Best First Colubrid - Suggestions Please!

[MelissaFlipski]

OK, we have a ball python, Kenyan sand boa, rosy boa, jungle carpet python, and temporary rehab black rat snake. I decided we need a colubrid in our collection once the black rat is released.

Since I can't have an indigo, what should I get? I want docile, intelligent, and lots of personality. Size doesn't matter too much - but I'd like it in the 3' to 8' range. Looks don't matter a bit (coloring).

Suggestions? Thanks!

[frankykeno]

Well Melissa of course I'm going to say an Albino Nelson's Milksnake LOL. I'm sure you've seen pictures on this forum of my daughter's Milk named Emi.

Nelson's tend to be a slow growing Milksnake that does end up a nice size but not huge. They are known for their docile personalities and if handled nicely as babies rarely nip or musk. Emi hasn't ever nipped, never hissed and only musked us twice when she was a tiny noodle baby. She participates in snake shows all the time, is easily handled by anyone and has the same ease of care as a cornsnake does. The only issue is they are escape artists so Emi has multiple metal lid clips on her 20 L enclosure. A 20 L is a perfect size for her and likely will do her whole life (she started out in a 10).

Lastly, she's simply gorgeous. Tangerine/blood orange stripes on a white background with thin stripes that look like someone marked her with a yellow highlighter pen. Crazy cute orange eyes and an orange flickering tongue. How can you not love that LOL.

Another option if you like Indigo's is the Black Milksnake. They start out life as a tri-colored baby and gradually change to a beautiful black adult. They are one of the biggest of the Milks and one of the few snakes where the male outsizes the female. We're looking forward to adding a Black Milk to our own collection some day.

[Argentra]

CORNS!! Corns all the way!

Seriously, these guys are super easy to care for (comparatively), are generally very sweet, and have great variety of color morphs to choose from.

Other great choices would be Milksnakes (I agree that the Black and Nelson's are awesome, but I add the Sinaloan and Tri-color Honduran to that list), and the Cali, King.

[DSGB]

my first colubrid was my hognose. ive had him for about a month. i love him him.great personality, great feeding response. he is about 5 inches but he thinks he is 15 feet.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

California Kingsnake, Honduran Milksnake etc

[djansen]

Well Melissa of course I'm going to say an Albino Nelson's Milksnake LOL. I'm sure you've seen pictures on this forum of my daughter's Milk named Emi.

Nelson's tend to be a slow growing Milksnake that does end up a nice size but not huge. They are known for their docile personalities and if handled nicely as babies rarely nip or musk. Emi hasn't ever nipped, never hissed and only musked us twice when she was a tiny noodle baby. She participates in snake shows all the time, is easily handled by anyone and has the same ease of care as a cornsnake does. The only issue is they are escape artists so Emi has multiple metal lid clips on her 20 L enclosure. A 20 L is a perfect size for her and likely will do her whole life (she started out in a 10).

Lastly, she's simply gorgeous. Tangerine/blood orange stripes on a white background with thin stripes that look like someone marked her with a yellow highlighter pen. Crazy cute orange eyes and an orange flickering tongue. How can you not love that LOL.
)

gets my vote! they are awesome looking, reasonably priced too.

[fishmommy]

mexican black milk, because they are a joy to handle and get to a satisfying size

[kjhowland]

I have to go with Corn also. My corn is over 10 years old and is a fine example of a docile good looking snake IMHO

[TooManyToys]

I would recommend a Kingsnake, they are very hardy and easy to care for.

[frankykeno]

Pick me Melissa! Pick me!