Help me decide on a new snake! :)

[Bogertophis]

And that brings up another consideration: gopher & bull snakes (also pine snakes, same 'family') are terrestrial snakes, whereas most rat snakes love to
climb branches, so a taller cage is better for them. None of them are "shy" types that hide all the time (except the silly Koreans) Many of my rat snakes
love to snooze on platforms (shallow, somewhat flat baskets) that I wire to their branches. They also use hides on the floor at times...they dig having choices
& are good for watching.

[FollowTheSun]

Thanks for the info! I looked up some pictures of the Korean rats, they are really cool. I'd prefer a snake that doesn't have a problem with being handled, but I'll put them on my list.

I've heard of the Everglades rat snakes. They are on the more uncommon species of rat snakes from what I've heard. I'll look into them too.

Thanks!

Mine is probably mostly or at least partly Everglades ratsnake if you want to look up my recent threads, I have lots of photos. She's very friendly though-- probably not the ornery snake you are looking for.

[FollowTheSun]

I saw the coolest thing the other day-- a snake that stays very small, and it was living in an aquarium with a built platform and water below with small fish. The snake would dunk down and eat the fish!

[Bogertophis]

Mine is probably mostly or at least partly Everglades ratsnake if you want to look up my recent threads, I have lots of photos. She's very friendly though-- probably not the ornery snake you are looking for.

I've known (bred) Everglades rat snakes, some are more feisty than others, & much depends on the owner too. You are well-above average when it comes to handling.

I also have to wonder if the OP really wants a snake that STAYS feisty, or only one that starts off that way. And so much depends on the vibe they get from us too.

[pretends2bnormal]

I also have to wonder if the OP really wants a snake that STAYS feisty, or only one that starts off that way. And so much depends on the vibe they get from us too.

Agreed. A snake that takes some work or time to tame down and learn how to work with is one thing, but a perpetual jerk of a snake is probably not what anyone really wants to have, especially for 1 snake out of 2.

A bull or a carpet would be the best more active snakes for some added challenge in working with snakes. Nothing extreme, but completely different from a BP and very striking animals. Something like a woma python may be good too, but less commonly found at expos in my experience.

A blood would be good too or a boa, but both are girthier and may not be as well-liked if the parents have to do the bulk of the care for college or something. That's a situational thing, so if OP attends local and lives at home, it is clearly no issue, but otherwise it could be.

Bloods are a much bigger challenge to learn to read as they don't S up or do much strike posture when they're uncomfortable or upset, so with cranky ones or less predictable juveniles, bites can be very hard to predict, even with a lot of experience in other species since they just show their state of mind very differently.

Boas just get fairly large unless you get a dwarf from a breeder you can trust and not wind up with a mix that could get larger like a normal BCI. Overfeeding in boas is a big issue too, so definitely needs some added research to learn what good feeding looks like if that's the decision.

All in all... I have all 4 of those (blood, boa, bull, and carpet), and they're all great snakes, so not a bad choice among them in my opinion.


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[Danya]

Thanks for all the info guys! To clear it up, I would prefer a snake that starts off defensive and then becomes docile as I work with it. I wouldn't want an angry adult boa lol. I'm currently 14, so I have some years before I head off to college and I will most likely be living at home since the college I want to go to is very close to where I live. I'm gonna cross out the BCI off my list because of its potential size. Right now my list includes: Carpet Pythons, STP, Gopher/Bull Snakes, and some sort of rat snake. Thanks!

I'm open to many more suggestions!

[pretends2bnormal]

Thanks for all the info guys! To clear it up, I would prefer a snake that starts off defensive and then becomes docile as I work with it. I wouldn't want an angry adult boa lol. I'm currently 14, so I have some years before I head off to college and I will most likely be living at home since the college I want to go to is very close to where I live. I'm gonna cross out the BCI off my list because of its potential size. Right now my list includes: Carpet Pythons, STP, Gopher/Bull Snakes, and some sort of rat snake. Thanks!

I'm open to many more suggestions!

Just for funsies. Have a few pics of the different ones I've got. Maybe one of the looks will appeal and give you more direction.

Since you're planning to stay local for college as of now, you'll likely have less issue about size and care since you're most likely going to be around to do it yourself. Just something I try to caution pre-college age kids of when they mention snakes & especially parents who aren't too interested in caring for them.

Kingsville locale bullsnake



Coastal carpet python



Ivory blood python



(Sorry in advance if the pictures look weird. Tapatalk likes to flip mine around at random :/)

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[Bogertophis]

I would for sure steer clear of Korean rat snakes...I've known one other that was calmer but still not a good pet, & the one I have is just not "reachable"...I'm
quite experienced in calming snakes down, & from what I've read, this is how they mostly are. Russian rat snakes are supposed to be good pets, but can be htf.

But most U.S. rat snakes would be great for you: black or amelanistic/"albino" black rat snakes, grey, yellow, Everglades, gulf hammock...all very similar but
with color differences. All are scrappy hatchlings that learn to be handled pretty well & get to the right size, with easy care & f/t rodents. Fairly smart snakes
too. The more docile ones you might not want (?) would be corn snakes, Trans Pecos & Bairds rat snakes. And Texas rat snakes might be more feisty than you
really want, but of course, there are always exceptions.

Gopher, bull & pine snakes are all similar in terms of size, ease of care & personality. Most hatchlings are quite defensive but with patient handling do very
well as pets. Remember that hatchlings of all kinds are easily preyed-upon, so their "attitude" is essential for their survival.

The other kinds on your list of consideration I'll leave to others who keep them, & ultimately it's all up to you, what appeals, & finding a healthy hatchling. It's
great that you're researching this, it should help you make a better choice than just impulse-buying, since these snakes can live 20+ years with good care, good genes & good luck. No such thing as a dumb question either....just ask.

I think you're wise to avoid BCI at this time...for the very reason you gave. They're nice snakes, but can get bigger than you want, & it's harder to predict. Keep in mind that the pituophis family or rat snakes (pantherophis family) discussed are easier to keep than boa types because their large cages don't have to be kept
so warm year-round for them to stay healthy. The bigger a cage is, the more challenge the heating can be if a snake needs higher temps. Also, the kinds I suggested
aren't likely to refuse food in the winter either.

[Danya]

Great information!

I'm really leaning towards the carpet pythons honestly. How sturdy are they as juveniles? Same with the bull/gopher snakes. Will they be fine if I have to leave for a week?

Those are some really nice pics pretends2bnormal! Thanks for sharing them. (Love your Blood Python)

[Bogertophis]

Snakes are fine for a week, IMO...as long as heat/temps are regulated appropriately & an adequate water bowl is clean & filled. It's always possible that they'll
defecate in the water bowl or dump it over, but while undesirable, neither is fatal.