Next snake suggestions??

Hi everyone.

I posted a few days ago about possibly getting an MBK but I've decided to pass on the little guy for now. The musking thing makes me uncomfortable and I want the chance to handle an MBK before I take the plunge and buy one...

But I am ready for another snake. I currently have two ball pythons (albino and yellowbelly) and a brazilian rainbow boa. I'm looking for suggestions on what snake I should get next.

Requirements:
Not TOO big!
Friendly and handleable (my snakes are pets and I need a snake that can take a short handling session)
Easy to care for

I've searched around the forums a bit here. I'm going to continue to search. I'm just not really sure what I'm looking for! I really want another ball, but I can't decide what morph I'd like.

My understanding is that Kings musk when they are upset.
Some musk as youngsters, but grow out of it.
My two Kings haven't musked once, but they are very small, and only showed up recently.
Mine have been a joy to handle.

Have you considered a Corn?

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Originally Posted by distaff

My understanding is that Kings musk when they are upset.
Some musk as youngsters, but grow out of it.
My two Kings haven't musked once, but they are very small, and only showed up recently.
Mine have been a joy to handle.

Have you considered a Corn?

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I did ask the breeder about the musking and he said while he's tame, the little guy does musk every time he's picked up. That's kind of a turn off for me, even if they do grow out of it.

I have considered a corn. There's a really amazing breeder around here that I got my brb from and she specializes in corns but won't have anymore until next year unfortunately. I am going to get one from her when she starts hatching them out again.

If you want another ball python, then there are a ton to choose from.

If you're looking for another species altogether, I'd suggest a dumerils boa or one of the smaller locality BCI's.

Hognose snakes are quite cool and there are morphs as well. Take a look at a few.

Russian Rat Snakes.

Curious, confident, easy to care for. Handling is fine. Open the enclosure, they start figuring out how to climb out onto your arm. You'll have a harder time putting them back than getting them out.

They get around 6' or 7' long, but aren't heavy bodied like BP's.

Any of the Anataresia species!

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Originally Posted by bcr229

If you want another ball python, then there are a ton to choose from.

If you're looking for another species altogether, I'd suggest a dumerils boa or one of the smaller locality BCI's.

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I've heard lots of talk about dumerils boas... I'm going to have to research them. Are they known to be pretty friendly? I've also heard a lot about Rosy boas but I don't know much about them either. Yay, things to research!

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Originally Posted by ALBINO IGUANA

Hognose snakes are quite cool and there are morphs as well. Take a look at a few.

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I think they're adorable! They have the cutest little faces. I actually did some research on them today and I've found so many varying opinions. Some say they're amazing, some say they aren't the friendliest. I guess they do a lot of hissing? That might be off-putting to me. I think I'd have to definitely hang out with one for a bit first. The venom thing kind of freaks me out a bit though.

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Originally Posted by 200xth

Russian Rat Snakes.

Curious, confident, easy to care for. Handling is fine. Open the enclosure, they start figuring out how to climb out onto your arm. You'll have a harder time putting them back than getting them out.

They get around 6' or 7' long, but aren't heavy bodied like BP's.

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I belong to a lot of facebook reptile selling groups for Canada but I don't think I've ever seen one of those for sale here... I'll research and kind of keep my eye out.

I think a Dumerils might be a little too big for me to handle. They're pretty cool though!

If you like colubrids you could go with one of the Pituophis species of bull, pine, or gopher snakes. If you want an active and beautiful display animal I'd suggest a carpet python.

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Originally Posted by EL-Ziggy

If you like colubrids you could go with one of the Pituophis species of bull, pine, or gopher snakes. If you want an active and beautiful display animal I'd suggest a carpet python.

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Carpet pythons are gorgeous but from what I've looked up, they don't have the best personality and don't really like being handled. I could be wrong but my experience with them isn't that great. My brother has one and she is horrid and mean. Every time he tries to handle her, she bites him multiple times.

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Right now I'm leaning toward a Rosy Boa!

I really think carpet pythons are overlooked. Most are semi slender, active, very arboreal and great for displays. The size is not nearly as thick or heavy as a boa constrictor, but you get some length. My young coastal carpet is over 6 feet long and can curl up in my hand.

A smaller species will be even manageable.

The snappy reputation is a bit over hyped. I have actually hand fed my girl as a youngster. She wouldn't eat unless she was perched on one hand and I put the little rat to her nose. It was cute back then, but now I use tongs.

This is what I see every night and early morning.

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/IMG_2646.jpg

During the day she will lay out in the open on top of a hide.

These pythons are very confident and not shy.

Think about it for sure.

It is hard to beat a beautiful boa constrictor IMO.

Big is something you think about before you buy the snake, but once you get one, 6-7 feet is not very big.

http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/y...a/IMG_2595.jpg

You can find some very small locality boas.
IIRC, the Tarahumaras might get to three feet or so.

The more I research Rosy Boas, the more appealing they sound. Their care seems pretty simple and they're gorgeous little snakes. I'm hoping I can find a breeder in Canada :)

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Originally Posted by distaff

You can find some very small locality boas.
IIRC, the Tarahumaras might get to three feet or so.

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Males get 4-4.5 feet, females up to 5'. They're not necessarily known for being friendly though, especially as babies.

Have you thought about Woma's ? They're about the size of a ball python and have pretty much the same care.

No, I haven't. I've pretty much decided on a rosy boa but I will definitely look into woma's, too!

Sent from my SM-G900W8 using Tapatalk

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Originally Posted by bcr229

Males get 4-4.5 feet, females up to 5'. They're not necessarily known for being friendly though, especially as babies.

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Same boa? Pure strain?
Russo's book, P. 91-9, shows a gravid female at 1396 grams, and he cites another female at 3 1/2 years old and 38" that gave birth to nine healthy babies.
IIRC, Russo specifically recommends them as good pets on his site.
DYODD

No personal experience, I wanted to buy one this year, but he was only selling in pairs, and the cost for two was a bit high for our current budget.

i asked a similar question awhile back - should i get a corn or king/milk snake.

i got a corn... and then i also got a milk snake. lol. i guess i have to get around to posting pix.

anyway i didn't get them cheap from Craigslist as i had hoped. both are babies. the corn is snappy and squirms alot when held. the milk snake doesn't bite, but squirms in a thrashing way - from side to side. i haven't been musked. both species are supposed to grow out of it.

Correction on the book citation: P. 91-2 (the "9" was a typo).
There is also a good video Muscle Serpents Univ. with Dave Palumbo and Russo on the localities that features a Tarahumara. Not pushing these, or vying to be *right,* just providing some more info.

I really, really like the look of woma's!!! No idea what they're like personality wise, though...

I have been caring for my California King for 12 years, and I have been musked only a few times at the most. I think that you really should focus on how much time you plan on spending with the animal, rather than worry about the possibility of being musked. I have not been musked by my king in over a decade, and I regularly handle him for hours at a time. I don't believe the musking is an age thing, and something that they "grow out of". I think it has more to do with the animal getting used to being handled and you learning what the animal tolerates before being musked.

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Originally Posted by hazzaram

I really, really like the look of woma's!!! No idea what they're like personality wise, though...

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I believe their personality is quite similar to the Ball Python personality. I cant be exact because I have never owned one, but from my research they seem similar.
Also, Kenyan Sand Boas are pretty awesome! I was tossed up on what my next snake would be as well, and that is what I chose. I will be getting her on Friday and am so super tickled! :)

What about a blood python?

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Originally Posted by Yodawagon

What about a blood python?

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I think that would be a poor choice for someone who is hesitant to get an mbk. Baby bloods can sometimes take a little work before you have a calm snake and they're considerably larger than an mbk.

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Originally Posted by hazzaram

I really, really like the look of woma's!!! No idea what they're like personality wise, though...

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I've had Woma Pythons ( Australian ) and they are an amazing snake .. nothing at all like a Royal in my experience apart from being a python . Maybe the other guys confusing Womas with Woma Royal / Ball pythons ??

Woma pythons are very confident age ultra inquisitive ( almost Retic-like ) which is more or less the opposite of Royals plus they have an amazing feeding response .

I was interested in a Rosey Boa until I read the part in the Ad were the seller said it would musk sometimes.

I've read a few threads about musking and found out that any snake CAN musk but some species (like kings) are more prone to it. I've been reading everything I can on rosy's for the past week and so far haven't come across any problems with them musking. I found a breeder in Montreal and I plan on working with them to find one that will work for me! :)

I was in the same boat (looking for a smaller, manageable snake to add to/start my collection - this is what happens when you get one snake, you start looking at other varieties, colors, species, etc and the next thing you know, BOOM, you need a new house, etc). I did a lot of research and was thinking Dumerils, Hog Island, and other boas. I went into Pets Unlimited and they had just got a young Hog Island in. I handled it a couple of different times and after some time decided to rescue her from her crappy store life. She (not really sure of gender) is a beauty and is so much fun to handle and watch - very entertaining snake to own. I expect that she will grow to be six feet or so long and is quite long now for her age but not very heavy yet. That will change as she is packing away rats now. My ball really changed her look (thickness) a lot when I switched her up to rats. My Hog will hiss occasionally when I pick her up but usually only when she is starting to shed. And the hissing means nothing as she has never struck at me.

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Originally Posted by BWB

I was in the same boat (looking for a smaller, manageable snake to add to/start my collection - this is what happens when you get one snake, you start looking at other varieties, colors, species, etc and the next thing you know, BOOM, you need a new house, etc). I did a lot of research and was thinking Dumerils, Hog Island, and other boas. I went into Pets Unlimited and they had just got a young Hog Island in. I handled it a couple of different times and after some time decided to rescue her from her crappy store life. She (not really sure of gender) is a beauty and is so much fun to handle and watch - very entertaining snake to own. I expect that she will grow to be six feet or so long and is quite long now for her age but not very heavy yet. That will change as she is packing away rats now. My ball really changed her look (thickness) a lot when I switched her up to rats. My Hog will hiss occasionally when I pick her up but usually only when she is starting to shed. And the hissing means nothing as she has never struck at me.

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I'm not really a fan of how some boas look. Hog Island, Dumerils, Colombian etc. I don't really like their body/face shape for some reason. I have a BRB and she is utterly gorgeous, though. Long and skinny with beautiful eyes.

http://i1083.photobucket.com/albums/...psozpwxa4x.jpg


I think Rosy Boas are a little stubby but I like the shape of their face. Actually, their faces are super cute. I think I would have to physically handle a Dumerils or Hog Island to really know if I could ever keep one. I would save a snake like that for a reptile expo, if I ever get to go to one (damn things are almost 5 hours away from me and I don't drive). But I am going to try and go next year so I can check out the different species and hopefully handle some different Boas and Pythons.

Just a little side note, I see a lot of recommendations (not just this thread) where people are looking for a smaller snake and a Dumerils gets thrown out there, these guys a slow growers, but at adult size they are not a "small" snake they get pretty heavy bodied as well.

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Originally Posted by jclaiborne

Just a little side note, I see a lot of recommendations (not just this thread) where people are looking for a smaller snake and a Dumerils gets thrown out there, these guys a slow growers, but at adult size they are not a "small" snake they get pretty heavy bodied as well.

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I did do some research on them from the suggestions here but I never actually googled a picture of a full grown one. I am definitely not looking for a snake that size. Thanks for pointing that out!

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Originally Posted by hazzaram

I did do some research on them from the suggestions here but I never actually googled a picture of a full grown one. I am definitely not looking for a snake that size. Thanks for pointing that out!

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No worries, I had always been told they were "smaller boas" but as you saw that is definitely not the case.

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Originally Posted by jclaiborne

No worries, I had always been told they were "smaller boas" but as you saw that is definitely not the case.

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This is nice to know!