Best starter snake?

Hi,
I'm just curious and I am sure this have been covered elsewhere but I don't have time to look through all the posts at the moment. What is the best starter snake for a beginner? I won't be getting one for a very long time(as in 100 hours or more of care, handling, research, etc) but would just like to know what the best ones are.

I don't think I want one bigger than 5 feet long.

If this has been covered you may send me the appropropriate link and I will check that out as well. I don't have a ton of time right now because I am on my sisters computer and mine doesn't work at the moment.

Thanks for all the help! I look forward to hearing all your responses and getting a lot of information.

And if you live in Seattle, or Tacoma get in touch with me!!

Thea

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Originally Posted by TheaN526

Hi,
I'm just curious and I am sure this have been covered elsewhere but I don't have time to look through all the posts at the moment. What is the best starter snake for a beginner? I won't be getting one for a very long time(as in 100 hours or more of care, handling, research, etc) but would just like to know what the best ones are.

I don't think I want one bigger than 5 feet long.

If this has been covered you may send me the appropropriate link and I will check that out as well. I don't have a ton of time right now because I am on my sisters computer and mine doesn't work at the moment.

Thanks for all the help! I look forward to hearing all your responses and getting a lot of information.

And if you live in Seattle, or Tacoma get in touch with me!!

Thea

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1) Corn Snake / Other ratsnakes
2) Ball Python
3) Lapropeltis ssp.
4) Pituophis ssp.
5) Irian Jaya Carpet Python
6) Western Hognose Snake

Antaresia are awesome too... and some liasis might fit your bill.

the big question is whether you want a colubrid or a python.

I agree with Colin. If you want a colubrid - check out cornsnakes and kingsnakes. If you want a python - check out balls or childrens or spotted pythons. And be aware that although there is a general 'temperment' attributed to a species, each animal is different and will have it's own quirks.

Cheers,
Kat

Corns or kings are a great starter snake. They don't get too big, usually have a great temperment and have minimal heat and humidity requirements which makes it much easier to keep them in a display tank or cage than say a ball python. They usually make great display snakes as they tend to come out and explore around their enclosure more and come in some really cool colors :D.

Ball pythons are also a pretty good starter snake, you just have to make sure that you know what they require as far as husbandry goes.

Good luck!

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And be aware that although there is a general 'temperment' attributed to a species, each animal is different and will have it's own quirks.

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I would stay away from children's pythons for a first snake. It seems like while about 50% of them are perfectly handlable, the other 50% have temperments similar to ATBs.

Thanks for the information. I'll be doing a lot of research on them. The thing I have trouble with right now is telling all the different snakes apart. I get a little confused about the Ball Pythons, and different Boas. Any way to tell them apart? I keep mixing them all up. I don't want to end up getting something different than what I wanted in the first place.

I know I need a lot more space for the snakes. Right now I don't have the room. I own two cats and a dog and I don't want to keep the snake in the same room as them.

Where do you all keep your snakes? What room? Do you have a place devoted entirely to your snakes? Let me know. Just gives me a good idea of exactly what type of spacing I need for them. I don't live by myself right now so getting a snake right now is out of the question anyway. My kitties take up a lot of the space. LOL.

THanks everyone!
Thea

A note on corns. Likely, an older corn snake will get a little longer than 5 feet(mine hit 6 foot). However, they aren't as bulky as many other snakes such as pythons. As far as the "size" of a snake is concerned, weight is just as important a factor as length in describing how big a snake is :D

About how much should I expect to spend on a corn snake? (To get started) and than what about feeding, and other supplies over time) I just want to know if it will be something I'll be able to afford. How much is food usually? Where do you get it? How big are your tanks?

I am a little uneasy about a snake that is larger. 6 feet seems massive to me. I guess it also depends on girth as well. Some are just longer right? I'm just checking a lot of things out. When I have more space I'll be able to get one.

:)
Thanks again.
Thea

You can find corns for pretty darn cheap, plenty of pretty morphs have been bred by the dozens for years and years now, so you can find a fairly "non-wild" (pink and orange for example) for $30 at a show probably, a bit more at a pet store or from an online/local breeder. There are more expensive morphs and less expensive morphs.

As far as size goes for corns, here's a rat snake I found using google, pretty comprable to what you're looking at for a 7-8 year old corn snake that stays healthy for its whole life:
http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/c...ewithsnake.jpg

I couldn't find a good pic of a large adult corn, so that will have to do just to give you an idea. You can see, the snake is pretty darn skinny for its length, probably only weighs a couple of pounds, the guy barely looks like he has to do any lifting work to hold the snake up.

Also it will take many years for a corn to get to full grown, so you have plenty of time to get used to it growing bigger than a pencil(hatchlings are TINY!).

I highly recommend corns(or any of the other snakes mentioned here, but a corn was MY first) for a starter snake.

oh and as far as care goes, look up caresheets on this site(go to the main page) and other places on the internet. They're certainly better written than what I'd be able to pull off the top of my head, I haven't kept corns in 5 years and I don't trust my memory!

I'm no expert, but I'd have to vote for a corn snake for my favorite starter snake. I have a young snow corn, and it has been far easier to care for than my ball python. (Less picky with food, fewer humidity related shedding problems)
It is easy to keep costs to a minimum. I house mine in a 15 gallon aquarium with an under tank heater (will have to shift to a bigger enclosure in time), a shallow water dish, and hiding areas on both sides of the tank. Since corns have no special light requirements, you don't have to spend money on special spectrum-emitting light bulbs.
Just wanted to share my thoughts! Hope that helps!
:snake:

A retic, gaboon viper or maybe a yellow anaconda would make a great pet!

JK (kids don't try the above at home): Cornsnake is the ideal beginner snake.