corn king or milk snake?

[katieam]

i have a 5 month old corn and i was thinking about getting a second snake (housed seperately) and i was wondeering about the temerment of king snakes and milk snakes. also, their general size and anything else that would be helpful in my decision.
i appreciate it,
katie

[frankykeno]

My daughter has a female Albino Nelson's Milksnake. We've been very impressed with the calm nature of this snake and amazed at her gorgeous coloration (people visiting often think she's a fake or toy snake until she flicks her tongue lol). Nelson's get about 40 to 50 inches or so in length and basically have the same care requirements as cornsnakes.

Here's a couple of links that show nice examples of this type of snake.

http://www.probreeders.com/htm/nelsoni.html

http://www.applegatereptiles.com/species/nelsoni.htm

Everything I've read about Nelsons mentions they are usually one of the calmest of the milksnake group. I know from our experience with Emi, that this is very true. She's never nipped, hasn't musked since she was a hatchling and is so calm and good natured we have used her in shows for elementary school kids. She is a very good eater and will take either live or f/t.

I'd always recommend a Nelsons, especially the stunning albino's, as a good choice.

[Shelby]

I have an albino nelson as well. One of the calmest of my colubrids.. beautiful snake. Mine has never bitten.

I have 4 california king snakes.. they're beautiful snakes too, but they can be kind of snippity sometimes. The one I've had since it was a baby is the most calm, but last week he tried to eat my leg, so.. yeah. haha

The kingsnake with the best temperament that I know of is the greyband king. My one is very docile.

[frankykeno]

Your gorgeous boy Nelson's needs to come visit my gorgeous girl Nelson's some day April.

[Shelby]

Yes, indeed. he needs to grow first! I swear he has a dwarf gene.. he's the slowest growing snake.

[frankykeno]

I wonder if that's a Nelson's thing April. Emi eats well but really isn't as big as I thought she would be at this age. She seems healthy as a horse though and growing but just slower than I expected.

[Montessa Python]

I love my king snakes, my rat and corn snakes have been too much into being escape artists.

[Shelby]

Could be, Jo. I noticed the same thing with my honduran milks, my greyband king and my mexican black king too.. they just grow soooo slow! They all eat great too.