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.