The Reptile Shopkeeper

[searsb]

I WAS TOLD BY A REPTILE SHOP KEEPER THAT AS I AM NEW TO SNAKES I SHOULD GET A CORN SNAKE IS THAT TRUE INSTEAD OF A BALL PYTHON

[rabernet]

What's with all the smilies and all caps? Sort of distracts the reader from your question which may result in very few responses.

None of us can answer that for you. They have different husbandry requirements.

Take time and study the proper care of both, then decide for yourself.

[djslurp1200]

Robin said it pretty well. Study up and read as much as you can about them ...take a Look at both of them as well online and at the store, hold both of them, Ball pythons are a slower moving heavier bodied snake as oppose to the slender sometimes squirmish colubrid (corn, ratsnake, king...)


All and all best of luck to you on your decision and future purchase...There's alot of people on here that keep all kinds of snakes so if you have any other questions I'm sure they'll be glad to help you in any way.

Best of luck to ya!

[Het4Something]

in my own expireince corn snakes are smaller and thinner, which means that they move faster than a ball python would. It depends on what age and size you want to get the corn. I recommend the ball python to anybody, i trust my snakes more than i trust some people. Ball pythons have great patters and amazing attitudes. That just my opinion on the matter, maybe someone that has a corn would like to give u the other side of the story.....

[Tyger9791]

i have corns and other colubrids. i also have had ball pythons.
corns are squirmier but some do settle down with age and can be held for awhile. a baby corn is very tiny and wont tolerate being held for long at all, unlike a baby ball python.
corns and balls both come in a variety of patterns or morphs.
if you want a snake that you can hold for a long time and wont squirm away get a ball python.
if you want a snake that you can look at and hold occasionally, get a corn.
i've rarely had problem feeding corns. whereas my ball python would stop eating for no reason for weeks at a time. it would bother me, because i worry about stuff like that. eventually i ended up giving the ball to a friend of mine who had balls so i wouldnt worry about him not eating. he's doing fine. and i'll probably get another ball python. there are balls that are great feeders and some that arent. i happened to get a problem feeder.
there are lots of things to consider.....read up on both and decide which one you would like.

[lillyorchid]

Here is a good thread on Corns VS Balls:
http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=39751

[Laooda]

Not saying either way, but what caught my eye was that a shop keeper actually voiced an opinion on the well being of the snake, and or experience level of the potential new owner! I think that's kinda cool.....

[jason221]

if you want a snake that you can hold for a long time and wont squirm away get a ball python.
if you want a snake that you can look at and hold occasionally, get a corn.

Slightly inaccurate. Yes, you could hold a ball python for a long time, but odds are if you hold him for too long you could stress him out enough to make him refuse a meal (or meals). Corns may move fast, but the adults are considerably slower. Even the yearlings are much slower than hatchlings, in my experience. I've yet to hold either of my corns so much that they got overly stressed out. I think a 1-2 year old, or older, can tolerate a 2-3 hour handling session once in a while, or whenever you see fit, as long as you don't handle it that much every day it should be okay.

[Tyger9791]

thank you for the correction. i havent much experience with ball pythons. i had one for awhile, but only the one.

I hold my corns for a few minutes at a time. the younger they are the less i handle them. they do get stressed quite easily. my yearling Hypo will wrap himself around my wrist and hang out there for awhile. sometimes for up to an hour. but my yearling Miami Phase doesnt like to be held long at all. he likes to explore but not be held.

[Rascal]

My brother used to have a corn snake.. it was alright but I like the BP that i have now alot more. She is more relaxed, moves more slowly, and seems more inteligent. If you can get the conditions right I would recommend a BP . BPs will get bigger and probably require more responcibility. IMHO the BP is more intelligent, but thats just my
I ono why but sometimes the cornsnake would get grumpy. BPs seem alot nicer.