Which would be better to have as a 2nd snake? Thinking large breeds!

[simon17]

Ok guys i have a ball python and shes 3foot and not a year old yet. But I feel like I have the collection bug, and want to get another one sometime in the next few months or so.

But I was thinking of, boa,burm,carpet anything like that. Which would be best or reckomend?

[CCfive]

Depends on how much bigger you want to get. Remember though bigger snake, bigger responsibilities, (and poo ). There are many different locality of boa which range in size. I am working on getting a Hog Island which generally range between 4-6ft. Whatever you choose make sure you do your research and if you pick one of the bigger ones be positive you will be able to care for it when it does reach full size. Many people dump their pets because when they get so large it's a lot of work. Good luck with whatever you choose.

[simon17]

Depends on how much bigger you want to get. Remember though bigger snake, bigger responsibilities, (and poo ). There are many different locality of boa which range in size. I am working on getting a Hog Island which generally range between 4-6ft. Whatever you choose make sure you do your research and if you pick one of the bigger ones be positive you will be able to care for it when it does reach full size. Many people dump their pets because when they get so large it's a lot of work. Good luck with whatever you choose.

Hey thanks for the advise. See i wanna go up in sizes before i reach somethin over 12ft, I really like the boa's the red tail or dwarf, cause of the size's they can go to where its not overly hard to handle on my own. Im kinda lucki as the g/f is into snakes too, which is a bonus,lol

[Amon Ra Reptiles]

As stated above be sure you are prepared and ready for the responsibility. Hog islands are a nice smaller local of boa. Carpets are cool to have. They don't get to big but are still a good size snake. If your not wanting a monster of a snake lol then stay away from burms and tics. They are both a giant python breed and take some experience to care for. Any more questions just ask.

[CCfive]

That always helps. My wife's father kept snakes when she was little, it was actually her idea to get a snake. Then of course my compulsive behavior took over and I built a rack and got 3 more snakes in the span of about 2 months.

Now I'm trying to convince her I NEED just one more.(for now)

[purplemuffin]

When it comes to carpet pythons, remember that they generally like height. Something to keep in mind--that's why we don't have one, we don't have the space for a tall cage right now! Boas get big and fat and need super big cages, but something like a brazilian rainbow boa is longer than a ball python, but slender! Or you could go the opposite route--get a blood python-fat but not too long!

You could get a shorter locality boa, and then maybe move up in size to a colombian or true red tail!

[Muddyredneck]

if your not looking for 12ft yet then i reccomend asking yourself this, are you looking for a docile relax snake or a handful fun to deal with snake? that would give us more direction and suggestions to make

my views on "starter reptiles" or "stepping stone" reptiles are they are a bad idea because they often get neglected or traded/sold once the real goal is aquired.. HOWEVER if you can honestly say you will treat them the same hen this is what i will suggest

if your looking for a calmer snake, go with a boa or blood python, both are calm and easy going snakes with proper handling and are more like a burm then a retic. so they are in the eyes of some "easier" to deal with

if you want a more curious/active snake like a retic in the end then i suggest a coastal carpet python, they are extreamly fun to handle, and are active/smart like a retic. their cages like mentioned do need to be taller, but even on a large scale a 4x3x3 is plenty for an adult of 10+ft which is extreamly rare!. my coastal girl will probly be around 8ft and will live out her life in a 72x24x48 more then likely because she is a climber so u put a radient heat panel and they instantly become a decoration because they are out.

think, take your time and read all you can and ask every question you think of no matter how small or stupid it may seeem people on this board are more then willing to help so you get exactly wat you want

[gman8585]

Boas and carpets would be a good place to start. Carpets are great snakes,but very nippy when young. Boas are good too but they can get very large. But so long as you can properly care for them you will be fine.

[gman8585]

Burms and Retics and anacondas intrest me and I know could take care of them but right now something that big would be overkill,and feeding them would cost a decent penny. Also these big big snakes are from what I can gather a learning experience so you have to be aware and alert not to end up catching a bite or a coil on yourself.

[mainbutter]

They're all different, and they're all unique.

If you're going to seriously consider giants, I'd heartily encourage you to handle a 50-80lb snake, and then realize that burms can get MUCH bigger than that.

Frankly I like carpet pythons. They feed my interest in active snakes that aren't tiny, and the breeding project possibilities are endless. They won't feed a need for 'huge' snakes however, and I think the size projection that people think of for them is way overestimated for the most part.

In the back of my mind, I kind of would like to have an aussie olive python, or perhaps a locality BCC, but that's not in the cards yet. I am hoping that my blood python female will tip the scales someday and have some truly impressive size, but there are still many years of growth to go.

On top of that, every time I clean out my hognose snake tubs, I'm so happy how easy it is that they are small, and think to myself how much it would suck to shovel the poo from a pig-eating giant.

My best suggestion for trying to pick a new species, is to simply go experience them first hand. Go to expos and see if you are able to handle any of the adults on display. Spend time on the internet and figure out which ones have a look that really piques your interest. No species is out of your reach if you really want to work towards it, but it really can be work at times.

It's well worth the time you put in when deciding on a new species, the herp world is filled with impulse buys that are regretted a year down the line with someone saying 'man, I really wish I'd known more about this other species beforehand'.