Beginner Snake

[Prognathodon]

We got our corns as adults, they're also great in personality and for feeding. Tanis, my husband's big female, does seem to have a minor grudge against our husky-mix, but we just keep him off the couch when she's out. The beagles, OTOH are just furry furniture in her opinion.


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[Ax01]

don't get an Anaconda for your first snake.


Edit: and i think either a BP or Corn or King/Milk Snake would be a great place to start.

[Hypancistrus]

Ok, so I'm stil new to the forums, so sorry if this isn't in the right section.

So I want to get my first snake in a few months ( the next expo is in April, sadly).

Ive heard various people say a corn snake is better than a ball python, and vise versa, for a first snake. For those of you with experience, which do you prefer, and why? Also, if any body has any care tips for either they would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Kat

As others have said, cornsnakes are more forgiving and generally easier to keep. They do very well at average room humidity in most of the US and in many areas do well at room temp or very slightly above-- this makes them a very simple snake to keep. In addition, it is rare for cornsnakes to refuse or go off of food, while in ball pythons it can be a semi-regular thing depending on gender of snake and its temperament. When I was a new snake keeper, having a snake stop eating for no apparent reason would have been very stressful for me. I think it scares new snake keepers, especially if they are totally new to reptiles.

[bcr229]

Also I've seen some really gorgeous corn snake morphs in the $50-100 range, so it doesn't break the bank to get one that's a looker.

[Albert Clark]

The classic beginner snake is the garter snake. A species often forgotten and neglected as a great pet and even a better breeding snake. Garters come in varying morphs as well as normal types. They also are reliable feeders that can attain surprisingly large sizes. Especially some of the Plains garters and the checkereds. Particularly the albino checkereds and the females in both species. Garters are not constrictors and don't have the heavy bodies of most constrictors but they have something else going for them. Most people don't know that garter snakes are considered a "mildly venomous" species that is harmless to mankind. However they possess enlarged rear teeth that they use to chew and inject a neurotoxic venom to subdue and stun their struggling prey. Garter snakes are very adaptive as well to life in the terrarium and do very well on a rodent based diet. Unfortunately they are missing from the reptile expos and pet shops but seem to be making a very slow comeback. We do have a few breeders out there with some amazing morphs and terrific looking normals.

[alphahippo]

I like ball pythons cause they seem to be alot slower then corn snakes, my corn is super fast and my bp is alot easier to handle for that reason

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[RatAtat2693]

I'm stuck between the King, Garter, Corn, and Ball. I've never had a reptile before though, so that might be a factor.

I'm leaning towards the Garter, mostly because I have pet rats. While I have no problems separating my pets from the feeders (those guys aren't exactly cuddly), I mostly just don't want any escape accidents. I've also read that they eat mostly bugs and fish, so that makes feeding a lot easier. I've bred tropical fish, so I can't imagine goldfish or guppies being much harder. (I have a deep dislike for mice, so that's another thing I don't mind feeding.) And I don't want anything I have to buy a 50 gallon tank for, so that seems to knock out the ball. (Though I have a tendency to go overboard, so if I end up with a 100 gallon tank for a corn snake, don't be surprised.) My only real reservations are about temperament, as every garter I've handled has been kind of testy. Nips and full-on bites.

I'd like my first snake to be something colorful I can hang out with. And while garters fit the bill in habitat, they don't seem to have the right personality. For something that can live 10 years, I would like to actually be on good terms.

[Zincubus]

Garters are amazing , I have three Albino Checkered garter snake youngsters all living together in a little commune

They eat fuzzy mice , tiny white fish and earthworms .
Very tame and active 24/7 as they are very inquisitive .

I'm actually amazed to hear you cane across some feisty ones .

Maybe I got lucky with Albinos as these are all puppy tame

[Hypancistrus]

I'm stuck between the King, Garter, Corn, and Ball. I've never had a reptile before though, so that might be a factor.

I'm leaning towards the Garter, mostly because I have pet rats. While I have no problems separating my pets from the feeders (those guys aren't exactly cuddly), I mostly just don't want any escape accidents. I've also read that they eat mostly bugs and fish, so that makes feeding a lot easier. I've bred tropical fish, so I can't imagine goldfish or guppies being much harder. (I have a deep dislike for mice, so that's another thing I don't mind feeding.) And I don't want anything I have to buy a 50 gallon tank for, so that seems to knock out the ball. (Though I have a tendency to go overboard, so if I end up with a 100 gallon tank for a corn snake, don't be surprised.) My only real reservations are about temperament, as every garter I've handled has been kind of testy. Nips and full-on bites.

I'd like my first snake to be something colorful I can hang out with. And while garters fit the bill in habitat, they don't seem to have the right personality. For something that can live 10 years, I would like to actually be on good terms.

Garters can be very musky/flighty. They are great display snakes and can be good for handling depending on personality of the individual. Most garter keepers today recommend transitioning garters to pinkie mice because of the lack of good quality feeder fish available. The ones in pet stores are lacking some sort of nutrient that can lead to nutrient deficiencies of some type. I'm not a garter person myself and don't know the specifics.

If you want a snake you can regularly handle without it going off feed or anything, corns are seriously your best bet. Some BP's tolerate handling better than others, but nowhere near the way a cornsnake will. I have my cornsnake in my very busy high school science classroom all year long, and he is handled more than most snakes and STILL never misses a meal. They're ironclad.

So far as escapes go... don't have one. Set your habitat up to be escape proof and develop the personal habits to ensure that it stays that way. Escapes are bad for snakes and for the public perception of reptile keeping. And also... most adult corns aren't going to be able to kill and feed on fully grown, adult rats. Babies? Sure. But adults not so much. In fact I would worry more about the corn in that case. Adult rats are nothing to mess with.

[RatAtat2693]

And also... most adult corns aren't going to be able to kill and feed on fully grown, adult rats. Babies? Sure. But adults not so much. In fact I would worry more about the corn in that case. Adult rats are nothing to mess with.

Lol, you don't have to tell me twice. I've always had big boy rats. They're sweet. But I've worked with cases where that rat wanted nothing to do with me, and I have scars to prove it. Besides, there's usually three to five of them, depending on the time of the year, so sadly, I don't think a corn snake would stand a chance. And any time I have babies, it's a half inch bar spacing/mesh, so I don't think a full grown corn is slipping through that.

Mice, in my experience, are also easier to breed than rats. Less resources.

And that hardiness is what I've heard about the corns. I thought a ball, who hasn't, but like you said, they're finicky. (I worked in a nature center at a summer camp, and we couldn't get it to eat.) More so than an escape, I'm concerned about getting bitten. Rat smell = food. And while I'm accustomed to washing up after handling, crap happens. I feel like a ball would leave a nastier bite than a corn. I'd eventually like a rainbow boa, but that might take some getting used to, and I'd definitely have to wait until I no longer have the rats.