new to the forum

new to the forum, I have never had any type of snake before, but i do keep lizards(5 to be exact). I was interested in getting a snake, i hear that ball pythons are good to start with, is there another snake that maybe easier to care for and as cool as pythons?

Depends on what you are looking for...

If you want something that will "sit" with you then bloods and balls are your best bet; however, if you want something more active then carpets are a common choice. They both cost about the same for average and moderate level morphs and husbandry is rather similar, just a few differences. Just let us know.

I am a huge BP fan personally but it depends on what you're wanting on temperament. I think they are super easy to care for, so much so that I have accumulated 6 since the beginning of October and I wouldn't look back!

They can be kept in storage boxes (with the right ventilation, heat mat and thermostat etc) so need relatively little enclosures and are relatively cheap to house. (I have one in a vivarium and the other 5 in tubs and I prefer the tubs. They don't need big space!) They only grow to around 5ft-6ft max and are relatively docile!

They are one of the snakes put down as suitable beginner snakes as well as a corn snake.

What exactly are you looking for in the snake you may purchase so we might be able to direct you in the right way?

Agreed, corn snakes make good starter snakes for many. They come in a variety of colors, are relatively cheap and easy to maintain, stay a reasonable size. But corns won't sit and hang with you as well as a ball python.

If you're looking for a "buddy", get a ball.

I do like to handle my pets. So definitely a snake that will chill with me when I decide to handle. Balls are ball pythons but what are bloods?

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http://www.a1pythons.com/blood.htm

A little information on blood pythons, I don't own any myself but Bryan from BHB reptiles does do some of his youtube "snake bytes" shows on them. They are not as popular as the ball python but a perfectly good snake to have.

With my BP's (well my bigger boy) I can just stick him on my neck and chill or let him have a little wander on my bed under supervision. They're not as active or quick as some of the colubrids (e.g corn snakes) The best thing to do is a quick online search into the different types and find the care sheets and read up on them; they'll give you the basics so you can work out which would fit into your life. Snakes are very simple to care for, whilst you can get the beautiful corn morphs a lot cheaper than BP morphs if you are just looking for a one gene or normal BP they are priced quite reasonably. As you would guess, higher end and double/triple gene BP morphs etc get more expensive as time goes on.

Looking into morphs will drive you mad, you'll either be baffled or want them all! I have a pastel BP, het albino BP, bumblebee BP, spider BP, albino BP and het genetic stripe BP. The het BP's look exactly like a normal to the eye but carry the genes for whatever they are het for.

Corn's just didn't interest me personally. For a first snake I would stay away from the burms as they can grow huge and require more experience. I was basically clueless when I bought my first snake but through a little time and help on this forum I don't feel so lost anymore!

Anything else which particularly caught your eye? Some people like the boa's rather than the pythons. All down to personal preference :)

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Originally Posted by kingkung

I do like to handle my pets. So definitely a snake that will chill with me when I decide to handle. Balls are ball pythons but what are bloods?

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Blood and short-tailed pythons are kind of the boas of the python world, growing a moderate length of 4-7ft they are a bulky usually placid species. Do quite well in shallow but wide tubs throughtout their lives...minimum cage dimensions are 3.5ft long X 18" inches wide. Browse here and get a feel for their looks...
http://market.kingsnake.com/index.php?cat=95

I think that balls and corns are a little more forgiving as far husbandry goes. Corns are great beginner snakes as well. They may not sit as still as a ball will but they are easy to handle and I can sit on the couch with mine no problem.

What is the difference between pythons abs boas

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Where they're from originally, boa's give birth to live young whereas pythons lay eggs, pythons have heat pits whereas boa's don't...etc

Also they look different like comparing a german shepherd to a staffordshire bull terrier I suppose, where both are dogs but different types of dogs. Both constrict around their prey and some boa's can stay around the same size as ball pythons. Some pretty boa's out there too, I like the rainbow boa's if I was ever to get one :)