What kind of snake?

Question

I really want a pet snake, but I've never had one before.

What sort would you reccommend for a first time owner?

I have looked into Cornsnakes but can anyone advise me further?

Thank you

Answer 1

a cornsnake they are the most available, check this website out:

http://www.anapsid.org/corn.html

Answer 2

Hi i have kept and bred reptiles on and off for about 20 years now so i should be able to answer your question! Here goes.
Cornsnakes are a very good starter snake. What may be an idea for you to do is by an adult or semi adult that is already tame and feeding well. Hatchlings can be weak and problem feeders. Make sure when you buy a snake you get a feeding chart and try to see the snake feed before you buy it . Also stay away from pythons and boas for now. I have been bitten by a fair few and it is a rather painful experiance. Make sure the snakes eyes are nice and bright and that it sheds it skin well,(all signs of good health.
For god sake make sure vivarium is escape proof ! Kingsnakes are also a good starter snake although maybe a bit more fiesty. Another thing ! When you buy your 1st snake make sure the temperature is at the right level (this is a common trick among dodgy reptile breeders, cold snakes are lethargic ,and aggresive snakes therefore are less likely to bite! Good luck. You have picked a very worthwhile hobby.

Answer 3

Cornsnakes are the best, but you can also look in to ball/royal pythons, kingsnakes and milk snakes.

To the terribly ignorant person above who thinks snakes are evil, don't listen to them. That's a load of rubbish. Snakes are not evil, they just want to stay alive! Plus, snakes often do not eat prey alive... what do you think the purpose of constriction is? To give the mouse a hug?Oh and for your information, cats, dogs, dolphins, and lots of animals I bet you think are cute and cuddly also kill and eat cute, lovely creatures. But I bet you don't think they are evil. *roll eyes* I hate this snake-ignorance, I really do.

Back to the question...I'll reveiw each species I mentioned for you so you can see the pros/cons.

Cornsnakes - Corns get to a manageable size, are usually docile, and most eat readily on f/t prey. They usually grow to around 4 / 5 foot long. They don't need much space, they're happy in a 3-foot vivarium. They need temps of 70-75F cool side, 80-85F hot side. This can be achieved with an heat mat under 1/2 of the tank. They should be kept on aspen wood chips as this allows the snake to burrow as they would in the wild.

Kingsnake - The best type of kingsnake for a beginner is a california kingsnake. They are black and white and very attractive. Care is the same as for a corn and they grow to about the same size. Kingsnakes have VERY good feeding responses, however some people find because of this they can be a bit snappy and will bite when they're hungry. Don't let this put you off though, I've been bitten by an adult king and it's not that bad.

Milksnake - Very like kingsnakes in care and tempermant, but they come in a number of sizes. You can get milks that grow to 2.5 foot, to ones that grow to 6 foot depending on what you want. Some smaller milks include Pueblan and Mexican. A larger milk example is the Honduran. The smaller milks can live in 2-foot vivariums.

Ball/Royal Python - these are lovely snakes. Males grow to about 3 foot, females 5 foot. They are very thick-bodied stocky snakes but they have absolutely angelic personalities. So sweet and friendly. They are dark snakes usually, a sort of black/tan colour. They need a tank of around 3-4ft long, with temps of 70-75F cool side, 85-90F warm side. The only thing against them is that they can be hard to feed, but this is more so with wild specimens so if you get a captive born and bred python you shouldn't have too much trouble.

Snakes make wonderful pets. Good luck with your new pet!

Answer 4

I own a ball python, and before i bought her i did my own research based on what I liked on a snake. Look at the skin pattern that you want, the kind of environment you are going to keep her in, what do you want feed her, the size you are willing to keep her (just because some grow a lot bigger than others).

I can tell you that Ball Python is very timid, when they are scared they will wrap themselves up into a ball (therefore the name Ball Python). They eat from fuzzy mice to rats, frozen or alive.

Also, if you buy your snake somewhere like PETCO , don't believe what outsiders tell you about if you feed your snake live animals it will enhance their hunting for food skills. Truth is that your snake will eat the mice either way. Plus a snake from a store is going to have a difficult time with this just because it was born in captivation already.

Well, have fun shopping for your perfect snake!

(this was just to give you some info on the Ball Python, and help you narrow down your likes and dislikes when you go snake shopping)

Answer 5

My children have two Corn snakes, easy to keep, docile, never get to thick but do grow quite long, anywhere between 3 to 5ft. They aren't picky eater's and are quite happy with the frozen mice boiled up and served warm. They should be handled regularly but not after feeding or when they look ready to shed the skin, they can be quite fast little bugger's so keep a good handle on them.
My advice if you would like something a little bigger is a Ball Python, my wife has one and she is lovely. Need a slightly bigger tank, and before they get to old will probably need at least a 4ft tank as they can grow upto 6ft. Our one has never even looked at us funny let alone bite, has only ever refused feeding close to shedding, when that happened we just left them a week. They love to be handled and will sit up at the glass waiting to come out. Good luck finding one, they are lovely pets...

Answer 6

Everyone here is suggesting cornsnakes, and they are right, but, they are members of the ratsnake family and are the most common and therefore, one of the more expensive species. You may wish to consider other members of the ratsnake family, too. They all have about the same charactoristics, but yellow ratsnakes, black ratsnakes...etc are avalable for the low budget person. Cornsnakes are red ratsnakes and there are many variations of colorations as well as albinos, snows, blizzards, hypo this, hyper that...etc. But these are alot more than regular reds.

Milksnakes and kingsnakes are also hearty species that do very well in capitivity.

As mentioned above, ball pythons can be very difficult feeders and beause they are so timid, I do not recommend them. Pretty, yes. Docile, yes. But they stress out too easily and will stop eating, thus starving themselves to death.

Skip any rainforest species as they require a high amount of skill and equipment to maintain.

It is always better to start off with a "local" species and work your way up from there.

Answer 7

I have an Everglade Ratsnake, an absolutely beautiful animal, that is bronze(ish) in colour, with a fantastic temperament. It's my first snake, and not my last.

I would recommend some type of Ratsnake, they are very easy to look after, are not cannibalistic (meaning they do not think everything that comes near their tank is food and will not be likely to bite as a result), they don't get too large and are generally pretty docile. He is nearing 5.5ft long though! If you don't want a long snake, get a Mexican Hognose, but they are slightly venomous.

I love my snake!

Answer 8

I had a garter snake when i was younger they don't grow that big but they do become very tame which is cool . also a lot of what people are saying on here is wrong !
whatever snake you do choose you should never feed it live mice because sometimes they can actually injure your pet , frozen mice are a lot safer .
for your first one a corn snake would be good also a garter , milk , or king snake , or even a anaconda .... nah that ones a joke

Answer 9

*I* would avoid tropical snakes for a first snake,-( though i love my ball-python)-
-- Do, if possible, get your cage set-up, before you get your snake.
-- Snakes are escape-masters, you will need a cage with a door-or-lid they cannot push open, they are surprisingly strong.
Aquariums with lids are often used. Please, get one big enough that they Can streach out** (even if it Is around a bend) when they are grown.
--You will need a heat-source for *part* of the cage, so they can pick the temperature they need.

I like to make it a Home with a place, or better, two, to hide in, ,( one warm, one cooler,) a water-dish (big enough to soak in) and perhaps a branch to climb.---I use newspaper, under (aspen) woodchips for bedding.
Make sure you can Wash the cage, and "furniture", most snakes are Not 'house broken' , and you will need to keep things clean.

Look at photos of cornsnakes, ratsnakes, kingsnakes etc. till you see a type, and color, you like the look of.
Although fancy colors (albino, hypo, etc.) cost more, they do not make better pets, than "normal" colored snakes
If you can, go to a pet store and hold a few--pick one that settles down in your hand, or calmly explores.

---My first snakes were wild caught adults. (I caught them myself) While Any snake will tame down, in *my* opinion, the ones that Start Out calm, do a better job of 'becoming pets'.
I reccommend getting a young, but well-started snake, perhaps a year old, more-or-less. Eating well, calm to hold. (Bred in captivity, if possible)
--eating thawed, frozen mice, is my preferance, no chance for harm to the snake.

---Tiny hatchlings (though they may be cheaper than adults) can be fragile, and a bit nervous. In the wild, most will not make it through their first year .
--- While it is tempting to buy one, and put it in a small space.-*-
They grow rapidly while young, and will soon outgrow their "'baby-housing".
(-*- they look lost in, and might escape from, an adult-sized cage.)




** I have seen a snake (a boa constrictor) kept in a too-small cage, who *could not* uncoil, when i came to vist , and wanted to give her a nice soaking bath, in the tub.

Answer 10

My first snake was a Royal Python, easy to keep and friendly too, they don't get too big so wont take over your home. I've had a breeding pair of boa's (Milly & Billy) they were fantastic snakes very friendly but got very big 8ft, I had to donate them to Southport zoo when we moved house as there was nowhere for their tank. Also had a yellow Rat snake, he was a bit bad tempered and choosy about who he would let handle him, I was the only one that he would let pick him up. Id say for a 1st timer a corn snake or a royal python.

Answer 11

CORN SNAKES are the best first snake! they are the less likely one to bite! i have a 5 year old female and three small kids(8,6&2) they can even handle her with out any problems!! they can get pretty long, but they have small heads so they only eat mice or small rats! make sure it is what to really want b/c the can live 10 to 15 years if well cared for! hope i helped you some!:)
P.S. babies are not good first snake, they have to be feed every week and die esaly! older one cost more, but are eiser to care for!