First Snake

Hello! I am new to this forum, and to reptiles. I am looking to get my first snake when I'm either thirteen or fourteen, I need help choosing which snake to start with out of my top picks (I am also open to suggestions) My top picks are: Ball Python, Borneo Shorttail (or Blood Python), Woma Python, Rosy Boa, Corn Snake, Kingsnake, Western Hognose, Boa Constrictor. I am looking for something I can spend time with, a good handling snake, as well as a good pet snake. And I really like larger animals (I am open to small ones too.) I also like ones that are not overly slow moving, but not flighty or super quick. Any Suggestions? And which one do you think is good for a starting snake for someone young? Thank you for reading :D

I personally would recommend a corn snake or a ball python but corn snakes are more social

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Originally Posted by Boidae

Hello! I am new to this forum, and to reptiles. I am looking to get my first snake when I'm either thirteen or fourteen, I need help choosing which snake to start with out of my top picks (I am also open to suggestions) My top picks are: Ball Python, Borneo Shorttail (or Blood Python), Woma Python, Rosy Boa, Corn Snake, Kingsnake, Western Hognose, Boa Constrictor. I am looking for something I can spend time with, a good handling snake, as well as a good pet snake. And I really like larger animals (I am open to small ones too.) I also like ones that are not overly slow moving, but not flighty or super quick. Any Suggestions? And which one do you think is good for a starting snake for someone young? Thank you for reading :D

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Well funnily enough I'd suggest a Corn snake . It's generally regarded as a great starter snake on occasion even called a 'gateway' snake as they get you hooked on snakes ...

I've got an adult male Amel Stripe Corn that is around 5' and never stops moving ( slowly though ) when he's out and about . Great handling snakes with just the odd 1% preferring not to be handled . So very , calm , friendly , quite active in their vivs . Mine are active in daytime whereas many snakes only come to life early evening and onwards .
They're great eaters taking d/f frozen rodents or chicks .
There's also a massive choice of colours / patterns available .

My Amel Stripe looks like a beautiful bright Orange snake but look closer and he's got a narrow Yellow stripe running head to tail on the bottom third of his body .

I could go on and on and on about them .

I started with Corns but soon added Royal Pythons ( Ball ) and Kings . Then onto Garter snakes , Ratsnakes , a Snow Boa and a Dwarf Hypo Burmese python ... 22 altogether !

Beware !!! You can easily become addicted to snakes !

Care if you consider a Hognose . They're one of the most intriguing and cutest around BUT they're rear - fanged and mildly venomous so maybe not perfect as you want to handle .

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Well funnily enough I'd suggest a Corn snake . It's generally regarded as a great starter snake on occasion even called a 'gateway' snake as they get you hooked on snakes ...

I've got an adult male Amel Stripe Corn that is around 5' and never stops moving ( slowly though ) when he's out and about . Great handling snakes with just the odd 1% preferring not to be handled . So very , calm , friendly , quite active in their vivs . Mine are active in daytime whereas many snakes only come to life early evening and onwards .
They're great eaters taking d/f frozen rodents or chicks .
There's also a massive choice of colours / patterns available .

My Amel Stripe looks like a beautiful bright Orange snake but look closer and he's got a narrow Yellow stripe running head to tail on the bottom third of his body .

I could go on and on and on about them .

I started with Corns but soon added Royal Pythons ( Ball ) and Kings . Then onto Garter snakes , Ratsnakes , a Snow Boa and a Dwarf Hypo Burmese python ... 22 altogether !

Beware !!! You can easily become addicted to snakes !

Care if you consider a Hognose . They're one of the most intriguing and cutest around BUT they're rear - fanged and mildly venomous so maybe not perfect as you want to handle .

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I'll consider a corn snake for sure! and it's too bad a Hognose is mildly venomous, they are adorable!

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Originally Posted by Boidae

I can spend time with, a good handling snake, as well as a good pet snake. I also like ones that are not overly slow moving, but not flighty or super quick. Any Suggestions? And which one do you think is good for a starting snake for someone young? Thank you for reading :D

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Based on what you're looking for, I'd say a type of Kingsnake or Corn snake. They can be flighty when they're young (as with most young snakes), but will calm down when they're older.

I would have recommended ball pythons, but they can be very slow moving/not move at all, depending on the individual BP. They also are very picky with getting their humidity, temperatures, and cage setup ON POINT, or else they'll stop eating... which can be stressful on a first time owner. So a bit of necessary research done online in forums like these, and not advice from pet stores.

Mexican Black Kingsnakes are pretty epic though. :D

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com...95070d5f98.jpg

I think king snakes are great beginner snakes too. They're inexpensive, modestly sized, they come in some really nice morphs, and the husbandry is a breeze. They can be a little defensive when they're young but neither of mine have ever bit me. If you're looking for something a little larger I'd recommend a pine, bull, or gopher snake. My bull snakes are much larger than my kings, they're really fun to handle, and they are monsters at feeding time. The husbandry is pretty simple for these guys too. Like kings, they can be a little nippy and hissy in the beginning, but they usually calm down pretty quickly. Carpet pythons are another beautiful and active display snake. I wouldn't call them great beginner snakes but with the proper research and husbandry they can be a nice first snake too. Best wishes with whatever you choose.

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

I think king snakes are great beginner snakes too. They're inexpensive, modestly sized, they come in some really nice morphs, and the husbandry is a breeze. They can be a little defensive when they're young but neither of mine have ever bit me. If you're looking for something a little larger I'd recommend a pine, bull, or gopher snake. My bull snakes are much larger than my kings, they're really fun to handle, and they are monsters at feeding time. The husbandry is pretty simple for these guys too. Like kings, they can be a little nippy and hissy in the beginning, but they usually calm down pretty quickly. Carpet pythons are another beautiful and active display snake. I wouldn't call them great beginner snakes but with the proper research and husbandry they can be a nice first snake too. Best wishes with whatever you choose.

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I've actually been thinking a lot about a California Kingsnake, I've never heard of a pine or bull snake before, I'll be sure to do some research on it :)

Whatever you choose . Try and handle it before buying unless you're buying online ...
I only buy from forum breeders never a store .
Breeders tend to be more knowledgable plus you can handle the snake first and breeders are far cheaper .

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

Carpet pythons are another beautiful and active display snake. I wouldn't call them great beginner snakes but with the proper research and husbandry they can be a nice first snake too. Best wishes with whatever you choose.

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Originally Posted by Boidae

I've actually been thinking a lot about a California Kingsnake, I've never heard of a pine or bull snake before, I'll be sure to do some research on it :)

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I wouldn't recommend carpet pythons, only because a decent percentage can be cage aggressive. So unless you really love carpets and don't mind getting bitten a few times... There are chill ones out there, but having a perfect beginner's temperament for handling is not an extreme majority like it is for corn snakes and kingsnakes.

I wouldn't recommend bull snakes at all for what you're looking for. They're kind of notorious for being defensive, and generally aren't a "handle me" snake. There are always exceptions, but generally, nah. :P

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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Whatever you choose . Try and handle it before buying unless you're buying online ...
I only buy from forum breeders never a store .
Breeders tend to be more knowledgable plus you can handle the snake first and breeders are far cheaper .

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I'll be sure to keep that in mind!

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Originally Posted by redshepherd

I wouldn't recommend carpet pythons, only because a decent percentage can be cage aggressive. So unless you really love carpets and don't mind getting bitten a few times... There are chill ones out there, but having a perfect beginner's temperament for handling is not an extreme majority like it is for corn snakes and kingsnakes.

I wouldn't recommend bull snakes at all for what you're looking for. They're kind of notorious for being defensive, and generally aren't a "handle me" snake. There are always exceptions, but generally, nah. :P

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I'll also keep that in mind.. :p