Small snake suggestions?

Now that we have a confirmed passion for snakes, my fiancee was thinking of a new addition. However, she's still nervous so she wants it to be something (what she considers ) relatively small and under 3'! I personally will take on anything 10' and under ( a little bigger wouldn't hurt) but she's new to this. Any suggestions?

1.2 Normal
1.2 Red-tail
0.1 Albino corn

Corn Snake, Ball Python, Garter Snake, Milksnake, Kingsnake, Ratsnake

Kenyan Sand boas are really cool and stay small.

Female Hognose or Sand Boas, Male Black Mexican Kingsnake, Cali King, Children Python.

Hognose, Kenyan Sand Boa? Both stay small and are pretty cute!

While all of the above are great suggestions, small doesn't translate to "easily handled". I have a couple of garters that are no fun to handle because they musk and they're like little coiled springs - if you drop your guard for a second they will fly out of your hands, hit the floor, and take off running.

From my limited experience with snakes (and from a lot of research) Ball Pythons are the absolute easiest to take care of and the most docile. There are smaller snakes out there but BP's are so easy to deal with and I can't imagine one ever being unmanageable. Plus you could always get a male which will not get as big as a female. Good luck with your (her) decision.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by BWB

From my limited experience with snakes (and from a lot of research) Ball Pythons are the absolute easiest to take care of and the most docile. There are smaller snakes out there but BP's are so easy to deal with and I can't imagine one ever being unmanageable. Plus you could always get a male which will not get as big as a female. Good luck with your (her) decision.

---

I have to disagree. My corn snake is so easy to take care of. They are not picky about humidity, lower temps, and generally don't go on hunger strikes. Corns are also very easy going and the babies are so tiny and adorable. But corns tend to get longer than 3' even though they are not very thick. My female snow is 3.5 feet long and she is just an angel.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by bcr229

While all of the above are great suggestions, small doesn't translate to "easily handled". I have a couple of garters that are no fun to handle because they musk and they're like little coiled springs - if you drop your guard for a second they will fly out of your hands, hit the floor, and take off running.

---

Don't know what sex yours are, but that seems to be really common with male garters. Every female I've ever had was pretty chill, but the males tend to act kind of crazy like that, especially if they are housed solo.

Another vote for a Childrens Python!

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-club-pic-post

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SCWood

Now that we have a confirmed passion for snakes, my fiancee was thinking of a new addition. However, she's still nervous so she wants it to be something (what she considers ) relatively small and under 3'! I personally will take on anything 10' and under ( a little bigger wouldn't hurt) but she's new to this. Any suggestions?

1.2 Normal
1.2 Red-tail
0.1 Albino corn

---

Well why don't you pair up your female albino corn with a nice male corn? Then you will have mates for everybody! Don't forget to support and join USARK. Stay in peace and not pieces. :gj:

I have 2 KSB females and love them. I have a female nuclear who's color is just awesome and an anery with great contrast. They are beautiful, but aren't out very often. Both of mine have been easy keepers and good feeders.

I also have a male hognose (western) and would not recommend one of them... Mine (and I've heard numerous others) is a problem feeder... Even though he was eating f/t pinks just fine when I got him. He's been on and off food for a long time now and is undersized. He also "runs" a lot and does not like to be picked up.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DVirginiana

Don't know what sex yours are, but that seems to be really common with male garters. Every female I've ever had was pretty chill, but the males tend to act kind of crazy like that, especially if they are housed solo.

---

They are unsexed and live in their own enclosures. I have no interest in sexing or breeding them as they are common garters.

The problem with a lot of the smaller snakes is they're kind of whippy little squirms. If you're looking for chill, under 3 feet, and easy to care for I would go for getting and older snake personally, regardless of species. That way it's closer to it's max size, it's already mellowed out, and you know it's feeding habits and whether it will be easy to care for.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Deborah

Female Hognose or Sand Boas, Male Black Mexican Kingsnake, Cali King, Children Python.

---

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jclaiborne

Another vote for a Childrens Python!

http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...-club-pic-post

---

We were thinking children's python as well!

1.2 Normal
1.2 Red-tail
0.1 Albino corn

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SCWood

We were thinking children's python as well!

1.2 Normal
1.2 Red-tail
0.1 Albino corn

---

They are pretty fun...they can be nippy at times, but the thing is that they are so small it doesn't do a thing. I have had him for over a year and he is still just slightly under 3ft long and still eating hoppers, if that gives you an idea of size.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jclaiborne

They are pretty fun...they can be nippy at times, but the thing is that they are so small it doesn't do a thing. I have had him for over a year and he is still just slightly under 3ft long and still eating hoppers, if that gives you an idea of size.

---

So tiny!

1.2 Normal
1.2 Red-tail
0.1 Albino corn

African house snakes. My male is tiny and really chill. He'll even hang out with me while I watch tv. Or maybe an anthill python? Same family as children's python but even smaller.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SCWood

So tiny!

1.2 Normal
1.2 Red-tail
0.1 Albino corn

---

The nice thing is they also aren't overly expensive, and they are easy to care for. Not sure where you are located, but in SoCal my house ambients are generally around 75, and all I do is provide a heat mat for this guy and he is good to go. I went with a natural setup and he is active out and climbing. They will use every inch of their cage.

Other pythons in the Antaresia genus include: spotted python, pygmy python, and the stimson's python

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jclaiborne

The nice thing is they also aren't overly expensive, and they are easy to care for. Not sure where you are located, but in SoCal my house ambients are generally around 75, and all I do is provide a heat mat for this guy and he is good to go. I went with a natural setup and he is active out and climbing. They will use every inch of their cage.

Other pythons in the Antaresia genus include: spotted python, pygmy python, and the stimson's python

---

Now you have me wondering lol

1.2 Normal
1.2 Red-tail
0.1 Albino corn

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by SCWood

Now you have me wondering lol

1.2 Normal
1.2 Red-tail
0.1 Albino corn

---

hahaha good. Keep us posted on your decision.

Garter snakes can be flighty and fast, but I consider them to be a largely under appreciated snake. They're beautiful, and if you put small fish in thier water bowls they will eat them, which is neat. Look for a San Fancisco Garter snake. Amazing blue and red!

Ringneck snakes are also a cool choice. They eat worms and insects, and are very docile and pretty.

Sunbeam snakes are incredible looking and docile. They're hard to keep, though.

Rubber Boas!
Rubber Boas!
Rubber Boas!

We need more people breeding these little guys
Stays small.
No external heat needed
Never bites
Adorable little eyes.
Kids love them, even the ones who hate snakes.

Just be careful about who you buy them from. Mine were sold to me as "CBB", even though it is now extremely obvious that they were wild caught.


EDIT: If you can't fine rubber boas [which you probably can't ATM] Kenyan Sand Boas make an excellent choice as well. Practically identical snakes only they do require external heat. Babies *might* also be a tad nippy, though they're tiny and the bites don't do anything. My male KSB is completely nonchalant about handling. I can poke him right in the face and apparently he couldn't care less.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Paragonimus westerma

Rubber Boas!
Rubber Boas!
Rubber Boas!

We need more people breeding these little guys
Stays small.
No external heat needed
Never bites
Adorable little eyes.
Kids love them, even the ones who hate snakes.

Just be careful about who you buy them from. Mine were sold to me as "CBB", even though it is now extremely obvious that they were wild caught.


EDIT: If you can't fine rubber boas [which you probably can't ATM] Kenyan Sand Boas make an excellent choice as well. Practically identical snakes only they do require external heat. Babies *might* also be a tad nippy, though they're tiny and the bites don't do anything. My male KSB is completely nonchalant about handling. I can poke him right in the face and apparently he couldn't care less.

---

let me know if you breed them I want a pair!

Update: it's settled...my fiancee saw a Kenyan sand boa today and I've never seen her stare so long...they took one out for her and she demanded I add it to my list XD

1.2 Normal
1.1 Red-tail
0.1 Albino corn

Oh hey, you wanted rubber boas?

A&R Zerkle just announced that a bunch of 2014 babies are for sale.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Zerkl...22349434487239

Congrats on deciding on your next snake! That's always exciting :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Running Elk

Look for a San Fancisco Garter snake. Amazing blue and red!

---

Those are highly endangered to the point that you can get arrested for looking too hard at one; seriously, I know of someone that got in trouble for taking pictures of one. Completely illegal in the US. The European population is based on about 14 individuals that were shipped over decades ago prior to the export ban, and the gene pool there is pretty much doomed.