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 :)

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Originally Posted by Naom9Anne

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 :)

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Corallus caninus possesses infared thermal sensors as well. Boas and Python differ primarily in reproduction, with pythons generally laying eggs and boas usually giving live birth. The theory is that the common ancestor of boas and pythons split when certain individuals became better suited to actively pursuing prey these populations eventually became the pythons whereas the others that preferred ambushing their prey became boas. Eventually natural selection and genetic drift favored pythons who could lay eggs and immediately begin hunting once again, whereas boas preferred live birth due to being an ambush predator. There are of course gray areas though, for example, burms and bloods are generally ambush predators yet are classified as pythons and, I forget the species, but I believe taxonomists still accept a species of sand boa as a boa even though the species lays eggs. There is much controversy and many gray areas.

It all depends on what you want. Corns are easy beginner snakes that move around a lot. Balls are easy beginner snakes that chill. If you want one that gets bigger than a ball then a blood. Corns are a bit easier in husbandry than Balls but I prefer balls. I want a snake that will relax and not be schitzoid energy. I get that enough from my dog lol. To me Ball Pythons are the perfect snake for me. You might want one with a bit more energy than I do. Also for starter snakes I would not go for one of the large constrictors. Ive heard of people getting rock pythons and burmese pythons as a starter snake then neglecting it when it got too big and scary to them to care for. Also feeding them is more expensive than one of the small constrictors. What ever you choose make sure you are ready for the care that goes into the snake. Good luck on what ever you choose.

As a beginner myself we considered a rosy boa as a good starter snake. We ended up with an adult femal normal ball and are very happy with her.

All I can advise is research, research, research! Go to shows/stores and have a look at what they have and get a feel for the different snakes. When you decide which one you want from viewing and handling (you don't have to buy from a pet store, find a good local breeder but pet stores will be good for getting a little bit of a feel) you can look into research for that particular animal.

Find a local breeder or rep show (rep shows aren't a huge option here in the UK, here it is a breeder or a reptile specific store) and find out prices to see if you can buy straight out or if you can pay in chunks. Before getting your BP get the enclosure and set it up to get you husbandry spot on. Depending on what you get may depend on your set up and also depending on if you want a good display depends on if you would go for a tub (storage box with secure handles jigged for ventilation etc) or a tank. Tubs work well for BP's as they don't need a lot of room and you just upgrade as needs be. You can get advice on sizes depending on age of the BP on here if you were to go for one for example. They make sure you get your heating equipment, THERMOSTAT I put this in capitals as it is vital!!!, hides (cold end and hot end), water bowl, you can use something as simple as paper towels or newspaper for substrate or aspen etc, a digital hygrometer/thermometer is essential for checking the humidity and temperatures in whatever enclosure you decide to go for. This is a basic set up. You need a lot of these things for all snakes regardless of what you go for. Difference may be in type of enclosure.

Read care sheets. I found a combination of these and this forum really helped me. Make sure you have the means to feed them and heat them, they're not too expensive to care for until you start getting into the bigger numbers.

Let us know what you decide on!! :D

I personally like ball pythons. They're very easy to take care of, very docile and they grow to 6 ft max. Some Boas could grow from 12-16 feet. That's a little bit too much snake for me ;)

I actually think there are other snakes that are easier to take care of,Bps require attention and to there homes as well???but for tempermement!from my knowledge there the best??they are def very sweet animals.

Would Colombian red tail boas be a good first pet? I'm only asking because I found a good deal on one that is full grown at 7 foot?

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Originally Posted by kingkung

Would Colombian red tail boas be a good first pet? I'm only asking because I found a good deal on one that is full grown at 7 foot?

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I know a lot of people that started with Colombians and are still doing great. How big is the specimen right now? There is no set length for any species, haveing maintained a small breeding colony of 30 boas at my old job I can tell you now that size varies considerable among BCIs (Colombians), I have a male that has maxed out at around 6.5ft and my female might just be flirting with the 9ft mark right now, I have not measured her in a awhile. Care is pretty straight forward. Handeling is a mix, some will sit with you, but most are quite active. Hope that helps, if you want more advice on husbandry just let me know.

Snakes never really stop growing. There are specimens of all species that get really big and some that stay small. It all depends on husbandry and feeding. I wish I could get on my comp and quote some sites but it decided to take a nasty dump on me and I need to get it into my comp guy. I know the largest ball off the top of my head was 6ft. Columbians can be great pets as long as they are properly cared for. You can not skimp on feeding them appropriately and expect them to still be sweethearts. I know of one columbian that honestly should have been put down because of her owner neglecting her. She was aggressive beyond belief. She would track me every time I visited her owner. I also know a burmese thats the same way and has attacked people because of neglect. Ball Pythons are a bit more forgiving. I know my poor girl wasn't fed for almost 6 months because the people who were watching her didn't have the money. She was also in a really disgusting cage, with no heat, or water. I picked her up and she was still sweet to me. I've gotten her fed 2x since I got her back and she is calm and loving to me. She is very head shy now but I am working on that. She hasn't even tried to strike at me or my son and he is fascinated with her and bangs on her enclosure.

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Originally Posted by Phantomtip

Snakes never really stop growing. There are specimens of all species that get really big and some that stay small. It all depends on husbandry and feeding. I wish I could get on my comp and quote some sites but it decided to take a nasty dump on me and I need to get it into my comp guy. I know the largest ball off the top of my head was 6ft. Columbians can be great pets as long as they are properly cared for. You can not skimp on feeding them appropriately and expect them to still be sweethearts. I know of one columbian that honestly should have been put down because of her owner neglecting her. She was aggressive beyond belief. She would track me every time I visited her owner. I also know a burmese thats the same way and has attacked people because of neglect. Ball Pythons are a bit more forgiving. I know my poor girl wasn't fed for almost 6 months because the people who were watching her didn't have the money. She was also in a really disgusting cage, with no heat, or water. I picked her up and she was still sweet to me. I've gotten her fed 2x since I got her back and she is calm and loving to me. She is very head shy now but I am working on that. She hasn't even tried to strike at me or my son and he is fascinated with her and bangs on her enclosure.

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Do not forget the most important part, GENETICS. Snakes, and reptiles in general, never stop growing; however, there is a "max out" point where growth is just too minuscule to be of any real significance. Nice to hear the BP is in a better home. :gj:

I think I am going to get a ball python. The yellow belly looks cool and the normals look cool too. Should I get a baby or adult?

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If you're getting one as a pet, I'd get a baby. It's awesome to watch them grow.

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My first one was a little older than a hatchling as I was a little intimidated by one which was so small and also one which was a little bigger. My others followed quite quickly from her so I have one about 4 months old at 288g, then I got my boy who is around 550g empty who is puppy dog tame and then this week I got some real youngsters.

I would suggest going for a younger snake, it doesn't have to be a hatchling but I think it doesn't matter what size you get. I think getting them young with room to grow so they grow with you and your experience is a good starting point. I have mine ranging from 60g to my 550g boy and the only difference I really found in size it that it is easier for me to put my boy around my neck, the others are a little too small for this but they'll get there and I can't wait to see how they'll look as juvies!

Get a feel for the different sizes and see what you're comfortable with :) if you feel happy with a hatchling go for it, if you feel you want something a little larger on larger prey go for something slightly (but not too much) older, or you could go for a yearling which is slightly bigger still but still has plenty of growth :)

How fast do they grow, do males grow bigger than females?

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Females grow larger than male and there is no set rate of growth but fed correctly it'll weigh around 500-800 grams by about a year old

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If you get a baby its amazing watching them grow...they can put on some size fairly quick. Females will get bigger than males

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A lot can depend on the individual BP, size of prey, how little/often you feed etc

An example: BP bought on 5th October cb13 weighed 200g, dropped to 192g and on weighing last night she 288g.

I haven't had any of my others long enough to compare. My boy is perhaps a year old, maybe less and is sitting at 613g full and aroung 3ft at a rough guess and he is more than manageable. People with older BP's will be able to fill in the gaps I've left :)

I got at a month or 2 old. She's now a little over 3yrs, and 4ft longish. I was feeding her a good sized medium rat now shes back on smalls. I really need to get her weight up. Usually if they are fed properly and are well cared for they will be sweet and loving always unless inshed when they are uncomfortable and very cautious of being hurt. The weight and growth depends on what you feed, and how often. I've heard of some eating nothing but mice hoppers all their lives and some that eat jumbo rats. It all depends on the snake.

When it comes to feeding, I prefer to feed live prey. With my lizards. I have roaches that I feed them and I will gut load the roaches before feeding to my lizards. Is it necessary to gut load a feeder mouse before feeding to your snake?

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No because balls get all the nutrition they need from the rodent. The fod the rodent eats as long as its a good quality and not dog or cat food will suffice the balls needs. They process everything, bones skin internal organ and hair. Sorry I can't spell.

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Originally Posted by Physician&Snakes

I know a lot of people that started with Colombians and are still doing great. How big is the specimen right now? There is no set length for any species, haveing maintained a small breeding colony of 30 boas at my old job I can tell you now that size varies considerable among BCIs (Colombians), I have a male that has maxed out at around 6.5ft and my female might just be flirting with the 9ft mark right now, I have not measured her in a awhile. Care is pretty straight forward. Handeling is a mix, some will sit with you, but most are quite active. Hope that helps, if you want more advice on husbandry just let me know.

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I found a deal on Craig's list. Someone owns a 5-6 foot Colombian red tail boa that they want to get rid of. They have had it for 7 years. It comes with a 3 foot long cage. Debating on if I should do it? It's a good deal.

As long as the prey is feed appropriately that's all the snake needs. Along with quality rodent food I add fresh food as well.

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Research the columbian red tail boa and see if it is something you would be willing to take on. See how big it gets, what it eats (size wise etc) and what husbandry you need for it. Don't just go for it because it is a good deal without doing some good research first. There isn't a guide on what you should have for your first snake, everyone likes different things. If you think this is the snake for you then you could go for it. I like BP's as a personal preference but I wouldn't simply discard other breeds of snake for other people.

I do prefer going for the younger snakes as you grow and learn with them but there is no harm in going for an adult if you feel ready for that.

I found this on google where an owner said she would not recommend for a beginner as they are classed as medium to hard experience level:

"because of their size and care needs, I wouldn’t recommend them to people without at least some experience handling large reptiles, and I wouldn’t dream of recommending them to beginners. I have owned five of them"

And more info I found off the same person about Columbian red tail boas:

Size: Males average between 5-8 feet, females average between 7-10, though I have had females that have been 11-12 feet in length. Keep in mind that a snake that large is very awkward to handle, and can be fifty plus pounds. If you don’t have someone to help you handle the snake as it grows; I would suggest getting a male. It simply isn’t safe to handle any constrictor over eight feet long without another person around, no matter how docile your snake may be. Accidents can and do happen.

Feeding: Feed one appropriately sized rodent weekly. The general rule of thumb is to feed a prey item that is roughly the same in diameter as the widest part of your snake’s body. They have a massive feeding instinct, so it is often best to offer food on tongs. They are capable of taking rats from the time they are babies, and some of the larger females do best with rabbits. PLEASE remember that with rats in particular, it is imperative to feed pre-killed or at least stunned rodents to your snake. NEVER offer a life rat. Rats are very intelligent animals that will fight back; and are quite capable of seriously injuring or even killing your snake.

Temperament: They are generally docile, but must be handled regularly throughout its life in order to make it as friendly as it can possibly be. Babies can be nippy when young, but usually grow out of that stage with frequent handling. Most of them are quite mild mannered, and are one of the best tempered larger constrictors. Please remember that you’ll need someone to help you if you handle any snake longer than six to eight feet long. They seem prone to being moody at times, (particularly the females, for whatever reason) and while not all; some of them will randomly decide that they don’t like certain people for no good reason. For example, my eleven foot female, Bella, loves everyone and is an exceptionally friendly snake, however she absolutely loathes my best friend’s brother. She will lunge at him if he so much as walks by her cage, God forbid he get near her when she is being handled. He has learned to give her a wide berth.

Lifespan: If well cared for; they can live 20+ years in captivity.

Caging requirements: As adults; they need a minimum cage size of 10 square feet. I generally keep my females in cages that are eight feet long by two feet wide by two feet deep, and my males in cages that are six feet long by two feet wide by two feet deep. They do grow pretty quickly, so be prepared to purchase several different cages for them. They seem to do best in closed top, front opening cages that keep the humidity in. If that isn’t practical and you use a typical tank with screen lid set up, try covering most if not all of the top with a towel or something similar to keep the humidity from escaping.

Heating/Humidity: The temperature gradient in the cage should be maintained with a basking spot of 95-97 degrees with an ambient (background) temperature in the low 80’s. This can be achieved by under-tank heating pads, heat lamps, or ceramic heat emitters. They are medium-high humidity snakes that should be kept with a large water dish for drinking and soaking, and should have their cage misted every other day or so, or depending on the substrate you use, up to twice daily.

Substrate: While there are plenty of options out there (repti-bark, aspen, cypress, paper towels, etc) mine have done best when kept on Eco-Earth substrate by Zoo-med. It is compressed coconut dirt that holds humidity very well, doesn’t need to be misted often, seems resistant to mold, is relatively cheap, looks great, and my snakes have all been healthier and better hydrated since I’ve been using it.

Have a read through and see what you think, personally I would say not for your first snake but who am I to dictate your personal choices :)

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Originally Posted by Naom9Anne

Research the columbian red tail boa and see if it is something you would be willing to take on. See how big it gets, what it eats (size wise etc) and what husbandry you need for it. Don't just go for it because it is a good deal without doing some good research first. There isn't a guide on what you should have for your first snake, everyone likes different things. If you think this is the snake for you then you could go for it. I like BP's as a personal preference but I wouldn't simply discard other breeds of snake for other people.

I do prefer going for the younger snakes as you grow and learn with them but there is no harm in going for an adult if you feel ready for that.

I found this on google where an owner said she would not recommend for a beginner as they are classed as medium to hard experience level:

"because of their size and care needs, I wouldn’t recommend them to people without at least some experience handling large reptiles, and I wouldn’t dream of recommending them to beginners. I have owned five of them"

And more info I found off the same person about Columbian red tail boas:

Size: Males average between 5-8 feet, females average between 7-10, though I have had females that have been 11-12 feet in length. Keep in mind that a snake that large is very awkward to handle, and can be fifty plus pounds. If you don’t have someone to help you handle the snake as it grows; I would suggest getting a male. It simply isn’t safe to handle any constrictor over eight feet long without another person around, no matter how docile your snake may be. Accidents can and do happen.

Feeding: Feed one appropriately sized rodent weekly. The general rule of thumb is to feed a prey item that is roughly the same in diameter as the widest part of your snake’s body. They have a massive feeding instinct, so it is often best to offer food on tongs. They are capable of taking rats from the time they are babies, and some of the larger females do best with rabbits. PLEASE remember that with rats in particular, it is imperative to feed pre-killed or at least stunned rodents to your snake. NEVER offer a life rat. Rats are very intelligent animals that will fight back; and are quite capable of seriously injuring or even killing your snake.

Temperament: They are generally docile, but must be handled regularly throughout its life in order to make it as friendly as it can possibly be. Babies can be nippy when young, but usually grow out of that stage with frequent handling. Most of them are quite mild mannered, and are one of the best tempered larger constrictors. Please remember that you’ll need someone to help you if you handle any snake longer than six to eight feet long. They seem prone to being moody at times, (particularly the females, for whatever reason) and while not all; some of them will randomly decide that they don’t like certain people for no good reason. For example, my eleven foot female, Bella, loves everyone and is an exceptionally friendly snake, however she absolutely loathes my best friend’s brother. She will lunge at him if he so much as walks by her cage, God forbid he get near her when she is being handled. He has learned to give her a wide berth.

Lifespan: If well cared for; they can live 20+ years in captivity.

Caging requirements: As adults; they need a minimum cage size of 10 square feet. I generally keep my females in cages that are eight feet long by two feet wide by two feet deep, and my males in cages that are six feet long by two feet wide by two feet deep. They do grow pretty quickly, so be prepared to purchase several different cages for them. They seem to do best in closed top, front opening cages that keep the humidity in. If that isn’t practical and you use a typical tank with screen lid set up, try covering most if not all of the top with a towel or something similar to keep the humidity from escaping.

Heating/Humidity: The temperature gradient in the cage should be maintained with a basking spot of 95-97 degrees with an ambient (background) temperature in the low 80’s. This can be achieved by under-tank heating pads, heat lamps, or ceramic heat emitters. They are medium-high humidity snakes that should be kept with a large water dish for drinking and soaking, and should have their cage misted every other day or so, or depending on the substrate you use, up to twice daily.

Substrate: While there are plenty of options out there (repti-bark, aspen, cypress, paper towels, etc) mine have done best when kept on Eco-Earth substrate by Zoo-med. It is compressed coconut dirt that holds humidity very well, doesn’t need to be misted often, seems resistant to mold, is relatively cheap, looks great, and my snakes have all been healthier and better hydrated since I’ve been using it.

Have a read through and see what you think, personally I would say not for your first snake but who am I to dictate your personal choices :)

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Lol, I would be very interested to know where this keeper got his stock, because I think those males have BCC blood in them. Also, with adult boas the general rule is feeding every other week...neonates and juveniles will take every week though; adults are fed less simply because while they may not be done putting on length, they are generally done putting on Bulk and feeding every other week helps prevent obesity. If the specimen is seven years old and around 6ft then I would be very surprised if he/she were to grow over a foot more, though it is possible. A 3ft long cage is pushing it on size as the minimum is 48''X18''. Eco earth is not mold resistant in my experience, even with moderately tropical species, it will work fine though if you add a small top layer of cypress mulch (natural pH inhibits fungal growth). I personally do not like any part of my boa cages hitting above 95F, my basking spots are a solid 90-92F with an ambient temps in the low to mid 80s. If we are going by the shear number of specimens that a hobbyists has cared for then in addition to my personal pair of specimens, I cared for 30 breeder boas and their yearly offspring for 7.5 years. If you're dedicated both species would be an excellent starter, if it were me though, I would probably get the ball...Browse http://shop.newenglandreptile.com/11...thon-under-400 for some great specimens under $400 shipped. Hope that helps.

Ball pythons are fairly easy, but they are sensitive to temps and enclosure set ups. That can be really frustrating to a new snake keeper. I always recommend Kenyan Sand Boas to new snake owners because they are incredibly easy to care for, and VERY hardly.

My sister holding a sand boa boquet :)
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...oa/ksbs009.jpg

They are fun little snakes if you aren't quiet ready to dive into ball pythons. They are more like little worms than snakes when they are young.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...andBoas030.jpg

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Originally Posted by SlitherinSisters

Ball pythons are fairly easy, but they are sensitive to temps and enclosure set ups. That can be really frustrating to a new snake keeper. I always recommend Kenyan Sand Boas to new snake owners because they are incredibly easy to care for, and VERY hardly.

My sister holding a sand boa boquet :)
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...oa/ksbs009.jpg

They are fun little snakes if you aren't quiet ready to dive into ball pythons. They are more like little worms than snakes when they are young.
http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t...andBoas030.jpg

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I second this as a more than viable option, I love my little anery sand boa.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-x...130521_761.jpg

I'm planning on going to repticon this weekend. Maybe I'll go and check some out there before I make my final decision

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It's a good idea to get a feel for each different type of snake! I think it'll really help you to decide what one is for you! Good luck and keep us updated! :D

I will, is there generally better deals at repticon?

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Originally Posted by kingkung

I will, is there generally better deals at repticon?

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Hell yes. I got my beautiful Aru gtp for a straight $400, when I usually see them for about $500 shipped. Just do not take anything "too good", no $20 jungle jags.

I'm so noob, I would know what would be a good deal. I like the yellow belly pythons. What do those usually run?

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Are you by chance in the El Paso area? I know they are having a show there next weekend. The yellow belly balls I've seen on kingsnake are running approx $200-300 depending on sex. One guy had a male for $1000. I guess he doesn't understand people are going for 2 and 3 gene snakes mostly.

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Originally Posted by kingkung

I'm so noob, I would know what would be a good deal. I like the yellow belly pythons. What do those usually run?

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If you walk in with about $300 then you will have a fair amount of choices when it comes to BP morphs. I would not pay more than $200 for a 2013 yellow belly at a show and I would probably buy a pair since male BPs at reptile shows are starting to run dirt cheap.

Why do males cost less than females?

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Originally Posted by kingkung

Why do males cost less than females?

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More common and breed faster. Females are more expensive because they deliver the actual eggs and tend to be less common, they also take longer to mature. This varies by market though, for example, in the ball market, a nice 4 gene male is still cheaper than a 4 gene female, you would think he would be more expensive because I could stud that boy up to as many females as I could get out of him, in the retic market, a sweet 3 gene male will bring in as much or more than a 2-3 gene female...I guess retics just make better studs...maybe size really does matter :cool: . Tip: try not to buy any expensive hets at a show unless you know the people because sometimes that 50% het pied "accidentally" ends up in a deli cup labeled "100% double het pied & albino". lol.

I am thinking of going to a show some time soon. I would love to get a 100%het pied pair for a good cheap price. I want a pied so bad lol. Before you go check around on kingsnake first and an idea of what a fair price is. Some people on there do try and over charge because they think they have the best snakes ever. I have seen pastel males going for usually $50 right now. There are a couple people that want $200 for theirs. Good luck I hope you find the one you like.

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Originally Posted by Phantomtip

Are you by chance in the El Paso area? I know they are having a show there next weekend. The yellow belly balls I've seen on kingsnake are running approx $200-300 depending on sex. One guy had a male for $1000. I guess he doesn't understand people are going for 2 and 3 gene snakes mostly.

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No, I'm in southern California

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Originally Posted by Phantomtip

I am thinking of going to a show some time soon. I would love to get a 100%het pied pair for a good cheap price. I want a pied so bad lol. Before you go check around on kingsnake first and an idea of what a fair price is. Some people on there do try and over charge because they think they have the best snakes ever. I have seen pastel males going for usually $50 right now. There are a couple people that want $200 for theirs. Good luck I hope you find the one you like.

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I heard that king snakes musk and I hear it smells very bad and is hard to walk off. Does anyone have any experience with this?


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Originally Posted by kingkung

I heard that king snakes musk and I hear it smells very bad and is hard to walk off. Does anyone have any experience with this?


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I think kingsnake is like a classified for snakes etc over in the USA, you were being directed there to get an idea of the price BP's are going for. He wasn't suggesting to buy a kingsnake.

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Originally Posted by kingkung

Why do males cost less than females?

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Because if you buy 1 male and 3 females, you'll get on average a total of 18 eggs. If you add another female you'll get another 6 eggs (average).

If you buys 3 males and 1 female, you'll get an average of 6. If you add add another male, you're still only getting 6 eggs (average).

For the most part, the # of females you have controls how many hatchlings you can possibly get. For someone looking for a pet, a male is perfect. For breeders, girls control the game for the most part.