Best First Colubrid - Suggestions Please!

[JoMo]

The don´t "need" brumation. Unless you want to breed
A friend of mine has a few for some years and only brumates when he wants to breed them

[MelissaFlipski]

The don´t "need" brumation. Unless you want to breed
A friend of mine has a few for some years and only brumates when he wants to breed them

The care sheet that you provided says that if they go off feed in winter to brumate in order to prevent them from losing weight. Does your friend never have this problem?

All I know is that I have a long list of things to hold at the next show!! Boy, I can't wait!!!

[JoMo]

They brumate in the nature so I believe that is why the caresheet reflects that also. Bu my friend never brumated his and as long as you keep some temperature, they continue feeding normally.

[MarkS]

I keep a lot of colubrids and I would definitely go with the corn. The reason I would go with a corn first is because you specified that it be docile. Whereas 99%+ of my corns are easily handleable and will calm down quickly without biting, I have a much lower percentage of kings/milks that will do that. I do have a lot of docile milk and king snakes, but I've also got a few that will bite like little demons and crap and musk all over you. You really can't tell what personality type you'll be getting until you've already bought it. While you might get lucky with a mellow king or milk right off the bat, I think you have a better chance at a good mellow personality in a corn.

Mark

[Monty]

I would say corn or hognose. i was gonna say a taiwanise beauty but you already said you didnt have the room for it.

[Hardwikk]

I keep a lot of colubrids and I would definitely go with the corn. The reason I would go with a corn first is because you specified that it be docile. Whereas 99%+ of my corns are easily handleable and will calm down quickly without biting, I have a much lower percentage of kings/milks that will do that. I do have a lot of docile milk and king snakes, but I've also got a few that will bite like little demons and crap and musk all over you. You really can't tell what personality type you'll be getting until you've already bought it. While you might get lucky with a mellow king or milk right off the bat, I think you have a better chance at a good mellow personality in a corn.

Mark

Hey, Hoggers are docile too Mark! What's your opinion about them?

[jjspirko]

Wanting to be different always I have a few suggestions and none are all that advanced, indeed with what you already keep you should be fine with any of them.

1. Black Milk - given you would like an indigo this is pretty close and much less expensive and less clean up.

2. Red Tail Green Rat - Beautiful, just pay the extra money for Captive Bred, at least Captive Hatched. WC and usually full of parasites and even if treated they are pretty mean.

3. Madagascar Cat Eyed Snake - Just look at one, that is enough. They are very docile too.

4. Lucy Rats (Texas or Black) are beautiful, inexpensive and bullet proof from a care stand point.

5. Leopard Rats - Expensive yes, worth the cost, IMHO Yes!

6. Trinkets - One cool snake and dirt cheap (because they can have 5 cluthes a season )

7. Beauties - Be they Blue or Tai or what have you. All rock and most are not tough to work with, they tend not to be the best "handling" snakes though. Mine has never bitten but he is constantly going and now like 8 feet.

8. Trans-Pecos Rat - Highly over looked and very easy to care for and really cool looking.

9. Bairds Rat Snake - see trans-pecos above

10. Black Pine Snake - They get really big, they are really cool and not everyone has one. Oh yea and some of em hiss, impressive but the whole bark is worse then the bite thing applies.

Hope that helps,

[MarkS]

Hey, Hoggers are docile too Mark! What's your opinion about them?

I've only had a couple of hognose, and they were fun but with a VERY strong feeding response so I always had to be real careful when first opening their tubs. My female would follow a mouse on tongs across the floor with her mouth gaping open. It was pretty funny. Also when I held her for any length of time she would go real limp. Like she was trying to do that famous hognose feigning death thing but only half heartedly.

I should get some more hog noses, they were a hoot.

[MelissaFlipski]

I would say corn or hognose. i was gonna say a taiwanise beauty but you already said you didnt have the room for it.

Actually, I prefer larger over smaller, but just want to have a chance to "grow with them" so I can inch my way into that. We have the space. We might just need to get rid of more junk as we add snakes. Less clutter, more snakes. I like.

Thanks, Jack, you always pull through for me! I'll add them to my list. I did see a picture of a red tail green rat and it was nice looking! How fast is your Tai? Is he always on the move or does he ever just sit and "snuggle"? Also, did you see my thread on exotic animals petting zoo? Just wondering what you think - I know you do the whole kid education bit.

Mark, I don't mind nippy, grumpy, or whatever in a juvenile. I just want one that can be tamed down into a calm adult. I think all the suggestions so far are good ones. Hopefully, I would pick up whatever I get in person and can try to gauge personality in some small way. And if I get it young, hopefully, it will mellow out. But it's true, there's no guarantee!

[MelissaFlipski]

3. Madagascar Cat Eyed Snake - Just look at one, that is enough. They are very docile too.

"... mildly venemous..." Like the other one I loved - the Rufous Beaked.