Intermediate snake suggestions please

We (as a family) currently own 4 bp. We have had them for a couple of years and decided that we are all surprisingly snake people. :-) I am looking to add something different to our collection. We regularly attend reptile shows and the advice I get from each table largely depends on what is in front of them. So, I figured I would reach out to the expert keepers on this forum. I am looking for something that doesn't get large enough to eat our cat in the event of an escape (and yes, we have locking doors and are very careful, but I have heard of these things happening), and nothing too aggressive. (Being bitten by a snake is not my favorite thing, but I know this is a part of snake keeping. Our snakes just don't bite anymore.) I am not interested in corn snakes or king snakes. Something a little bit different please. Any suggestions?

Just my personal opinion here. A kenyan sand boa

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Oooops, i hit send by accident lol, as i was saying, kenyan sand boas have an "original" color thats really nice and you also have some morphs, they are very calm (at least the ones ive met) you should do some research about them, and google some pictures

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A friend of mine has one. He is very sweet but you never see him unless she digs him up. I would prefer something a little more visible.

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Originally Posted by JNeedham

A friend of mine has one. He is very sweet but you never see him unless she digs him up. I would prefer something a little more visible.

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I see your point there. Rosy boas are very pretty amd they get to only 4 feet

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Savu python. They get long but not thick, and are very active. Think of a corn snake in a python body. They have tons of attitude and while they're not as nippy as other liasis they do take a swipe at me now and then, but it's mostly bluff.

A dwarf locality BCI is another option. Same care as their larger cousins but males stay around 4.5 feet and females at 5.5 feet.

Those are two (Savu and dwarf BCI) that I am not familiar with. I will research those. Thank you.

Savus are interesting little critters. They were popular in the pet trade for a short while in the 1990's until ball python morphs became a "thing". They're not legal to import any more as they're endangered on their island of origin due to development, predation by feral cats, and needing a long time to reach maturity (5-6 years) compared to other snake species.

For the locality BCI's look for sellers offering pure lines or you may end up with a larger snake than expected. Vin Russo has a great writeup of them on his site at http://www.cuttingedgeherp.com/. The Mexican, Central American, and island/cay boas stay smaller than the common BCI's.

Carpet Python. More size, more "snake". Can become puppy dog tame, but just a bit more challenging. Fun for Display :)

Blood Python, Sumatran shorttail python or Borneo shorttail python. They get a bad rap for "nasty" dispositions, but that was from way back when most were imports. If you get a nice, captive bred one from a reputable breeder that makes sure not to send the "odd" wild child, you can have a great, fun snake. They are quite different, but I find them beautiful. Very terrestrial snakes, not much climbing. Very, very powerful for their compact bodies.

Redtail Boa male. Female can get really quite big. Unless you get one from a locality that stays smaller.

Green Tree Python. Awesome display snake. Not so much for handling. I could handle my two just fine, they never hissed nor struck at me, but they are more for "looks" then a awful lot of hands on. That said, they make the most gorgeous display snakes and are truly living art.

Russian Ratsnakes. Actually quite easy to keep, but tons of fun. The only snakes I've come across that really seem to want to interact. They are nosy buggers, always interested in what you are doing. Can be super fun for kids. Can be kept in a rather large cage as they like to climb. They are just kind of hard to find. Usually in the spring some people sell them.

we love our Brazillion Rainbow Boa! they require quite a bit of humidity and start out often nippy, but become quite tame and very beautiful. they don't get really girthy or long. this guy is about 3 years old.
https://ball-pythons.net/gallery/fil...2/img_7989.jpg

Just get an anaconda or a retic, they are really small........(jk)

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Get a male BCI and feed him responsibly. Won't get too big. Puppy dog tame when not in feeding mode. Really fun snakes...

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Originally Posted by Gc99

Just get an anaconda or a retic, they are really small........(jk)

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[emoji23]hahaha!!!! nailed it


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Originally Posted by Gc99

Just get an anaconda or a retic, they are really small........(jk)

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Maybe a smilie or a wink to indicate that you're not being serious ?


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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Maybe a smilie or a wink to indicate that you're not being serious ?


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What do you mean? I thought anacondas were actually smaller then a ball python [emoji38]

In all seriousness though a lot of the above are great options. Dwarf locality boas, rainbow boas and carpet pythons are great suggestions. I'm iffy on a blood python (though I've never kept one) I wouldn't want you to end up with one of the odd nasty ones. I also really know nothing about Savu pythons so I can't comment on them.

Personally, I'd choose a rainbow boa because they are so gorgeous. Just make sure you can attain the humidity requirements


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Originally Posted by Zincubus

Maybe a smilie or a wink to indicate that you're not being serious ?


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Hahaha you have a point lol sorry :)

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I agree with a rainbow boa just because they are extremely beautiful

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I just got into these addiction of snake keeping and just can't take my eyes out of a GTB.
My head tells me I should keep it to one snake at a time, but my eyes and heart keep walking straight to a GTB.


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Lots of nice smaller boas, get a male. I like my dumerils a lot, very docile but there's many good bci options that stay reasonably sized. Rainbow boa would be nice too. A sumatran short tail, little better tempered and smaller than a blood but a nice hefty snake. Angolan python-I love the pattern on these guys.

Even with a male bci you still have the chance of some real size happening. So if you are completely against something with potential to eat a cat well... My one male is probably going to get to size to eat a cat he is outgrowing every young female I own and he has been probed male more than once. If you can find an adult male BCI they would make a great option that way you know the size you are getting in the end!

Dwarf locales are a good option for the boa constrictors. I have two tarahumaras and they are very tiny still at a year and a half.

Agree on the rainbow boas too. While some say their care is difficult it's really not they are just different. High humidity and low temps. Keep mine below 80F and lowest is around 69-70F and around 95-100% humidity since they are young.

Beauty snakes are a good option too. Easy care but just research the different ones. I would say Chinese beauties are probably the better option since they don't get as big as some of the others like the blue beauties. The blues can also be a little grumpy. The Chinese are pretty easy going but they like moving when out and can be pretty active.

I like my carpets but they can be grumpy and my one carpet is going to be a big guy. Heading towards cat eating size lol but he has coastal in him.

Black milk might be a good option. They start off bright red, white and black banded and slowly change to being completely black. It's a fun process to experience as long as you aren't the impatient type!

I started the same way as you but with only one ball python. I then wanted something different, not too big, etc and settled on a Hog Island boa. He is beautiful and now is about 4 1/2 feet long (strong as an ox almost too strong for a neck snake but still fun). Then I found a young Jungle Carpet and she is a character - much more curious and mobile. She loves to hang from a dowel in her enclosure and she lives there basically, only using her hide when shedding. I also have a Brazilian Rainbow and he is a great guy - growing like a weed though. He is not only beautiful but has the smoothest scales that I have ever felt. I wanted a variety so I could always have one to handle (not shedding or eating) plus they are different in their mannerisms. They are all handled frequently and are very good to deal with but if I was to get another or get into one species I think that it would be the Jungle Carpets. They are beautiful, easy to feed and after initial nippiness are a great snake - my little girl is not as thick as my other snakes but fairly long with a very long, thin tail.

All very great suggestions. Thank you so much. I have always wanted a tree/emerald Python but their viper like disposition scares me a little. They are gorgeous, for sure!

Just so many to choose from. This decision is a lot harder than I expected.

I, personally, think the rainbows are spectacular. I was concerned with the humidity requirements but then the two I held at a reptile show were literally trying to eat me. Not sure I would make it through their nippy phase. Haha

Lol. I guess I should expressed concern with something eating my kids... Not just the cat. Haha. Retics are, hands down, some of the most beautiful creatures I have seen. Just way too big for my liking. :-)

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Originally Posted by JNeedham

Lol. I guess I should expressed concern with something eating my kids... Not just the cat. Haha. Retics are, hands down, some of the most beautiful creatures I have seen. Just way too big for my liking. :-)

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Super dwarf retics stay pretty small. If it wasn't for Florida's laws on them, I'd get one for sure.

I was warned, by the previous owner, that my rainbow was aggressive (even picked him up with a heavy glove!) but I have never had a concern with him, except that he is a bit fast and has a tendency to slide down your leg, to the floor and who knows where he would go then. But I have handled him regularly and he is used to it now so we are good with each other.

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Originally Posted by JNeedham

I, personally, think the rainbows are spectacular. I was concerned with the humidity requirements but then the two I held at a reptile show were literally trying to eat me. Not sure I would make it through their nippy phase. Haha

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my son was 3 when we got ours, and biting was a big concern of mine, more for the snake's well being than anything since I could not control my son's reflexes. I went to 5 different stores and found a handler that had taken time with one and had not seen it strike at anyone for the 4 months they'd had it, so I went with that one... has never struck at any of us. honestly in retrospect, now that I've seen more of them, it's more of a psychological thing to get over for us humans than anything else.

Rosy boa would be great-- mine is always out. If you want something bigger, try a woma python. Good temperament, cool patterns.

I love garter snakes, particularly checkered garters. They are very fun to keep, but also a little more difficult then your usual pet snake.

Am enjoying the new gopher. Based on keeper reports, all the pitts tend to make good pets.

Would love a Russian rat, someday. Anything Drymarchion (sp.?) would be my dream snake, but I'm afraid I might actually end up scared of it. Also, they get big. Maybe big enough to eat the cat...not sure. I've always liked the look of Pytas carinatas (spell) bred by DMExotics. (Again, might get too big.) Good videos, worth a watch, he has other cool stuff too. I don't think you could go wrong with a small locality boa.

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Originally Posted by JNeedham

All very great suggestions. Thank you so much. I have always wanted a tree/emerald Python but their viper like disposition scares me a little. They are gorgeous, for sure!

Just so many to choose from. This decision is a lot harder than I expected.

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Green tree python or emerald tree boa! Also, not at all "viper-like". Most of the ETB's bad rep is because most are wild caught animals. Captive bred ETB are more or less just like captive bred GTP in temperament.

It's true that they're more display animals and usually don't tolerate handling like how BCI or ball pythons do, but CBB animals can still be handled safely (during the day), just tend to be more nervous.

If you're interested, totally start some research and see if you like them! This site has all the info you need to read up on GTP's to start out. http://moreliaviridis.yuku.com/forum...dry-The-Basics

It is a hard decision to make! I'm another in the rainbow boa camp, but there are so many good suggestions here already. I guess I lucked out with my BRB. He's very laid back and lets me handle him easily. I have corns and ball pythons, and I agree that their scales have a very unique texture. I noted only one mention of garters, and some like the San Francisco are just gorgeous. It would be interesting to have a fish eater lol. I prefer the 5 foot size range for snakes though.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...0d5700093f.jpg

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Originally Posted by anthroterra

It is a hard decision to make! I'm another in the rainbow boa camp, but there are so many good suggestions here already. I guess I lucked out with my BRB. He's very laid back and lets me handle him easily. I have corns and ball pythons, and I agree that their scales have a very unique texture. I noted only one mention of garters, and some like the San Francisco are just gorgeous. It would be interesting to have a fish eater lol. I prefer the 5 foot size range for snakes though.https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...0d5700093f.jpg

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Your boa is gorgeous! And yes, garters are very interesting pets, especially with their diet, but unfortunately they don't live very long and are a small species. (Part of the reason I got my BP)