Ball Python or Corn Snake?

[dakski]

I have read most of this thread, but if I am redundant, I apologize.

Here is my two cents. Keep in mind I have had both corn snakes and ball pythons throughout my life and currently have a female ball and a male corn snake.

Corn Snake:

Pros:

1. Will eat easily and often on appropriate sized food items - F/T is no problem, especially when started young, but even adults are easy to switch. Aggressive feeders, but not aggressive towards owners. I have had kings who strike willingly expecting a meal if it is there or not. Not making a generalization on kings, but corns I have never had mistake me for food or come after me looking for food.

2. Less complex requirements - need less heat, less humidity, etc. They still need decent humidity (50% +) when shedding, but otherwise usually do fine with house humidity. 86-88 degrees hot spot and a 75-80 degrees cool spot and they are happy.

3. Usually VERY tame, even as young ones.

4. Very active - like being out and even often check out their owners when they walk by or look in.

5. Small size/weight relative to other snakes. Therefore smaller enclosures. I think a 30G would be fine for an adult corn. SECURE is key though - they are thin bodied snakes and can escape easily.

6. Cool morphs

7. Inexpensive, even for really beautiful morphs.

8. Hardy

Cons:

1. Very small as young snakes - and tend to be squirmy. They grow out of it most of the time, but even as adults are more active when handled than larger snakes like ball pythons. The small size and squirmy nature can be difficult for new owners at times. Overall, if you handle often, they grow out of it quickly.


Ball Pythons:

Pros:

1. Usually very tame especially when handled. Most outgrow any aggression, but there are a few aggressive ones. Not saying corns can't be, but haven't experienced it.

2. Good body size - not fragile, even when young, and are not too big, but big enough to handle easily at any age.

3. Awesome color morphs.

4. Usually totally chill when being handled. My female will sit around my shoulders or in my arms and relax for hours on end if I want to hold her that long.

5. Hardy - when requirements are met - right temp, right humidity.

Cons:

1. Can be picky eaters and not all take F/T. I have had good experience with F/T and balls when I have been patient and work with the animal. Shayna, our female albino ball takes F/T readily and I have fed her that since I got her at 5 months of age. I have even switched an 11 year old wild caught to F/T - with a lot of patience and trial and error. Shayna will sometimes go weeks without eating for no reason at all (it seems) and then start eating again no problem. If you have one snake and start them young, F/T should work fine with most animals. The key is to know your animal and work with them. I also don't sweat fasting unless she loses substantial weight. The longest fast has been a month or two and she lost 3% or so of her body weight - not a big deal.

Bottom line: Make sure you know the snake you get took F/T and work with the animal through fasts, etc. You should be fine. If you absolutely refuse to feed live, balls can be more difficult.

2. You really have to keep up on heat and humidity. If you do, you will have a hardy snake. If you neglect, you can get a sick animal more easily than a corn (more so because the requirements are less - if you neglect a corn, or any animal, you are asking for trouble).

3. Can be very expensive for nice morphs.


OVERALL:

I love both snakes. I think it is a matter of what you are looking for and how you approach it. Ball's need a little extra work and patience (especially with feeding, specifically regarding feeding schedule - they dictate it more than you do). However, they are very rewarding snakes. I love Shayna and wouldn't trade her for anything, even with some of the feeding issues. Again, I keep up on maintenance (water, food, heat, humidity) for all my animals, so she is healthy and happy. That is key regardless of which animal you choose.

Figment, our corn, is also fantastic. He is personable and a voracious feeder, which is fun. He also eats like clockwork, so no worries there. Again, I have learned not to sweat Shayna's hunger strikes.

I hope this is helpful, even if it is just my two cents.

David