snake to impress his friends and is getting it with no respect of animals? you gotta be Kidding me! Thank you for a warm welcome into the hobby.



Edit* I know how to spell just fine! I through in as many capitals as possibble just for your amusement.

*Edit*** I also like to spelll Tbhings Wrong For the Hell of it

 

[Dark]

I am sorry guys for exploding in my last post, I read the first few replies and Lost it...


Thank you who responded in my favor, thank you...

 

[K-TRAIN]

Hi. Recenty I have had a Deep Desire to own a snake. Since My Ferrets didn't work out (had to return them) and almost all my other pets find a way to get under my skin. I thought I would get a snake, The first reason I have come to wanting one is because I never really had one, well... The one Corn snake and the One ring neck snake don't really count because one of them managed to find their way out of their container and neither of them were very exciting, I been Thinking and I decided I want a snake that gets massive or atleast gets relatively big, So far I have seen several snakes I have my eye on, First the classic Ball Python, But I want to have something a little different because everyone I know who owns a snake has one. So I also been looking into a Columbian Red Tailed Boa, but the price of $300 is a bit much for a baby. And all the Arboreal snakes are completely out of the question on price. What is a Good snake that gets to a good size, That won't try to kill me, and isn't extremely expensive..

Oh yea, I also seen a snake that looks extremely cool called the Jungle Carpet Python, What are they like?

Also, I know how to feed snakes, and what they require, I am just wondering what you all think is a good snake to have.

Thank You..

Eric

*PS. I know Corn Snakes can get to a good size, and they are great for beginners but please spair me. I am not a corn snake fan =P



*Edit* and I just Realized I spelt the Thread Heading wrong ><

where are there $300 red tails? im just wondering. if you decide on getting a red tail, keep in mind that with any snake, "its not if you get bitten its when."
heres a site where red tails cost alot less.

lllreptiles.com

 

[jr47]

Not saying your stupid so dont take it wrong but you have to be carefull buying them. I had a breeder once that told me he wanted 250 for a red tail cause it had a line through its eyes and that made it a lot higher than normal red tails. If i hadnt known better i probably would of beleived him and thought i was getting some really rare snake. And 300 is pretty high. You can get them alot cheaper.