Which One For Me? (BP, RTB, JCP, WP, etc.)

If you haven't looked into them I would highly recommend the Argentine Boa. They are big, beautiful, and docile. My roommate had one that I was awesome. I'm considering getting one of them, I really miss toko! Another great option would be a dumerils boa, also get larger and heavier and is very docile. Of course balls are also a great first snake. I started with 1 now I have 10 lol. Can't have enough ball pythons!

I kept my tubs closed with bungee cords, but I've seen racks built so that the tub takes up the whole slot so you cannot open the lid unless you slide the tub out. I'm on my phone right now so link searching would be difficult, but there are definitely threads for DIY tubs on here. Hopefully someone on a computer can link to some. :)

And yes, mikoh4752 is right. I was writing this at 2am last night, I guess my brain was already asleep lol. What I meant was that BCI=Boa constrictor imperiator, and that my recommendation was for the BCI Colombian RTB, since that's the subspecies I own and am familiar with.

For a first time I'd go with a BP, easiest snake I know of that will have girth when an adult, you don't need a big 75gal tank they tend to like to stay in small places where they feel secure a 40gal breeder should work for its entire life unless you over feed it. Mine has never bit and never skipped a F/T meal but from what I hear I may just be lucky. I would avoid a Boa since they seem to need a temp. maintained within a few degrees to stay healthy and humidity can be tough to keep up at the levels they need unless you live in a naturally humid place (unlike me). If you go with a BP I'd go with a morph if you can spend the money on it, you should be able to find something pretty to look at for $500 or less (check out bumble bees if you like yellow/black). You could find a nice looking Boa for a lot less but I would avoid for the reason I already gave. a CP as people have said are a bit more aggressive and unless you are already comfortable with handling snakes (which I assume you are not since this will be your first) I'd take a BP and if you find yourself comfortable and in love with the idea of owning a snake get a CP later and expand your collection. Be in mind you're in for a pet that can live up to 30+ years so you better like what you pick out, I hate reading about pets that need to be saved because their owners neglect them.

I apologize for not reading your whole post but stand by the suggestion. If someone was new to guns and looking for a first I'd suggest a .22 for learning safe handling protocol. If you want something with a thicker body I would suggest something pituophis(like a pine or bull) but your maximum cage dimensions wouldn't do for a large, active colubrid. Out of your list, anything but the ball python would be pushing your original spacing limits. Otherwise, of those I'd suggest the JCP solely on their being fairly cold hardy. I don't think they're like a chainsaw at all. They can be defensive as youngsters - many species are - but generally calm right down with a bit of size. Also, if you haven't, check out some of the myriad of kingsnake options.

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Originally Posted by loud

If you'd be able to answer any of the questions about carpet pythons above, I'd also appreciate it :) How large is the enclosure you have for your jungle carpet python?

Sounds like both you and threezero love the more active, "fiestier" (as threezero says) snakes! Do you handle them frequently? This will be my only snake and I really would like to have one I could handle frequently, and let out into the room occasionally. Is this an unrealistic expectation, or a perfectly fine plan?.

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Sorry for the delay, been under the weather.

Okay, first off, on enclosure size -- my girl is (at 6.5 feet) currently in a 36" long X 23" deep X 18" high cage with a Radiant Heat Panel mounted in the ceiling.

Care is pretty basic. She has an approximately 90 degree basking area. Ambient in the coolest part of the cage is in the upper 70's. Her humidity is around 55%, but I don't worry about it.

Temperament I'd call her gentle but moody. When she was a baby, I handled her a lot because I wanted a tame display snake. As an adult, I probably handle her a couple times a week, whenever she wants out or when I have to clean her cage. I've had two jungles; Sheila and a male I had in high school through my first year of college. (My first python.) Neither went through a nippy stage, but this hit or miss. Orion was always very deliberate. As a baby, Sheila was what I can only describe as a spastic bootlace.

Size/Feeding These kind of belong under the same heading. Carpets love to eat. I fed Sheila once a week as a juvenile. She now takes 1 extra large rat every 2-3 weeks. One of the biggest challenges in feeding carpets is keeping them from getting fat. Jungles in particular are not intended to be heavy-bodied snakes. But it's really easy to keep them from getting too plump with climbing props and handling.

As a baby, honestly, it's cute how enthusiastic they are. Grown up, it can be a little daunting. But that's what long tongs are for.

Price is hugely dependent on the baby's lineage. Babies out of excellent parents from bloodlines known for producing super sexy black and yellow adults cost more than Jungles out of unknown parents, mutts, unattractive parents, etc. Most baby Jungles are somewhere between $75 - $200. Most I see around here (the PNW) are like, $100-$150. Yearlings may cost a bit more.

As far as total price, something to keep in mind (true for ball pythons, too) -- you're not looking at one cage for the entire lifetime of the snake. A hatchling/juvie carpet can live happily in a 10-20 gal long for up to a year and a half. That's time to save toward the more expensive adult cage . . . Or talk a handy friend into building one. Tanks can be found for $5 at garage sales and can be made snake-tight pretty darned easily. That saves money for the heating element (I like Ultratherm UTHs for this kind of thing) and the even more important, can't live without it, thermostat.

So, as far as Jungles . . .

Pros: Beautiful! Great size for someone who wants a larger snake that doesn't handle like a cumbersome, stout snake. They mostly cruise when out and like to go up. They're very inquisitive. Feed like clockwork. Love to perch, especially once they get some size and confidence, so a great display. Their head shape. Just cool. Seems less prone to stressing than ball pythons.

Cons: Expect to have to tame it. This is easy and I recommend the use of thin gloves. The intense feeding response. At the same time, Jungles can be a hassle when switching from mice to rats. More frequent cage cleaning than a BP. The poop of an adult carpet is basically like that of a medium-sized dog. Sometimes less, sometimes A LOT more.


Other? For both price and handling, I'd also recommend a baby if you decide to go with a Jungle. Mine is wonderful, and I love her, but something I do not do is open her cage after dark. Not unless she is in desperate need of cleaning. She's in pure feeding mode after the sun goes down. That's her time, I'm okay with it. She is also trained to expect feeding when I click open her cage in a certain way, and handling in another. I do this consistently. She's also learned the routine before I feed her (specifically) and gets very excited on her feeding nights. It makes feeding her interesting, but I think it also highlights one of the things I really like about her. As far as snakes go, she's pretty clever. I can't compare her to a mammal, but you can tell someone's home.

Really, if it's between a JCP and a BP, both are great pets. BPs do take up less space . . . But the carpet is a lot fun.

Sorry for the delayed response everyone! Was out of town, but am back now. Been trying to do some research and reading in the meanwhile :)

A question about tubs! This might sound like a really absurd question, but I have a hard time telling the difference between the snake tubs and, well, regular old storage tubs. What is the difference? If you use a heating pad, is there a particular reason that a large plastic storage tub would not work for a snake? Intuitively, I am thinking "of course you can't put a snake in a storage tub", but logically, I don't understand why. Would love a explanation, if anyone gets the chance!

So my sister showed me a post the other day on Craigslist advertising a JCP and its set up for sale. The set up sounds good, although more than I'd be willing to spend when I can get most of that new for a similar price. Plus, I'm not a fan of the snake posted and would like something with more vibrant colors. What did make me curious, however, was the size of the snake. 2 years old and not even 2 feet long? Is that a JCP's normal rate of growth?

Artgecko - huge thanks for the link, and the reminder to look at the stickies!! I'm on a few forums so I'm too used to scrolling past the stickies without a second thought. Will definitely take a look now, and the DIY tub post is very helpful. Will be keeping that page bookmarked for sure!

I will also keep my eye for good deals on reliable thermostats. I'll browse through Craigslist over the next few months and see if I can find anything... and even if I can't, it sounds like a worthy investment. I'll be certain to add that on my "must buy" list.

Okay, and another huge thank you for the recommendation to look up vendors. I did find the page (http://www.nwreptileexpos.com/vendors-portland/) and will be sure to look each individual vendor up. That's really great advice, especially because I had been wondering how you differentiate the reputable and untrustworthy sellers. Thanks!!

DTK - thanks! I'll look into them, although from the sounds of it boas require the most room out of all the types I listed? Really the boas seem like the most ideal snake for me, if only it weren't for the amount of space they need.

xFenrir - okay, got it! Thanks for letting me know, and Artgecko did indeed link me to a great DIY tub thread :) So far all the abbreviations and classifications are all Greek to me, but I'm sure I'll learn along the way!

aaront126 - thanks, ball pythons are definitely at the top of my list right now. They are everything that I am looking for, I'm just too easily distracted by the looks of jungle carpet pythons LOL Thanks for the thoughts on boas as well, that is good to know. I would definitely want a hardier snake that won't suffer if I make a few mistakes here and there. Of course, I'll try my best not to, but sometimes it just happens.

I'm definitely aware of the lifespan of snakes, but no worries! Neglect won't be a problem. I'm a very avid animal lover and enthusiast, and make a full commitment to every pet I bring into my home. And if, for some unforeseen reason, it becomes too much for me, I know when and how to responsibly rehome an animal.

John1982 - please don't apologize, I really appreciate hearing your thoughts and opinions! I didn't expect anyone to read through that essay of an OP anyway LOL So I should probably be apologizing ;)

I will keep your suggestion in mind, but to be honest the metaphor doesn't really work in my situation. I do not see myself ever purchasing another snake, and this is meant to be my only one. I'm currently still a student and most of my money and space is devoted to my dog, cat, and photography hobby. I know a snake isn't the most high maintenance pet ever, and that it's not a big jump going from one to two, but it is one more life to be responsible for. While I'd have zero qualms about reselling one gun to purchase a prettier one, you can't really apply it to snakes :)

I do understand where you are going, though, and that is a good point to think about. I'm definitely trying not to get a snake that is too much for me. Thanks for your advice, I'll be sure to take it to heart.

Alicia - wow! Thank you once again for such a detailed and helpful response. A great breakdown of the facts and your experience!

I really don't mind a nippy baby (I still have scars up and down my legs and arms from my dog, he was a hellion and a landshark). I will happily handle regularly to familiarize the snake with being held and being out and about. I just hope that it won't be a permanent part of its innate temperament.

I did not know that they aren't supposed to be heavy bodied! A lot of the pictures of jungle carpets I've seen show an awfully thick snake around the midsection, and I've always found it a little off looking. I'll be sure to keep this in mind.

Ah, and thanks for the input on price! I'm also in the PNW so that certainly helps! The expo I'm going to in January is the one in Portland :) Hope I can meet some JCPs there - it's definitely just the vivid/contrasty ones that I'm interested in. I did hear someone say that their color improves with each shed (which makes sense), but how would I know, looking at the babies, that they'll look (as you say) super sexy? LOL! That is an excellent way to describe them. There really is something incredible about the color and pattern of the yellow and black.

I'm really grateful for everyone's advice and input in this thread! I did not even realize that I could start off with a small tank for the first year. That would actually take a huge load off the expenses! How fast do they normally grow? I saw the ad on Craigslist with a 2 year old JCP that was about 1.5 - 1.8 feet (I think), which surprised me, but do carpet pythons just grow at a slower rate?

Could you elaborate just a little about switching from feeding mice to rats? Do they get a little bit picky when you switch food on them? And bah, I didn't even remember to account for poop. Ew :P Oh well, there are worse things to deal with in the world.

Neat idea to condition them to differentiate between feeding time and nonfeeding time. I will probably follow your example and try that as well! Really, they sound like fantastic snakes to own. I'm very naturally drawn to animals with more personality (and sometimes just a touch of crazy), but want to make a responsible decision because I'm very much a beginner. I was at a pet store the other day (roommate was picking up a couple of pet rats), and saw a corn snake and a ball python in adjacent tanks. The corn snake was climbing all over the props and the edges of a ceiling, while the ball python didn't move the entire hour we were there. I didn't expect anything else, of course, but that did make me realize that I liked a more active snake. I'm still very fond of BPs, though!

I just use a regular old sterilite tub from Walmart :) Shouldn't run you more than 15 bucks if you get a really large one. I'll let all the other experts on your favored species chime in on the rest!

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Originally Posted by MootWorm

I just use a regular old sterilite tub from Walmart :) Shouldn't run you more than 15 bucks if you get a really large one. I'll let all the other experts on your favored species chime in on the rest!

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Yeah I just use normal sterilite tubs I get at walmart also

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Well then! I'll probably go with a tub in that case, and spend the money I save on a good thermostat instead. Just looking around, I can find good sized tubs for a fairly low price, such as these two here and here. Considering that tubs are so much cheaper than terrariums/tanks, what are the advantages of the latter? It seems that the majority of non-breeders/non-collectors use tanks? Or maybe that's just me and my limited experience.

Thanks for the responses!! Definitely helps :)

Aesthetics, mostly. Tanks tend to look a bit better than tubs. Although tubs I get are pretty clear, and if you want, you can get the taller ones and decorate it as a naturalistic enclosure. You can also use a heat emitter to supplement if you can't get your ambients up, although I'm sure with a big enough tub you could modify it to handle a light without melting. Tanks are also pretty popular because that's what's pushed by petstores :) I'd much rather have a tub though. They're light, easy to clean, and work quite well for my purposes. But to each their own.