# Other Pythons > General Pythons >  Question...snakes like this?

## bplover22

Hi everyone, 

I've loved snakes my whole life but I've never owned one. I absolutely love ball pythons in terms of body size and temperament and everything. However, I was hoping to maybe find something shorter. Are there any snakes that you know of that are the size of a baby - sub-adult ball python but the general same temperament? Kind of a weird question but just was curious. 

Thank you!

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## Spechal

King, Milk, Sand Boa?

Only really have experience with BPs; a friend loves his Corns but they can get longer than BPs.

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## Zincubus

Sand Boas ?



Lovely calm and friendly , slow moving .... like small Royals really .

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

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_Sonny1318_ (05-14-2018)

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## bcr229

Bear in mind it's not just the size of the snake but it's attitude.

I have Savu pythons which are the fourth smallest snake in the world, but they are lightning quick and constantly on the go.  They're docile enough and easily handled, but not a snake that will just lay on you and chill like a BP will.

I also have a garter that is smaller, rescued her from the garage where we found her injured a few years back, and about every other day I want to toss her back outside because she is just not adapting to captivity.

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_RickyNY_ (05-15-2018)

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## RickyNY

Same thing happend to me. I caught a garter snake for my son months before I got my ball python... And the little guy would not eat for us. So back to the wild he went.

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## Craiga 01453

> King, Milk, Sand Boa?
> 
> Only really have experience with BPs; a friend loves his Corns but they can get longer than BPs.


Kings and milks will be much longer than a juvenile/sub adult BP. My King is somewhere around 52". They are also much flightier than BPs. And don't typically have the docile, chill temperament of a BP.

A hognose might work, but some can be kinda feisty. 

I've never kept them, but like Zinc mentioned above you could check out sand boas.

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_MissterDog_ (05-14-2018),Spechal (05-14-2018)

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## hilabeans

Maybe a female hognose?

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_MissterDog_ (05-14-2018)

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## artgecko

female sand boas....max out at about 3'.  males stay 2' and under usually.  However, they don't like being handled in the air (want to be on a flat surface) and may or may not be inactive or tolerate handling.  

They stay below their substrate most of the time, so aren't good for viewing.  They are ambush predators (stick their nose out of the substrate waiting for prey).  

Mine have fine temperaments, but I don't find them as interesting as other snakes because they stay hidden 90% of the time.

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## Alter-Echo

Male hognose... just like a ball python.... small, easy to care for, docile, and prone to extended fasts... just like a ball python!  :ROFL:

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Craiga 01453 (05-14-2018),_Jus1More_ (05-15-2018)

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## Bogertophis

How about a rosy boa?  Females (larger than males) max out about 36-40".  They are easier to feed than BP's...they have good appetites (for f/t small mice) 
for most of the year, but typically refuse food for a couple months in winter (when they'd normally brumate in the wild).  Mine sometimes like to chill around 
my neck while I do dishes or something...but keep in mind, our body temperature may over-warm them faster than a BP, since BPs just have more body mass.
Rosy boas are small boas native to U.S. & southward, coastal, desert & mountainous areas, with some variations in color.  They are very docile snakes.  I can 
hardly believe I'm the first to mention rosy boas...?  (Lichanura trivirgata)

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_the_rotten1_ (05-14-2018),Zincubus (05-15-2018)

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## Jordanpg

I love my sand boa. most of the time they are hidden but there is the occasional day that I see him out exploring and climbing, normally he does this a day or two before he gets fed. No problems with his attitude at all and doesn't seem to mind being held but we normally don't have him out for more than 5 minutes. Their tanks are also super easy to set up. 

I don't know much about rosys but ive heard they are great snakes that also stay small.

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## Bogertophis

I've never kept sand boas, but from what others say & what I've read, I think you'll find rosy boas are more amenable to handling for longer periods of time.

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Zincubus (05-15-2018)

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## Bogertophis

Another small snake, and one that likes it warm (like BPs do) is an Australian spotted python.  I've had mine (a c/b rescue*) for 10 years now, & she's 
about 3' long, thereabouts.  She is docile with handling, always, and ferocious when it comes to feeding...ALWAYS f/t prey!  *In fact, that's how she 
came to be MY snake:  the guy who bred her kept trying to make her eat live prey which she refused.  Their 'first food' in the wild is typically lizards, 
& only later do they get brave enough for small rodents.  So when she kept refusing to eat live, her owner was going to "stick her in the freezer" to 
end HIS frustration (poor baby...).  I had no way of knowing until she was shipped to me whether there was anything else wrong with her, so I made 
him an offer.  If he shipped her to me (at MY expense) & she was not sick, only "difficult to feed", I'd buy her from him.  As I told him, if he's only 
going to kill her anyway, what did he have to lose?  So she came to me shipped overnight, and when I put her in her new cage, she kept exploring. 
As a keeper of many snakes & many years, I could tell she was hungry...so while it's truly best to wait to feed newly shipped or newly arrived snakes, 
I confess I didn't follow the advice I usually give others: a few hours after her arrival, I thawed 3 pink mice and she wolfed them down, even looking 
for more!  I happily sent him the payment, but with it came some smug chiding about what a great feeder she is... :Neener: 

So if you want a small python that's an excellent pet, do consider a c/b Aussie Spotted Python.  (Antaresia maculosa)  I've never had one bite from her, 
but you don't get in her way at supper time, LOL.  She frequently loves to bask under a warming light, & does need a "humid hide" to shed well.

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*bcr229* (05-14-2018),_KevinK_ (05-15-2018)

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## Zincubus

Sand Boas sound like an interesting option but I've never kept them ...

As regards Hoggies there is 'that' little snag with them ...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

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## Momokahn

Ring neck snakes stay very small.  They are native to the United States.  I use to catch them by the handful when I was growing up.  I've seen night crawlers bigger than Ring Necks

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## asplundii

In terms of temperament and size your closest bet that is fairly common in the hobby would be rosy boas, as previously mentioned. They stay smaller and are generally pretty relaxed.

Hognose, while they can be smaller stature, are significantly more energetic and are also mildly venomous. While bites from them are rare they can have some level of repercussion depending on your sensitivity.

KSBs, as mentioned, stay small but are fairly secretive and not as keen on being handled.

Kings, corns, rats, milks are going to be energetic, can get to pretty good size and can be nippy.

Antaresia might be a possibility but some of them can also be a bit nippy.


Something that might fit the bill for you, but that are harder to come by, are rubber boas. These are another N. America native species, they tent to max out at about 1m for a large female but males typically stay under 60cm. They are very affable little creatures with a lot of personality. They can be kept in a tank at ambient room temps. They are nest raiders by nature so when feeding they tend to do better with a handful of fuzzy mice instead of one larger adult mouse. Downsides to them are that they frequently go off feed in winter and if they do it is better to put them in to brumation than to try and keep them warm. Their feeding habit can also make them a bit stubborn on occasion, preferring live over F/T.

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*Bogertophis* (05-15-2018),Craiga 01453 (05-15-2018)

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## B.P.'s 4me

> Male hognose... just like a ball python.... small, easy to care for, docile, and prone to extended fasts... just like a ball python!


I have a male hognose, and ball pythons and have to admit that, in MY opinion, bp's make better pets.  Hognose don't get anywhere near the girth of ball pythons (which is part of the appeal of b.p.'s for me) 
Also, my  hognose boy is JUST coming of an 8 mos. fast from September to May, which he has done for the past 2 years. None of my b.p's go without food for THIS amount of time.  I suppose I should be pleased that my hognose is so inexpensive to keep, but every time he does this I get SOOOOOO stressed.  Also, although he's fine to handle, he doesn't tolerate it as well am my ball pythons, he's more active and moves quicker... all normal for the species, but not as appealing to me as the placid, slower moving ball pythons. I'm seriously considering trading my hognose boy in for a ball python.

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## Skyrivers

Why not get a pet rock? You don't have to feed it. It wont bite you. Will not care if husbandry is off. 
JK

All snakes are different even within species. Corns, kings, sand boas... all are smaller snakes but are not pet rocks as BPs have a rep for being. Even BPs can be active. Each animal is going to be its own personality, needs, temperament, and experience. You have to be willing to adapt your expectations to their needs and desires. They are not going to conform to yours. 




> Bear in mind it's not just the size of the snake but it's attitude.
> 
> I have Savu pythons which are the fourth smallest snake in the world, but they are lightning quick and constantly on the go.  They're docile enough and easily handled, but not a snake that will just lay on you and chill like a BP will.
> 
> I also have a garter that is smaller, rescued her from the garage where we found her injured a few years back, and about every other day I want to toss her back outside because she is just not adapting to captivity.

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*Bogertophis* (05-15-2018),Craiga 01453 (05-15-2018)

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## KevinK

Recently I've been rather fascinated with the idea of an African House Snake. Same general care requirements as corn or milk snakes but just a little more exotic ya know? I see one in my future.

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## Bogertophis

One thing I forgot to mention about my Australian spotted python (Antaresia maculosa) that is totally UNLIKE other snakes I've known is that when I hold her, she 
HOLDS me back!  She is what I'd call "clingy".  She is the only one of these I've personally known, so I cannot say if this is typical or not, but I suspect it may be?  
(she is the worst snake ever to have "stuck" if you have long hair...as she is more than content to stay put- LOL)

She does like (require) warmer temps. similar to a BP, so that may be part of it, though she never lacks for warmth.  Her response to f/t prey is to aggressively 
pounce & constrict, but as I say, she never confuses me with food, nor anyone else, when handled by strangers.  (she did well at a public meet & greet, staying 
calm & "clingy" in hand)  Most snakes are averse to falling and will hang onto us...trust me, this is different...stronger.  She is quite strong for her size...she has 
a lot of personality & is truly a PYTHON in spirit, despite her petite size.  But if you are someone who panics when a snake really holds on, assuming this is typical
(?) for the species, this would not be your choice.  Me, I'm impressed... :Snake: 

Rosy boas may chill with you some, but they don't do this.  (I've known many & bred them in the past.)

And while rat snakes tend to be more active, one of my Trans Pecos rat snakes (Bogertophis subocularis) used to thread himself into the belt loops on my 
jeans & just stay there a while...so yes, snakes all have their own personalities.   :Cool:

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