I want a snake...any ideas?

Question

Hi...I am seriously considering buying a pet snake. I've been wanting one for a long time, but the timing has always been wrong.

I'm looking for any suggestions on good types/breeds for pets. I don't want a "sissy snake" like the little ones you can catch outside, but a good snake that will live a long time and grow large.

Should I get an adult or baby? What kinds thrive best in a home? What are some types that will really "get to know me" and be my pet rather than something that I just feed and he hides.

Any tips or ideas are welcome!

Answer 1

You better lose the the notion that your snake will get to know you. This isn't a dog. I don't really know what a sissy snake is, but if you're a first time snake owner, I don't think you should be looking at the larger boas/pythons until you get some experience in caring for snakes. The big ones are expensive to buy , feed, house,and can be dangerous to other pets or small children. You should look into a corn snake(3-5ft.), a bull/gopher snake(6-7ft), black rat snake(4-6ft), a common black snake(5-7ft). Pick any one of these, do your homework, talk to different breeders, and look for a juvenile, not a newborn. They will most likely be feeding well and are not as fragile as a newborn. Good luck & remember that you have lots of people to turn to if you have questions or need help.

Answer 2

A Corn snake. They are easier to handle as baby's, not to mention, they're very hardy. Ball Pythons aren't the best choice for a beginner, because they need an almost perfect humidity level, and usually beginners don't know what to do to keep it at the right level. As baby's, Corn Snakes are very small (almost like a little 'sissy' snake you would find in your yard), but the average length will be 4-6 feet when they are full grown. They won't get very thick, maybe 3-7 inches around, and they are very nice too. As said in other replies, Do research! It's the best thing you can do for yourself and for the snake you might eventually buy...

Answer 3

Boas are a great snake to start out with. They are not so eager to escape as most snakes are. They are content to live in their tank and are very friendly, generally. It's best to start with a baby and raise it yourself. They grow fast. I have a boa that I bought from a guy who had been neglecting it. It had skin mites and was living in a dirty, small tank. I got him for $50 and he is over 7 ft long. I could sell him for $600 easily but I love him and he is a wonderful pet. He eats a jumbo rat a week. My snakes prefer live prey. I also have a ball python that I found in the parking lot at work over a year ago. He is 5 1/2 feet long and super friendly. However, this breed is very curious and active and escapes quickly if it can. Ball pythons are great pets but you have to watch them closely. I am sure that mine was someone's well cared for pet that just escaped. It was sheer luck that I found him before he got ran over by a car or had to face a cold Chicago winter that would surely have ended his life. Whatever snake you get, just do your research on the breed and give it the best care possible. These snakes can live over 40 years so prepare for a long term commitment.

Answer 4

a red-tail boa is what you want by the way it sounds. Get a baby and grow it up used to you. Red-tails of the common BCC (boa constrictor constictor) will reach probally around 10 feet in length for a female. The Red-tail BCI (boa constrictor imperator) will reach around 11 to 12 feet and have bat like markings across the back. Both are great boas to have. No snake will ever really warm up to you but with daily handleing will tame up nicely. Stay away from pythons (especially rock pythons) they tend to be snappy and very unpredictable. Check out www.kingsnake.com on the classifieds or boa forum for some pics of both. Be prepared to have a good sized enclosure within two years for either. I think they are great.

Answer 5

I am a new snake owner, but I did research before I made my decision. I hung out at the pet store and talked to people buying mice and rats... Ask alot of questions!! I have a ball python because they are known to be docile and their full size is 4-5 feet. I also decided on a yearling that is known to eatwell and in good health..

Answer 6

Get a baby boa constrictor. They make excellent pets. Pythons grow a bit faster, but they are more unpredictable, and they bite. I had a six foot boa, we used to take it swimming in the pool, he loved it. He had the run of the house while we were home, he used to like to hang out on the top of my curtain rods. One time we took him with us on a two hour drive. We went inside a restaruant to eat, he was loose in the car as usual, and when we came out he had managed to get into where the car shifts gears. We had to wait three days before he came out. That was something, don't leave your pets in the car, put him in a cage or something. Really, they make great pets. You'll have to find out from where you get your snake all the accessories needed. Like heat lamps and such.

Answer 7

Ditto on the corn snake recommendation. I have one who is a real sweetheart, he's almost 4' long but gentle and inquisitive. He was raised from a tiny baby by a friend of mine, so he's gotten a lot of human interaction his whole life- an adult from a pet store may not have gotten that.

Answer 8

You should so Awesomely get a Carpet Python, I have one who is quite dear to me, Gary-Axeminster the Third.

They live an average of 70-90 years so your not gunna be stuck with a dead snake, they are versatile and can go 7 months without food...

They are smart and easy to train by simple conditioning, things such as taking them to a different area when fed helps so they get the difference between feeding time and play time... They aren't vicious at all and are nice and cuddly... and you will find that after they shed they have a lovely velvet feel to their skin... Also the Patterns are GOURGEOUS!

OH also get it at the youngest a yearling, it's so fun to watch them grow and they grow quite quick.. they can get up to 2-3 meters deprending ont he size of their enviroment.

Answer 9

Well I'll tell ya one thing if you want a big one you would have to get a boa but boas are illegal in some places mostly in the united states.But there is a show of reptiles that they sell baby snakes and they grow large real large and they are not illegal.The show goes to every state in the US twice a year so your in luck.Go to www.reptileshow.com

Answer 10

How about a young ball python? They are great snakes. The biggest they usually get is 6 feet. I suggest getting a young snake so It can be raised by you. They are less prone to bite people if you raise it yourself.