What is the best intermediate snake species?

[dakski]

That question is very subjective. It would depend on if you are looking for a larger constrictor or perhaps another colubrid.

If you are looking for a large constrictor, my vote goes to a boa or even SD retic.

If you are looking for a colubrid, cant help you there.

The key is you need to do the research beforehand. Know what you are getting into and the costs of said animal and evaluate whether you have the funds and time for them. Really only you can answer that question.

As for snakes that a single person can handle, there are boas, SD retics, carpets. Caesar who is my SD retic is 7-8 feet and i can handle him solo no problem. He is a handful as he is always on the go like most retics but nothing i cant handle. Boas are much more laid back, kind of like a huge BP that isnt scared or hides.

But again, cant stress it enough, do the research for the snake you are interested in and then ask questions about that snake. Your question is too broad and generalized so you are going to get all kinds of different answers.

And dont be deterred by any snake. Some take more specific set ups but imo, none so far have seemed really hard for me. I was worried about GTPs for years which put me off from buying one even though i always wanted one. Well the stars lined up and i say screw it and bit the bullet. Turned out Pat is very easy to care for once i got the set up right. You just need to research and nothing is really hard. People also say Surinames are hard to care for. I dont find that true either. Gina is just as easy as my BCIs to care for as long as you research and know what to do. That is the key. Maybe i got lucky or maybe all my research beforehand paid off

Yes, yes, and yes! Good points. Although, I think colubrids are cool, though not exactly your cup of tea, Sauzo?

I agree it's very important to research. You are going to have a colubrid for 10-20 years and a boid for even longer. Make sure you are comfortable with your decision and can properly care for the snake. You are asking the question, so I imagine you will do that, but it's a good point.

"Boas are much more laid back, kind of like a huge BP that isnt scared or hides."

I am nominating this for best description of a Boa on BP.net.

I can attest, from limited experience, Boa's are not shy and do not scare easy! Shayna, my BP is a total sweetheart, but scares herself bumping into stationary objects, and is rarely found outside a hide.

Behira uses hides, but usually only part way. She likes getting her body snug in there, but her head is almost always way out of the hide and checking things out.

She is very observant and likes to see what's going on around her, in tank, or out and about being handled. I like the bravery and personality, but do not love Shayna any less.

For what's worth, Figment, my corn (and I have had several throughout my life), is similar to Boa's in terms of not scaring easy and often checking things out. He likes to hide more than Behira, but also will come right out to see me half the time I open the tank. When being handled, he is more interested in moving around though. He's an adult and about 650G and 5FT, so very manageable, to say the least, but he moves a lot. He does not scare or mind being redirected though. If he bumps into something, it's, "NEXT!" Bump, next, bump, next, bump, next. He almost likes bumping things with his head to investigate.