Which snakes prefer handling?

[LLLReptile]

With experience with over a hundred or so different species coming through the stores... Maybe I can chime in!

As previous posters have mentioned, it really depends on the individual snake. I have a pet house snake that will sit in my hair clip for an entire day at work, and when she gets tired, crawls into my shirt pocket and sleeps there. No joke, it was because of her temperament I ended up taking her home - she's only gotten sweeter and more interactive as she's gotten older.

In my experience, species that are more active hunter types tend to be more okay with frequent handling. Cornsnakes, kingsnakes, House snakes, those are all highly recommended as good beginner snakes for a reason- once they're settled in, they are totally unfazed by handling, and they are definitely super curious. I have personally seen quite a few of them come out, maybe not expressly to be handled but they are more interested in the world around them on average than many heavier bodied boas or pythons.

That being said, I honestly find that among ball pythons there are definitely animals that seem to enjoy handling, and those that don't. Same with Boa constrictors - I've encountered a HUGE range of boas that vary from actively coming out and crawling all over anyone who opens the cage to those that stay curled up in a corner, preferring to be left alone.

Some of my personal favorites that are common:
Cornsnakes
Florida Kingsnakes
California Kingsnakes
Ball Pythons (this depends on the individual snakes available)
common colombian boas (depends on the snakes/person)
Central American/island locale boa constrictors

Somewhat less common snakes that are just as neat and nice:
western hognoses
African house snakes
Dumeril's boas
carpet pythons (usually the irian jaya ssp, they stay smaller)
everglades ratsnakes
baird's ratsnakes
prairie kingsnakes
baja kingsnakes
mexican black kingsnakes
san luis potosi kingsnakes

An lot of the North American colubrids do well with regular handling, and more often than not the animals I encounter seem mellow and sweet, regardless of frequency of handling as they were growing up.

Hope that helps!

-Jen