What's a good first timer snake?

[Unique]

I would like to have a snake that likes to be handled a lot, as I like to hold animals, is there a snake that likes being handled a lot?

 

[herpfreak]

There are many great snakes that are ideal for beginner keepers, but the most commonly known are ball pythons and corn snakes.

Personally, I am a ball python person. Love them to death. They're beautiful, relatively easy to keep, and get pretty big and fat while not unreasonably large. And they're buddies. My girl loves hanging out around my neck while I surf the forum or watch a movie.

The only downside to balls is their feeding responses. They are known to commonly go off feed for long periods of time; this past winter, my ball girl went off feed for 4 months! Although a healthy ball can go for up to five months without food and remain healthy, it is still very stressful for keepers.

Even while they accept food, balls can still be very picky. Mine refuses to take frozen/thawed rodents; only live. For the first year she was with me, she ate live small rats. Then, out of the blue, she decided she didn't like rats anymore and will now only eat live mice. :?

Anyways, there are some other options.

Corn snakes, milk snakes, and king snakes are all very similar; smaller and thinner than ball pythons, and not as notorious for going off feed. All have excellent temperaments.

Kenyan sand boas also make great pets. Small, cute, and worm-like. I don't know much about them, but they are supposedly easy to handle and normally feed well.

Make sure to do as much research as you can!!

Two great sites are
http://www.anapsid.org
http://www.kingsnake.com

If you have any questions, ask.


Here are some pics of my ball python, who is now four years old.

A full body shot

Width shot

SUCH a sweetie. :love5:

 

[frog]

I prefer corns. Inexpensive as far as snakes go, sweet nature, small size, and...

A RAINBOW OF COLORS TO CHOOSE FROM!!!

Sara

 

[Unique]

I was thinking of a ball python myself but I seen they like to eat whenever they want not when you want them to, and how big do corns usually get?

 

[herpfreak]

Yes, balls are often finicky.

On average, corns are about 4ft, with females usually getting slightly larger than males.

 

[Unique]

Which snake likes to be handled better?And is one sex more docile then the other?

 

[herpfreak]

I find that balls can be a bit shy and jumpy at first, but once they get to know you (once you handle them often), they are fine with handling.

I have never owned a colubrid of any sort, but from what I've read they are also easy to handle.


Keep in mind that no matter how friendly your pet is, snakes will be snakes; there is a good chance that you will be bitten in your pet's lifetime. It's how it goes. It's not really a big deal, although I suppose being bit by a colubrid wouldn't hurt as much as being bit by a ball.



Also, I'd just like to clarify something; I said that most balls are finicky eaters; it is a generalization of the species, that is not to say that some won't eat anything you put in front of them. It depends on the snake. Likewise, some corn snakes can be as finicky as a ball python; it's just not as common.

 

[Unique]

Balls aren't known to bite I heard, and how bad are their bites?

 

[herpfreak]

They aren't. I've never been bit. (Although I completely expect to, by my pissy little Borneo blood :lol I've had to shove a tube down Cu's (my ball's) throat and into her stomach, and she didn't so much as hiss. However, she has snapped at me once, when she got her shots. Between the scales, straight into the heart. :shock: Mind you, I would snap too!

It's just something to consider. If you're not okay with getting a tag or two in the forty or so years with your snake, than a snake probably isn't for you.

I think smaller species of milk and king snakes are so small they don't even break the skin if they bite. Corns might draw a little blood, but not much.

But again, these species rarely bite.

 

[Unique]

I expect to get bit atleast once, but are they serious bites?

 

[lacy_black]

I have 2 balls, 1 corn, 1 king and 2 nic red tails. Neither of my balls have bit me exactly, Sin tried to eat my shirt one time cuz I smelled like rat. My chocolate kingsnake CoCo, who is barely a year old on the other hand has bitten me (I smelled like cornsnake) and it didn't hurt but yes she did draw blood (looked like a tiny vampire bit my wrist). The nic babies are 7 months old and Nakita has never even struck but twice now Blade has tried to get my fiance. Terri the corn seems to be interested in just laying around waiting for dinner tho she doesn't seem to like our friend V (lunges at her every time she see's her walk past the bin).

All of my babies get live, it's natural and I tried the frozen junk on Ballz, he refused food for nearly 7 months and I decided as much as I like mice and rats (have both as pets) I wouldn't torture him anymore by starving him.
Ballz was my first and to this day he is still my favorite (tho Isis was a very close 2nd while she lived). He's mellow, loves his baths, likes to just curl up in my lap and chill and he's never even hissed at me (tho he did his at my fiance once), he is mellow even in shed, and i bath him when he's shedding so he does trust me even with limited sight.

 

[Unique]

Something wrong with his eyes?

 

[lacy_black]

When they shed their eyes get very cloudy because of the eye cap that also comes off with the shed skin. Generally snakes are easily spooked when they can't see as clearly so they tend to be more likely to strike at the shadows that they feel are a threat.

 

[Unique]

Can you provide some links to snake breeding websites?

 

[herpfreak]

http://www.bhbreptiles.com/
BHB has got everything!

Here are some BP sites
http://www.rcreptiles.com/
http://www.ballboutique.com/
http://www.debscaptivebredballpythons.com/
http://www.brbreptiles.com/
http://www.rustys-balls.com/

Not sure about corns.