Ribbon Snakes for a young/beginner herp

Is there any general advice or wisdom you can share for a young herp enthusiast about to get his first Ribbon Snake?

Will it be your first snake? If so, my advice is this: don't get one! They are usually wild caught and riddled with parasites (this is why they are cheap), and have tricky diet requirements unless you can convert them to mice. Oh and did I mention that they don't take well to handling. Get a cornsnake! Similarly sized as adults, but easy to find captive bred and eating frozen-thawed. They come in a host of cheap yet stunning morphs, and are great to handle. Best of luck, and feel free to ask me any questions you may have.

Ribbon snakes aren't the best because of their diet. Garter snakes are similar, but you definitely want one that is captive bred and eating some kind of rodent..

I really suggest a corn snake or rat snake as a first snake, they are beautiful and very tame.

I agree with the above. Garter snakes and ribbon snakes don't make very good first time pet snakes as they aren't too tolerant of handling always and are tricky to feed. As others have said, a corn snake would be a great place to start since they're similar sized colubrids and are very easy and affordable to buy. They're super hardy and very easy to handle!

yes this will be my first snake thanks for the advice but do you know any tips on how to take care of one?

are eastern ribbon snakes as bad or are all of them bad pets???

Thanks for the advice, I am getting a young snake so that I can tame it

Thank you for your advice. Is it difficult to convert them to mice eaters?

I really wanted to get a Ribbon Snake but if they are difficult to handle and feed, I'll have to consider some other options.

Thanks!

A ribbon snake is a rotten choice for a first pet snake.

Or a second pet snake.

Or a third pet snake.

Some fairly bulletproof and budget wise first snakes are:

1. Spotted pythons
2. Children's pythons
3. Corn snakes
4. Gopher snakes
5. Milk snakes
6. King snakes

and if you can find them:

7. Russian rat snakes.

Okay I might get a Corn snake but I'm not sure if my 20 gallon tank is large enough for one. Should I get a bigger one? Thanks!:snake:

If it's 20 gallon long then that will be good for a corn snakes whole life. If it's not long then you should get one that is!

Thank you for your information is a 20 gallon also good for a California King snake? And should a Cornsnake have a climbing stick? ;) :snake:

Cornsnakes don't need a climbing stick but if you want it go ahead and put it in there! And I'm 95% sure a 20 gallon long is great for king snakes too.

okay thanks so much I really appreciate it guys
:bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow::bow:
:):):):):):):):):):):):)0000

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by theodore

Okay I might get a Corn snake but I'm not sure if my 20 gallon tank is large enough for one. Should I get a bigger one? Thanks!:snake:

---

Garter and Ribbon aren't really good pet snakes to be honest, because of like others said the diet requirements. Then to add the fact that you're most likely going to end up with a wild caught one and the problems down the road. I'd take Skiploaders advice on the species he listed. I'm not 100% sure as to how big they get(corns) but I know that my friend had a 5 foot one, so I'd say get a male and get a baby one, that 20 gal would suffice for quite awhile. Then you can always upgrade to a larger one later down the road. A reptile show is a cheap place to get tanks as well.

Thanks for the help

i'd recommend at least a 3x2x1.5 for adult kings and corns. 20 gallon tanks are only 30 inches x 12. That's 2.5 cubic feet of floor space... for a snake that can potentially get up to 4-5 feet(sometimes 6 depending on what you get).

A 20g long tank is plenty big enough for a corn snake throughout its whole life. My first corn snake has been in a 20g long since I got him as a baby he is about 18 inches ling now and only ever is in 1 of 3 spots in the tank in 1 of his 2 hides or under his water bowl. He used to climb alot when he was younger but as he got a little older he stopped using the tree. So you can put a climbing stick in but a corn probably wont use it much

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

Thanks all of you who helped me on this subject!!!!!!! :gj: I really appreciate all of your time, and help!!!!! I am looking into all of the suggested snakes so that I might find the perfect one for me. Thank you all!!!!!

OK I'm gonna come out and say it. A full grown corn snake or just about any other full grown rat, king or milk snake shouldnt be housed in a 20 gallon long it's entire life. That's a great size to start out with, but any active 4-5' snake (possibly bigger) should be given more room. If you end up with a corn or other smaller species of North American colubrid, a good size tank would be a 40 gallon breeder. And if money is tight, go to Walmart and buy a sterilite 110 tub. It's about the same dimensions as the 40, but costs $15.

Good advice for any newbie just starting out is take all advice given with a grain of salt. Including my own. Check multiple sources and verify any opinions. Good luck with whatever you choose, and make sure and show off some pics of your new critter! Also pics of your enclosure would be a great way to get some constructive criticism, and make any adjustments.

Great info and have fun Getting your new pet, I find the King Snakes to be great pets and you have an amazing number of paint jobs, Are you looking in a local pet store or buying off the Web ? If you pick a king or corn let us know we love new Baby Snakes. I'M kinda partial to King Snakes the Mexican Black is full of personality and my Theyers are also full of personality.

Sent from my SGH-T999