Which snake to get after a Corn?

[Alter-Echo]

This might seem oddly specific, but I recommend a thayers kingsnake (also called variable kingsnake). Mine is far less aggressive than the cali kings I've had and not flighty like many milksnakes. They also stay a bit smaller than cali kings and the larger bull and gopher snakes and seem to have a reasonable appetite.

[Bogertophis]

I never understood the rep Bullsnakes get for their defensiveness. I've picked up, taken their temp, measured, weighed, etc. a ton of wild Bulls (best weekend was over 20 Bulls -I'd have to check my notes for a hard number but certainly over 20) … Anyway, over the years I can only remember one of them putting up a decent effort into trying to bite me and even that old boy mellowed out without me having to restrain his melon while I took his stats. Only a few have hissed at me too...

Bulls are impressive snakes as adults and they have called to me many times but keeping wild ones for a couple weeks at a time for group trainings always tempered that idea. I decided I didn't want to dedicate the large size of the environment that I thought would be necessary due to their activity and their ability to rearrange an enclosure is impressive.

That being said, I'm sure a captive born one is somewhat different than their free brothers. Finding a reputable breeder willing to share his or her thoughts on the matter would probably be more help.

There weren't any wild bull snakes where I lived for many years (CA desert) but we had (very similar) native gopher snakes, & I agree with you. These are generally
"aware" snakes that seem intelligent. I too handled some wild ones to relocate, even big adults that did NOT bite me for picking them up (gently & mid-body, never
grabbing at them like a predator). I have also bred & raised some actual bull snakes from an unrelated pair of adults: my adults were both easily handled. I'd gotten
the male at several months of age & he was always mellow. The female was given to me years later as an adult...she was somewhat feisty but still handleable, & much
of that I attributed to her lack of handling with her former owner. Their offspring were impressively scrappy, some more than others were willing to bite, not just hiss
about it, lol. Had they been wild snakes, they sure seemed to be likely survivors. As it was, most mellowed pretty quickly, but beyond that I can't say. (I already
had a house-full of snakes, so they had to be sold. All were easy to feed, that's typical.)

You brought up a good point though- about keeping these kinds of snakes in large cages: they are diurnal (day time) ACTIVE hunters & can be restless (prone to nose
rubbing) in cages, even in large cages. They are NOT meant to be kept in "tubs"! So please consider this when you determine if these kinds of snakes are right for you.
They do great with frequent interaction (handling outside of their cage) and I never had any that bit me, they are not confused about what is "food", nor are they easily
stressed into not feeding. And you sure won't need a hair-dryer for their food. F/T is readily taken. Fun snakes for the right person.

[bns]

I spent some time with the gophers in nor Cal...it was the first time I ever saw any...1990ish.

The wife in motorcycle gear picking up a wild one:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ated30TcAK1VmSNHAVCS8QfbtVix
Me with a couple good sized ones:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ated30TcAK1VmRwHjXJQ6qsJeE9j
A member here with one (I'll withhold his name and show the crappy pick without his face ):
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ated30TcAK1VmR-UQv_BRBZeRS3b
And another cool monster talked about on this thread:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ated30TcAK1VmRgLwUmYdimMXGtH

Hey OP, this seems on topic to me but if you'd rather not have this on the thread just say so...

[Bogertophis]

I spent some time with the gophers in nor Cal...it was the first time I ever saw any...1990ish.

The wife in motorcycle gear picking up a wild one:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ated30TcAK1VmSNHAVCS8QfbtVix
Me with a couple good sized ones:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ated30TcAK1VmRwHjXJQ6qsJeE9j
A member here with one (I'll withhold his name and show the crappy pick without his face ):
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ated30TcAK1VmR-UQv_BRBZeRS3b
And another cool monster talked about on this thread:
https://1drv.ms/u/s!Ated30TcAK1VmRgLwUmYdimMXGtH

Hey OP, this seems on topic to me but if you'd rather not have this on the thread just say so...

Great pics! Yup, California gopher snakes are awesome... Nice hoggy-mouth too...

[Jus1More]

Don't rule out the Hognose snakes. They are great keepers one they get started off right and have tons of character. Plus they stay at a nice size. The Gophers are another good choice IMO. I have 2 San Diego Gopher snakes and each one has their own personality. To me they are like the Hoggies in a way they are all hiss and bluff and rarely bite (at least mine are).
The Kings are ok, but they tend musk and are too wiggly for me. Another suggestion would be a rat snake. There are tons of different species of rat snakes and not all are hissy and nippy. The Trans-Pecos rat snake is very docile as well as the Baird's rat snake. Nevertheless, do your research and balance out the "pros and cons" and pick the one that is right for you....GOOD LUCK!

[Zincubus]

Hoggies ate rear/fanged of course and as such are regarded as mildly venomous ... they don’t bite that often but a bite CAN can be fairly serious


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Bogertophis]

Hoggies ate rear/fanged of course and as such are regarded as mildly venomous ... they don’t bite that often but a bite CAN can be fairly serious


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I've kept hognose snakes but never had any bites from them: typically their bites are more noticeable than bites from harmless snakes, but if you happen to be allergic
or have other health issues (like with your immune system), that could put the bite in a more serious category for sure. The trouble with allergic responses is that you
don't always know until it happens.

[dakski]

I've kept hognose snakes but never had any bites from them: typically their bites are more noticeable than bites from harmless snakes, but if you happen to be allergic
or have other health issues (like with your immune system), that could put the bite in a more serious category for sure. The trouble with allergic responses is that you
don't always know until it happens.

On this topic, I did not get a hognose, even though I wanted one, because I am immune suppressed due to a kidney transplant.

I've heard, but not verified, that if you are allergic to bee stings, a hognose bite is worse.

[dakski]

Have you considered Baird's Ratsnakes or Trans-Pecos Rat snakes? Both are unusual, very cool, and beautiful animals.

Baird's do not look like much as babies - grey, but look at the parents. As adults they can look like a rainbow.



Trans-Pecos come in a variety of colors as well.

Also, you have a corn snake. Have you thought of something exotic like a scaleless corn? I had a male hypo-lavender corn (Figment) for a while, but decided to get a second corn, Solana, a scaleless sunglow, motley, red factor, corn, from Don at South Mountain Reptiles. No regrets. She's amazing. Also, the two (corns) have totally different personalities. Figment is hyper and all over the place (all though completely docile and friendly) and Solana must be part Boa; she's calm and sweet and moves very slowly for a colubrid in my experience.

My point is, no two are alike. Same with my two Boas, or my three leopard geckos; each have their own personality.

[paulh]

I never understood the rep Bullsnakes get for their defensiveness. I've picked up, taken their temp, measured, weighed, etc. a ton of wild Bulls (best weekend was over 20 Bulls -I'd have to check my notes for a hard number but certainly over 20) … Anyway, over the years I can only remember one of them putting up a decent effort into trying to bite me and even that old boy mellowed out without me having to restrain his melon while I took his stats. Only a few have hissed at me too...

....

I understand!

The first bullsnake I encountered in the wild hissed and struck wildly. Not too surprising, though. It was sleeping beside a log, and my buddy and I rolled the log over it before realizing it was there. Another bullsnake had the most rotten disposition I've ever seen in a snake. That one had been in the posession of a local kid for two weeks before I got her. The kid had ruined her dispossion and her nose by banging on the box several times a day until she struck at the wire top. I forgave her for everything because she laid eggs a few weeks later and then became my first breeder female snake. Setting dogs on a bullsnake is another way to terrify it.

After writing all that, I can also say that most of the wild bullsnakes I've encountered have been good tempered to start with and get better with time and handling. Captive bred bullsnakes are better. I don't keep bullsnakes now. The state protects them. Which means you can kill every one you see; you're unlikely to get caught.

I've kept an assortment of snakes from the Pituophis group (pine snakes, bullsnake, and gopher snakes). Sonora gophers are great, and black pines are the most mellow of the ones I've had.

Of the kings, I've only had California kings. They are more timid than corns but are generally good.

Milks are snake eaters. That turned me off the whole milk snake group. But if you want one, go for a Honduran. They are bigger and have prettier colors than most of the USA milks.