# Site General > General Herp >  Best show off/trophy snakes?

## Kinalyx

Im fully aware that balls tend to hide all the time and arent social or active pretty much ever. 

My question is...what snakes stay out more often, and dont just hide all of the time?

I love my balls, but i would like a bit of a change from looking over & basically seeing an empty cage.  My BRB is pretty much always in her hide as well.


Shawn

----------


## GoFride

Cal kings and corn snakes make beautiful display snakes - gorgeous animals and not shy like BPs.

----------


## Sarin

I really like the look of Green Tree Pythons. They are beautiful display snakes. But if you want something a bit hardier, I would go with a Carpet Python. My Bredli makes for an amazing display animal.

----------


## coldbloodaddict

Retics!

----------


## mainbutter

There are differences between "trophy" snakes and "show-off" snakes.  A snake can be either, neither, or both.

IMO, "trophy" implies top of the line, extremely low supply of similar animals, and usually reached with exceedingly time-consuming selective breeding.

"Show-off" snakes simply implies something that looks great in a cage, you can walk a friend by the cage and their eyes pop out.  Plenty of species can accomplish this by coloration, size, shape, or activity, without needing to specifically be considered "trophies" of their species.

If you're shooting for something that fits both the idea of a "trophy" animal and also is a great occupant for a killer display, I definitely recommend carpet pythons and GTPs.  They are readily viewed when kept in decorative housing, have a long history of selective breeding, and have a wide range of prices for a wide range of "looks" to fit just about any herpetoculturist's budget.  Heck you could even take my suggestion a bit further and look into 75% GTP/25% carpet python hybrids  :Roll Eyes (Sarcastic):   For some examples of real trophies of all of that I've talked about, just hit up http://moreliatrophyclub.com/ to see what I mean.

I also have to give a shout-out to giants, or even just plain "big" snakes.  When I saw my first 30lb+ blood python, my jaw just dropped.  Granted it was a far cry from a 150lb burm, I just kept thinking  "gee, that snake just LOOKS BIG".  Now I'm not going to say bloods are good display animals, because mine certainly hides a lot, but they are still impressive.  Burms, retics, and other giants, if they are the sort of thing you'd be interested in investing the time, $, and energy into, can certainly get an eyeful from friends, family, and even yourself on a daily basis.

----------


## Clear

Either of these 2.

Bredly Python


Boelen Python

----------

_tcutting_ (07-13-2011)

----------


## tcutting

See above Boelen Pythons are amazing!  I worked for a guy that had 3 about that size my favorite snakes!  GTPs were in a close second.

----------


## Denial

I think the best display animals are cobras. But of course there not for everyone

----------


## Robyn@SYR

I can't think of a better show snake than a Boelen's. My overall favorite snake. Just awesome. Easy to work with, impossible to breed. I don't understand why that is : )

Because of this post I took two new Boelen's pics today. Connor's first time holding them. Stoke.

----------

_Clear_ (07-14-2011),_tcutting_ (07-14-2011),_Valentine Pirate_ (07-14-2011)

----------


## tcutting

I worked for a guy that had a 2.1 trio of Boelens pythons and they truly are awesome animals.  Super easy to work with(so long size doesnt bother you) and very aware of thats going on around them.  

I like GTPs as well but something about the colors that come off of them that make them amazing.  

and yes impossible to breed.  We were working on a few different ideas before he was offered good money for his and sold them.  I would be curious as to what you are trying.

----------


## modean02

> Retics!


Definitely second retics!!!  Although that Boelens caught my eye.  Kinda look like a Chainlink king on meth and steroids.

----------


## JayyPastel24

I'm going to  say hands down a GTP. the setup needs to b nice and wide, the fact that they need a tree\forest like enlcosure makess your setup much more cooler, GTP's come in manyy colors I don't how many exactly but my favorite was a yellow and black one I saw at the expo, hope these other people showed you some stuff you like its pretty ausome ^.^

----------


## Maixx

My Russian is always out and very active, she is very docile and curious when out of her tank.

Good article on them: http://www.reptilechannel.com/snakes...at-snakes.aspx

----------


## ahunt037

i plan on having two animal displays in my house in the future one a beautiful GTP setup and two a beautiful saltwater aquarium by far i think that when someone is walkin through a house for the first time not knowing wats there when they see it they will be amazed i would like to figure out wat locality the blue GTPs r and save up some money for them cuz they are amazing

----------


## tcutting

Blue GTPs = Aru  there are blue markings in a few others but the solid blues are almost always Aru.   :Smile: 

I prefer a good mix of colors on GTPs i will post a pic....

----------


## kevinb

Boelens or a nice sunfire rectic!

1.0 High Yellow Jungle "Bruce"
0.1 Mack Snow Tremper Albino "Ava"
0.1 Rainwater Patternless "Pita"
1.0 Albino Checkered Garter "Herbert II"
0.0.1 Common Garter "Lucile"
0.0.1 Eastern Milksnake "Tiffany"

----------


## tcutting

My favorite look on a GTP is the yellow whites green and blue markings.  Its hard to see the blues on this one but as it got older the looked better and stood out more.


The Parents The male has the deeper blue and was the Aru


the pics arent the best but i like the variations in color not just solid blues.  the Crosses the older they got the more the blue popped out.

----------


## tcutting

But i still would take a Boelens over them.

----------


## AK907

I'm surprised no one said an amazon tree boa! If you can deal with the attitude they make wonderful display animals. I have a 1.1 pair of garden phase atbs and they are always active.

Not mine, but I rest my case!

----------


## darkbloodwyvern

My lucy texas ratsnake is ALL kinds of fun.  She will chill all over her cage and is feisty.  They have a rep. for an attitude, but if you handle enough as babies, the adults are usually chill.  She will bluff with tail rattles all the time, but calms down once she's out of the cage.  Tends to be an energetic snake species compared to BPs.

----------

