Empty tank! Ideas?

Our Ball Python passed away last October, and since then her tank has been sitting empty. It seems like such a waste to have a full set up just laying around with nothing in it, so my boyfriend and I are looking for something to occupy it! :)

The tank is a 40gal. breeder, with a UTH. We want a snake, but I dunno if I want another Ball Python, after all we went through with Loki... Not really into corns, sand boas, or hognoses... We like the bigger ones like Cali Kings, bullsnakes and ratsnakes. But there's so many snakes out there that I've barely heard anything about! Any ideas for a good-sized snake that would be okay in the setup we have? And we'd like one that has a cool pattern or color to it.

Bci or bcc

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Originally Posted by nick654377

Bci or bcc

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A full-grown BCI or BCC is WAY too big for a 40gal. I'm looking for something that would be able to live in it for its whole life.

Thanks though!

blood python

You can't go wrong with Cali Kings or Bulls, I have 2.2 Calis and a Snow bull male and they're fun and very hardy! (BTW Cali Kings get around the same size as Corns, they aren't on the bigger side). They both will burrow though given the opportunity, so keep that in mind that they both might not hang out in the open all the time.

And with bloods, I personally wouldn't put a blood into a 40gallon breeder tank: in my experience with my two (SSTP and a T+ albino) they do much better in tubs and most females will need an actual viv when adults: at least 4' with 6' for massive females.

Male IJ carpet :)

Savu Python! Black snake, white belly, and white eyes! Iridescence is always a plus too :)

A blood will not be happy in a 40 gal tank as an adult. Usually they will require a cage around 4x2, mine does.

I think you were on the right track with a king snake. They have all kinds of patterns and sizes to choose from. I had a speckled Cali king years back and really enjoyed it. Fun to handle and ate like a champ.

Cali kings, bull snakes, rat snakes, and milks are all nice and recommended.

Specific recommendations/snakes I would get: Sinolan or Tangerine Milk snake, Arizona mtn king, Nelson's milk, Cali king, king snakes and rat snakes in general.

Some pics for ideas-

Albino Black Rat snake:

http://i1254.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1e2533c6.jpg

Grey Rat snake:

http://i1254.photobucket.com/albums/...ps9315f8a9.jpg

Albino Ruthven's King snake:

http://i1254.photobucket.com/albums/...psf094ac32.jpg

Arizona Mtn king:

http://i1254.photobucket.com/albums/...psbd938521.jpg

Mandarin Rat Snake:

http://i1254.photobucket.com/albums/...pse7cdc12e.jpg


Good luck with your search. :D

These ideas are all awesome, thanks! What's the price range on most of these breeds/morphs?

I like the grey rat snake with the wide bands, pretty cool.

depending on your local laws. Display animals (not to be played with): Albino Western Diamond Back. on avg. $250, Eastern Coral avg. $125, Monocle cobras avg $75-$100. If you arent comfortable with hot herps. i'd vote on the grey rat snake or maybe a nice milk snake.

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Originally Posted by H.o.F.R

depending on your local laws. Display animals (not to be played with): Albino Western Diamond Back. on avg. $250, Eastern Coral avg. $125, Monocle cobras avg $75-$100. If you arent comfortable with hot herps. i'd vote on the grey rat snake or maybe a nice milk snake.

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Definitely NOT looking for any hots, lol. We'd like one we can freehandle without a trip to the hospital. :(

Also, the sturdier/easier to care for the snake is, the better. Since we aren't living together at the moment and they will be housed at my boyfriends', I want to avoid getting a snake that would need more care. Not saying my boyfriend can't handle it, I just know I would go stir-crazy if I couldn't make sure everything was right all the time. That's why we ruled out BRB's, Bloods (for size reasons as well), GTP's, ETB's and ATB's because of their more demanding husbandry requirements.

We like Carpets, but would a male IJ or a Jungle do well in a 40gal. breeder? I know the "breeder" is bigger than a regular 40, but I still don't know if it would have enough room. Also REALLY love the BEL ratsnakes I've seen. I think it's really between ratsnakes and bullsnakes right now (unless we knew a Carpet would be a choice also), so anyone knows cool morphs of them that wouldn't bust our bank accounts? :P

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Originally Posted by Valentine Pirate

Savu Python! Black snake, white belly, and white eyes! Iridescence is always a plus too :)

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I can't find ANY good caresheets on these guys! It's all just vague and basic info. Would love to see if one of these would work out too, I LOVE the white eyes! :D

Rhino rat snake. Just because.

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Originally Posted by xFenrir

These ideas are all awesome, thanks! What's the price range on most of these breeds/morphs?

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The ablino black rat I got for $50 off a guy I once worked with who was a breeder. The grey bands I don't remember but the rest were $125-$200. I'm guessing cause of morph/rarity. The mandarin rat snake was gorgeous in person.

For general purposes, kings, rats, corns, and milks will probably cost $40-$125 for the more common depending on morph, who/where you get the snake from. Just like BPs, morph and rarity up the price.*






*Disclaimer: From my experiences, most of these snakes I have seen in the price range stated.

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Originally Posted by KMG

I like the grey rat snake with the wide bands, pretty cool.

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:I agree:

I have another picture of a different grey band but can't find it now. If I find it, the pic will get posted. They were really nice to see in person and were male and female. There was an offer to buy them together if I remember right.

this ones a no brainer, put an IJ or a jungle carpet in that thing.

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Originally Posted by lefty

this ones a no brainer, put an IJ or a jungle carpet in that thing.

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Will a male Carpet be okay in a 40gal breeder?

A male Irian Jaya carpet python should do just fine. The IJs are smaller than the average carpet.

Bulls, kings, and rats are all excellent choices - I love the patterns of mandarin rats (that was the grey snake with the black and yellow pattern someone posted earlier) and you don't see them very often so they're rather unusual.

And actually, if you put the tank on its end and create some sturdy horizontal perches, a 40gal breeder is just fine for a GTP or Amazon tree boa. I wouldn't go smaller than that, but it should be ok. It would, however, take some permanent adjustments to the tank and I don't know if you want to do that. I have a 40gal breeder myself that I may customize for another GTP.

So my short list would be:

male Irian Jaya carpet
mandarin rat snake
Green tree python

:D

Well the vote is in: if we can't find a ratsnake we like at the show in March (preferably a leucistic), then an IJ Carpet it is. :)

Have you take Dumeril's boas into consideration? From what I've heard, they're even smaller than BCIs.

Children's, Spotted, or Woma pythons?
Or if legal in your area Indigo snakes?
So many interesting snakes and only one tank, I don't envy you having to narrow it down to just one.

Edit: Angolan pythons are a personal favourite, and within the next few years will be added to my collection.

Anyone suggest a Taiwanese Beauty snake yet? (excuse my horrible spelling)
The name does not give this snake justice!!!!!!! If you can find one and purchase it, you will not be disapointed!
It will be more than happy in a 40gal breeder. Best looking snake in the planet, in my oppinion, at least lol :)

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Anyone suggest a Taiwanese Beauty snake yet? (excuse my horrible spelling)
The name does not give this snake justice!!!!!!! If you can find one and purchase it, you will not be disapointed!
It will be more than happy in a 40gal breeder. Best looking snake in the planet, in my oppinion, at least lol :)

I feel a Dumerils would eventually need a bigger tank than a 40 gal. :( I'm looking for something that can live in that tank for it's whole life. (Although I'm SO tempted to pick up a baby BCI and in a few years build another enclosure.)

Plus we're going to be picking up the snake at the show near (relatively) to us, and they really only have Balls, Cornsnakes, Carpets, and then a smaller variety of BCI's, kingsnakes and small boas. I've seen GTP's there once or twice too. But the show is relatively small-scale so the variety isn't that big, so if it's a less common snake they probably won't have it. :(

Weeeeeeell my bf said that he WASN'T planning on picking up another snake at the show next weekend. He said he was thinking more like the end of the school semester looking for one, but I bet he caves when we get to the show. xD I mean, how can you resist baby snakes?!


Everyone I talk to gets that "wft is this girls' disability?!" look in their eye when I gush about how cute baby snakes are. But they've got these big ol' eyes and little tongues and those noodle-worm looks that I can't see why people DON'T think they're cute. :D It's even cuter when they get all angry and huffy! :P

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Originally Posted by xFenrir

Everyone I talk to gets that "wft is this girls' disability?!" look in their eye when I gush about how cute baby snakes are. But they've got these big ol' eyes and little tongues and those noodle-worm looks that I can't see why people DON'T think they're cute. :D It's even cuter when they get all angry and huffy! :P

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Baby snakes = adorable. :-)

Gratz on your decision. :crosses fingers you find something awesome: :D

Black tail cribo!!!!!!

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Originally Posted by Herpenthusiast3

Black tail cribo!!!!!!

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Sorry. I was a little late on the post. Congrats on your decision. :)

wow that grey rat snake look so cool!