Beginner snakes?

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

I don't know a whole lot about them, but what about a white lipped python? From what I understand Northerns top out around 7-8 feet and Southerns get closer to 10 feet. The Northerns appear to be at the top of your size preference, but after a very quick glance around the web they might be something you'd be interested in. Maybe check them out and do some homework?

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Liaisis can be... interesting. Nippy. Flighty. I wouldn't recommend them as a first snake.

I would suggest a dwarf or central-American locality BCI that has passed the baby/juvi defensive phase.

a BRB was our first snake. don't let the reputation of the newborns being nippy turn you away, with handling and age, the tendency goes away. ours continues to be a fascinating and ever changing wonder for us and our kids. their high humidity needs makes them good candidates for a live plant, bio-active set up that is pretty well sealed up. the trouble a lot of us struggle with is that the set up readily available at chain pet stores is great for high heat desert critters but terrible for critters that like both heat and humidity. a BRB's need for humidity, especially when very young, is more extreme than a BP's but it was a good precursor to a BP for me since learning how to heat a virtually wet enclosure made creating a moderate humidity, higher heat enclosure for our BP's easier. BRB's are nocturnal, ground/hide dwelling snakes, they like it about 78f. an thermostat controlled UTH or flexwat tape can easily do the trick. use a temp gun, scrap relying on thermometers and definitely avoid heat lamps/CHE's. if your room is cold, then insulate the top and sides. our BRB is a beautiful snake with a great disposition, it has never struck me or our kids. I recommend handling a pet snake at least once a week for say 15-30 minutes minimum to keep them accustom to being held. I hold mine till it warms up enough that it starts becoming active, then offer it food outside it's enclosure. this routine keeps it tame, IMHO.

Look into the island locality boas. Some of them will stay small. Vin Russo has a good book on the boa constrictors. I really enjoy our rosy boa, but I consider her more of a lovely display animal - she likes to sample my skin (She does this in slow motion, but now I'm a bit wary of her).

So, what DON'T you like about the colubrids? There is some variation, and I'll second the pitts. My Sonoran gopher is beautiful, alert, active, and the the breeder *warned* me, she is from BIG parents. I would add more corn snakes if I had the space.

One thing for a beginner: Try to match your climate, if you can. We keep our house very cold in the winter, and because this is NM desert, the air is dry. I never did end up getting a BP, and at this point I'm glad I don't have one, simply because I worry a little less over the husbandry of my native North American species.

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Liaisis can be... interesting. Nippy. Flighty. I wouldn't recommend them as a first snake.

I would suggest a dwarf or central-American locality BCI that has passed the baby/juvi defensive phase.

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forgive me for being a bit more blunt than bcr, white-lipped python is a terrible choice for a first snake.

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Originally Posted by craigafrechette

I don't know a whole lot about them, but what about a white lipped python? From what I understand Northerns top out around 7-8 feet and Southerns get closer to 10 feet. The Northerns appear to be at the top of your size preference, but after a very quick glance around the web they might be something you'd be interested in. Maybe check them out and do some homework?

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this is a really poor recommendation. If you are unfamiliar with the species, probably it would be best not to recommend it to others.

I'd go for hog island boas too! They're a small locality boa and docile.

Reading about the length of certain snake species sounds intimidating, but a 6 foot boa is smaller than you imagine (it was smaller than I imagined, at least LOL). How "big" a snake seems depends on each species and their girth. A 6' longicauda is much thinner/smaller than a 6' blood python.

For example, my dumeril's is around 5'6"~5'8" right now. When she is curled up, she is still small enough for me to cradle on one arm. When I originally got her at around 3'6", I was imagining that a 6 foot snake is the maximum size I would want to handle, and that 7~8 feet is way too large. Turns out, I really want my dumeril's to grow to 7~8 feet now, because 6 feet is smaller than I imagined. :D

This is considering you probably want to start with a juvie and watch it grow. You'll adapt very easily to handling as it grows.

BRB's will require extensive research and getting their setup and humidity spot-on. Not that any snake species doesn't require research and the right setup, but having humidity drop is particularly dangerous for a BRB.

I agree with Hog Island Boa all the way !!!!

Sounds PERFECT for the requirements.

And there are quite the Beauties out there, tame, fun, easy, but still enough snake to be exciting :)

I'm also in the camp not to disregard all Colubrids. The Russian (Korean) Ratsnake is hands down the MOST personable (if there is such a thing) snake I have ever come across. Easy to house. Unless your house is kept very cool, you don't even have to give special heat, perhaps just a lamp with a nice basking spot. Yes, a lamp. They don't mind being out in the open, in the light. You can give them a large cage, they LOVE to climb. They are nosy. Always watching and up for adventure. Very , very cool and definitely under rated snakes. Can look a bit plain as babies but turn stunning as adults. Did I say they were FUN ? Not exactly small either, when adults. The only problem is finding one. They aren't expensive, but not many people breed them.

They are usually available in the spring. There are quite a few cool youtube videos of them...

Omg +1 for russian rat snakes though, if you want to look into colubrids.

I thought I wasn't into colubrids either, until I saw a keeper with one (I think is on the forum sometimes?). She posts videos of her russian rat, and it is honestly such a personable snake. You'll rarely hear people talking about any snake species as "social and personable", because 99% really are not, but everybody will tell you about how inquisitive and personable russian rat snakes are. It seems to be the general consensus all around.

You can see their little brains making decisions about what's going on around them. They're active and docile, but not active in a loopy/crazy way like some other colubrids are. (sorry corn snakes) Very very easy to keep too, since they live in a very cool climate, so no idea why they're not more recommended as a beginner species. Maybe due to their size.

a lot of votes for BRB. can't really argue with that. but, I think columbian rainbow is even better. I've found them to be much more relaxed that brazilian. but be aware that they look almost identical to BRB as hatchlings, but have quite a different look as adults. BRB will retain their pattern. CRB wil become somewhat mono-tone, but have a beautiful iridescence. I think CRB would be an excellent first snake.

uh oh, now you've done it, now I have a yet another snake to add to the list of someday maybe, The Russian (Korean) Ratsnake. you are right, there are some fun you tubes out there about them!

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Originally Posted by zina10

I agree with Hog Island Boa all the way !!!!

Sounds PERFECT for the requirements.

And there are quite the Beauties out there, tame, fun, easy, but still enough snake to be exciting :)

I'm also in the camp not to disregard all Colubrids. The Russian (Korean) Ratsnake is hands down the MOST personable (if there is such a thing) snake I have ever come across. Easy to house. Unless your house is kept very cool, you don't even have to give special heat, perhaps just a lamp with a nice basking spot. Yes, a lamp. They don't mind being out in the open, in the light. You can give them a large cage, they LOVE to climb. They are nosy. Always watching and up for adventure. Very , very cool and definitely under rated snakes. Can look a bit plain as babies but turn stunning as adults. Did I say they were FUN ? Not exactly small either, when adults. The only problem is finding one. They aren't expensive, but not many people breed them.

They are usually available in the spring. There are quite a few cool youtube videos of them...

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