What's the best kind of snake for a 14 yo boy to have as a beginner?

Question

It's a gift and we will get him the vivarium etc
Would prefer not to feed it mice, but will cope if necessary!
Not a huge amount of space to keep it in - looking at 3ft x 3ft base and any height vivarium...

Thanks for all your answers. Just one additional question - why does nchabowsk... say we have to have an extra tank to feed the snake in? Is it bad to feed the snake in its own tank?

Answer 1

Corn snakes, king snakes, ball pythons, milk snakes, sand boas, rosy boas... All are good beginner snakes. I personally don't consider ball pythons to be the best, because they can be notoriously picky eaters. King snakes and milk snakes (and corns to some extent) can be a little spazzy at first, but all should tame down to be excellent pets.

As for feeding rodents, a majority of pet snakes eat rodents. You could get garter snakes or green snakes, which can be kept on diets of fish or crickets respectively, but those are more vivarium species than handleable "pets," and most are wild caught, come in poor condition, and have shortened life spans. If you don't want to feed live, you can buy frozen rodents (you can get them in bulk at reptile shows, saves a LOT of $$$), which is actually recommended for some of the larger species, so the prey can't fight back and cause injuries.

There are several reasons for feeding in a seperate container (rubbermaid tubs are excellent for this). First off, if you feed in the tank snakes might associate the hand coming down or tank lid opening with being fed, and may develop a food response (possibly leading to a bite). Also, feeding in the cage makes the cage smell like rodent, also potentially causing a food response. To me the most important reason for feeding in a seperate container is the potential of ingesting substrate. Some people keep their snakes on paper towels/ newspaper, but I prefer a more natural looking dirt/bark substrate... Some people also use sand/aspen shavings etc... Feeding in a seperate containter ensures that the snake won't accidentally swallow any of it while feeding.

Answer 2

There are the corn snakes, very good snakes for kids and they come in a wide range of colors. They to can be bred without a lot of space.
I put a link there for the corn snake. The breeder I new fed pinkies. Pinkies are baby mice.
Also if your son wants something bigger and more flashy and is a very nice snake and is knows as a child's snake or a first snake is the ball python. I will go look up a good web site for this snake too.
Do not let any one talk you into a Burmese Python. We have had a rescue for these at one time and they get aggressive, and they get very big!! These are throw away snakes at around 12 feet. Other snakes can be rather aggressive and/or get big. Peeps will tell you not to feed them and this stunts there growth, this is mean and abusive!!
King snakes are small however they eat other snakes, and when scared or what not will go to the bathroom on you! It stinks and is not the best, if you can imagine.
Do your homework before getting any snake as you are doing. Many pet shops as well as individual peeps trying to get rid of there snake will say ANYTHING to sell it! If you can go to a reptile show these people know what they are doing and love there babies and will usually tell you the truth. A baby corn going as little as $20 bucks! Pet shop $100 or around there. Ball Pythons can go from many different prices...$140 or around there is a good price for a healthy one with cage and supplies.
You will have to feed mice or can buy them frozen. Depends on the snake what it will eat....Boys love reptiles some moms do not for they do eat things that can be sad, and or sick. It is just nature. We fed the biggest rabbits we could get for our snakes, our biggest at the time was 19 feet. Some day we will turn our VHS videos into DVDs so I can show peeps on the computer...The tapes that were not stolen anyways!!
Good luck and your son will love his new pet....

Answer 3

There are 2 types to consider: Corn Snake and Ball Python.

Corn Snake:

The Cornsnake (or Red Rat Snake) is a North American ratsnake, of genus Colubrid. Cornsnakes are slender constrictors. They grow between 3-6 foot, which is a very manageable size, and in general these snakes have very nice tempermanents. They are docile and tolerate handling well. The cornsnake comes in a huge variety of colours; red, orange, yellow, black and white, purple, and many many others.

Cornsnakes need a vivarium measuring 3 foot long; height is not important as these snakes are mainly terrestial and spend most of their time on the ground. They eat rodents; however, most cornsnakes will happily take frozen/thawed mice, so there's no need to give them live food. Corns need a temperature gradient, ie. one side of the tank is hotter than the other. The warm side should be 80-85F and the cool side should be 70-75F. A hide should be placed at either end of the tank as this allows the snake to choose whether he wishes to rest in the cool or the warmth.


Ball Python:


The Ball Python (or Royal Python outside the USA) is a heavily-built, stocky python. Despite this heavy build however, they very rarely reach over 5 foot, so they are still a 'small' snake. They are wonderfully docile and it is very rare for a Ball Python to bite. The most common BPs are black with tan saddles blotched all over the body.

They need a minimum cage size of 3ft long, though bigger is better. As with corns, height is not important. Their warm side temp should be 85-90F, cool side temp 70-75F, and they need a hide on either end. BPs are very shy and need to hide during the day. Their humidity should be around 60%, which can easily be achieved with a large water bowl. They eat rodents; some BPs will only take live prey, however, more specimens now are taking FT, so don't let that put you off.


Both snakes' heat can be provided via a heat mat which goes under the tank (for a glass tank) or inside if you have a wooden vivarium. Heat mats should be on a thermostat to pervent overheating. Make sure your snake has fresh water at all times.

Snakes make very rewarding pets. You will have great fun with your legless friend :-)

Answer 4

When I was younger my first reptile was a corn snake just because they are good with kids and love to be handled. They are easy to take care of. Plus they don't get all huge. They stay skinny and eat small rats. Then afterwards you can move to a Ball Python which are also very good. But make sure whatever snake you decide to get you buy a seperate tank for him or her to feed in and also make sure that this snake will get plenty of attention. I would just go to your local pet store that carry different types of snakes and ask them. They work there for a reason. Plus you'll get alot answered.

Answer 5

You are kidding yourself if you think you are going to find a snake that you cant feed mice to that is going to be good for a 14 year old to handle. The only ones like that are VENEMOUS snakes, and you dont want ANY of those in the house at all.

I would suggest getting a Ball Python and dealing with the feeding of live mice. I would also supervise the handling of the snake as well. Ball Pythons are relatively nice as pets, but they are very powerful constrictors - and they can grow extremely huge if cared for properly - takes a few years though. So this can be both a good life lesson, a learning experience and if he really likes snakes, it can be his adult type pet as well in the end.

Answer 6

Well seeing as most snakes eat mice.... I would go with a Ball Python... Im not a huge snake fan, but when I worked at the pet store, this was always the kind of snake I would handle if I had to show someone about snakes... they are rather docile, and out of all the snakes we had this kind never struck at or bit me.... you can get them relitivly small at a pet store, but they dont stay small forever...

Answer 7

I just want to say that Im happy your getting the boy a pet snake. Snakes are the best pets Ive ever had, and believe me...Ive kept every type of pet possible. But for me, nothing compares to the rewards of keeping snakes. Theyre awesome, and worth every penny.
With that being said, Id suggest a ball python. You just need to be careful about humidity levels and temperature levels. Ball pythons tend to get respiratory infections a bit easier than other snakes if neglect their husbantry (sp?) needs.
Okay well good luck finding the perfect snake. :]

Answer 8

A cornsnake is a great pet for beginners! I would say that's what i had for a beginner but i'd be lying. the only reason i didn't start with something that simple is because i have had many other exotic repitles including a 13 albino burmese python. anyway, they only need to be fed every week or so. yes you have to feed it mice. it is better to feed live because by doing so you eliminate the chance of being bitten. however, you don't need to buy a second cage. all you need to do is take it out of its cage and put it in a paper grocery bag. if you feed it in its cage, it will associate feeding with its cage, meaning that it thinks it will get food, so it will always be hunting. if you feed it in a paper bag, they will remain calm in cage, bu get excited in paper bag instead. this way you can reach in the cage without worrying about being bitten. cornsnakes are cheap and fairly simple to care for. if you need more info, contact me at [e-mail]

Answer 9

After alot of research I got my son an albino corn snake for his 8th birthday. He is 11 now and enjoys taking care of him. We buy frozen mice and he thaws them and feeds the snake himself. I wasn't crazy about the mouse thing either. His snake eats in the same tank he lives in. My son washes his hands before the mouse and after. You don't want the smell of the mouse on your hand because you could be mistaken for food. His snake bit a couple of times (new environment) when he first got him. It was painless. They are great beginner snakes, in fact the whole family loves the snake now.

Answer 10

A ball python is a perfect snake for beginners that's what i started off with and I've had it for about 2years...
And you don't really have to have another tank. A box will do just fine... And you have to feed him in a separate tank/box so he wont think everything that goes in the tank is food and bite your hands when you stick them in there.