Beginner: Thinking Bull?

Hello! I'm 14 and thinking of getting my first snake! I like the longer snakes that are a it thicker, and after some searching around I have found Bull Snakes. Does anyone else keep Bulls? Could someone post pics of their setups and Bulls? Does anyone have any tips besides the chance they could be more aggressive than other species?

I rescued a baby bull in college and he was a pistol. Easy to keep - great eater! - and beautiful, but he would rattle his tail against the side of his cage anytime you'd get near and hiss like he was ten feet long. They can have attitudes, so you just can't be afraid of them. With handling they'll tame down.

Other than that, I kept him in a basic aquarium set up and never had any issues. Very very easy to keep as far as that goes.

He ended up going to a good home with someone who could appreciate him, and he calmed down quite a bit as he got older.

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

Hello! I'm 14 and thinking of getting my first snake! I like the longer snakes that are a it thicker, and after some searching around I have found Bull Snakes. Does anyone else keep Bulls? Could someone post pics of their setups and Bulls? Does anyone have any tips besides the chance they could be more aggressive than other species?

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Generally speaking Bull tend to be all bark no bite, so long you work with them on a regular basis.

In a lot of cases their hissy stand with their tail rattling against the enclosure and their mouth wide open tend to intimidate people, but they are really great animals that like to bluff.

Care like most commonly found colubrid is easy (YOU need to do your homework) and they can be kept in anything from a v70 tub to a 30 or 40 gallons breeder.

Bullsnakes are neat snakes, but they do get very long and they have a bit of a 'tude. This is all fine if you know what you are getting into. With that being said, at 14, you have college, careers/jobs and potentially travel or moving ahead of you. Who will take care of a 8' snake for you while you are in college?? Are your parents interested or supportive?

My mother doesn't really understand why I like snakes but as long as I feed it and pay for it shes fine. Also I won't be going to collage for a few years but the one I'm planning on allows me to live at home(Less than a 30 min drive to campus). I am also aware of the bigger size and the 'tude :P

I'm also thinking about Woma pythons. Would they be better than a Bull?

I'm a bit biased in favor of Bulls but I like Womas too :). My bulls are in the (2) bottom enclosures in this pic.

http://i1319.photobucket.com/albums/...pstvxlqkmm.jpg

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

My mother doesn't really understand why I like snakes but as long as I feed it and pay for it shes fine. Also I won't be going to collage for a few years but the one I'm planning on allows me to live at home(Less than a 30 min drive to campus). I am also aware of the bigger size and the 'tude :P

I'm also thinking about Woma pythons. Would they be better than a Bull?

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I have a woma and really like him. They may be a little easier to find, too. A male woma will probably stay a bit smaller than a fully grown bull. Both would enjoy a 4x2 cage like the ones shown above. Bulls are on my list, for sure.

I really do like Womas but I hadn't found much about how beginner friendly their care is. I've done a lot of research on BPs,Kings,and Corns but I wanted something a bit more different. Of course I'm going to do LOADS of research before I buy and make sure I buy from a reputable breeder and ask lots of questions.

Here is Dingo, my Woma. He was born in '08 and is more or less fully grown.

http://www.iherp.com/Gallery/99443/1...WZyPmEU8wA.jpg
http://www.iherp.com/Gallery/99443/1...5I4vPjYfmJ.jpg

Have you considered a Dumerils boa or one of the island boas like a Hogg Island?

Where would you get a good quality 4x2 cage like the ones pictured above? Be read that AP Plastics is good and vision cages are also good but I'd like something a bit more wallet friendly than a Vision Cage:D

Oh ,he's beautiful! Smaller than I would have thought but if I want something bigger I can buy a female :P And I have considered the Hog Islands and Dumerls but I don't think my my mother would go for that :colbert: That's why I'm looking at the thinner snakes with more length to them,bigger but mother friendly

AP is the most budget friendly. I have had those in the past. One tip-- do not bother with the fluorescent lights inside the tank. The snakes pull them down. They are now making LED lights that I hear are much more snake friendly. They will ship the cage to your door. It won't be assembled, but it's not hard to figure out. A cordless screw driver will be useful.

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

Oh ,he's beautiful! Smaller than I would have thought but if I want something bigger I can buy a female :P And I have considered the Hog Islands and Dumerls but I don't think my my mother would go for that :colbert: That's why I'm looking at the thinner snakes with more length to them,bigger but mother friendly

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Females often cost a bit more.

Would a T10 Animal Plastics cage be okay for an adult female Woma Python?:coffeecup
And if I had a divider for this cage could the snake live in it as a hatchling? With plenty of hides and some fake plants?

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

Would a T10 Animal Plastics cage be okay for an adult female Woma Python?:coffeecup

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More than likely, yes. If she got very large you might consider a 6 foot cage.

If you can afford it, the extra height of the T10 is nice over the T8. Makes it a little easier to clean and remove the snake. The sliding doors do tend to accumulate a bit of litter which is kind of annoying. But the swing doors are more expensive and don't have as much visibility.

And to respond to your edit, yes, I think the snake would be fine living in a 2x2 as a youngster. Their dividers are "pop in." I never could figure out how they were supposed to secure, so I just used four screws, two from each side, to secure in the middle. If you want to divide it, you may want to get the swing doors, otherwise I cannot see how you would secure the divider.

I'm thinking a T8 with swinging doors in the white color(With Flexwatt 11' Belly Heat and Divider.)

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

I'm thinking a T8 with swinging doors in the white color(With Flexwatt 11' Belly Heat and Divider.)

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Sounds good.

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Originally Posted by BallPythonWannaBe

I'm thinking a T8 with swinging doors in the white color(With Flexwatt 11' Belly Heat and Divider.)

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Skip the fluorescent lights. Call Ap and tell Ali to add in the LEDs. They are recessed and the snakes dont get into them. They arent listed on their site so you have to call them in and they run $40 iirc.

And honestly i would skip swing doors. I have heard from a few people that after a few years, the kind of sag and dont line up well when closing. You have to give them a gentle lift when you close them to line them up correctly. Get the sliding glass doors. They wont scratch as easily as acrylic and are easily removed when you clean the cage so you have nothing in the way. And in the rare case a track actually breaks, you can just call Ali and order a new track or probably go to a hardware store and buy some plastic track.

Also its' just me but i would opt for the shelf option too. Adds floor space and give the snake somewhere to climb as well as doubling as a sort of hide in the T8s as the snake can just curl up under the shelf and thinks it's hiding lol.

Here is what the LEDs look like.https://ball-pythons.net/forums/cach...8534583d_h.jpg

Really I don't care which doors it has so I may actually go with the sliding glass. I really like Albio Bull Snakes

I think I've definitely decided on Bulls now. Also what size tub could they be kept in? Could a male be in a 41q or something similarly sized but taller?

I kept my male bull in a 60qt tub until he was about 1kg. It worked great.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Ziploc-60...4rfhaXmG2h2oG8

Hmm,I'm also wondering if I could convince mom on a Male durmeils or a male Constricter:gj:

Bulls are great, one of my favorite keepers! Just don't let them intimidate you and most settle down with a couple positive handling sessions. Since you're a beginner, it'll help to keep in mind that these animals are 90% bluff. I can count on one hand the number of times these snakes have actually made me bleed, and I deal with them on a daily basis. They're much more prone to mock strike and headbutt you with their mouth closed.

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...pstriscwas.jpg

Also, lots of colors to choose from with these. I personally prefer the red line stuff.

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...psxmencahf.jpg

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...psgurfukfz.jpg

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...psiren7h5g.jpg

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...psbhhrkenu.jpg

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...psc3rbnc1x.jpg

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...psw0eoe68j.jpg

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...pszxgvq7rf.jpg

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps4spcg6er.jpg

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...psn4d7cuwl.jpg

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...psyoxugqrt.jpg

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...psuair7jkv.jpg

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...psdhpjgokc.jpg

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...pstdfcdrk7.jpg

http://i839.photobucket.com/albums/z...ps4euhpezi.jpg

The last picture is adorable :P I'm also a bit partial to Garter Snakes but seriously interested in Bulls.