What do you think is the best beginner snake and why?

Lorgakor

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I'm curious to hear opinions on what snakes people think are the best beginner snakes and why they think that. Also what snake is the worst beginner snake and why. :)
 

Shrike

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Worst? Anything hot. A close second would be large constrictors like Burmese pythons. It seems like many people that own these snakes are being motivated by the wrong reasons, or just simply don't understand the care requirements involved.

When it comes to the best, I'm a bit biased. I have a 10 yr old Andean milk snake, Lampropeltis triangulum andesiana...great species. A tri-colored milk snake that is on the large side. Not as nippy as some kings and milks. Eats like clockwork. A montane species, so it is comfortable at lower temps than many other snakes. In my experience, this is just a very hardy snake. I love this species, but haven't met many other people that have it.

To be honest, most kings and milks make great beginner snakes. You also can't go wrong with corns.
 

Big Red TJ

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Ball pythons are at the top of the list lots of new morphs on the market..
 

halfwaynowhere

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My first snake was a ball python, though I'd had experience with other snakes before (mostly corns). Some people suggest them as beginner snakes, others warn about poor eating habits and such. As long as you get your enclosure set up and monitor temps and humidity for a few days before getting the animal, there's no problem. Just be smart and do your research first, so when issues pop up, you already have an idea of what to do.

Corns are also great beginner snakes, so easy to fall in love with the various colors/patterns, and they are all for the most part reasonably priced (as opposed to spending thousands on high end BP morphs). I'd especially recommend corns for a beginner who wants to breed, because of the availability of morphs. Once you get a grasp on genetics for corns, the same knowledge can be applied to other, more high end snakes.

Kings I've found to be so-so. The one king I currently have is the most low-maintenance snake I've ever seen (and snakes are relatively low maintenance anyways, once they are set up properly). She's very laid back, easy to handle, but she's a terrible eater. Another king I used to have was quite the opposite- he was aggressive as heck, and don't get me started on that musk! I wouldn't have wished him on any beginner.
 

pitbulllady

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My choices for best beginner snakes would be a toss-up between Corns, most "true" Rat Snakes and most King Snakes/Milk Snakes. All are easy to care for, most will become very tame(IF they weren't always that way to begin with), they are easy to obtain food for, and do not require a lot in the way of auxilliary supplies, like heat sources,etc. They stay a manageable size, for the most part, altough some of the Asian Rats DO get quite large. Second on the list would be the Natricine snake, the Water and Garter/Ribbon snakes, and I only put them second because many are fish eaters, and some folks prefer a rodent-feeding snake. They also require greater attention to enclosure cleanliness and dryness, being more prone to skin infections than most other snakes. With all of these snakes, there are many captive-bred color morphs, so if one color scheme doesn't appeal to you, you can still find one that does.

Worst beginner snake? MOST of the large constrictors, plus any "hots", and I know I'm going to risk a lot of "flames" here, but I'm going to go out on a limb and add Ball Pythons to that list. While they are usually docile, stay a manageable size and are also available in a ridiculously wide array of morphs(for a price, I might add), even captive-bred specimens are often "iffy" feeders at best, often being picky about things like the color of their meals. Most Balls won't eat frozen/thawed prey, either. Some will, and I consider a person very fortunate to have a Ball Python that will eat f/t. Several of the people I know, including the guy I buy rodents from, breed Ball Python morphs, and tell me that they rarely get one that will eat f/t. Unlike Corns or Kings, you DO need auxilliary heat for a Ball Python, and that is another expense that some people might not want to make. A lot of owners get frustrated by this species' tendency to fast for extended periods of time, also. I will also include any of the Green Tree Pythons and Emerald/Amazon Tree Boas to this list, since their care is far more specialized than most first-timers are able to put forth, AND they have a tendency to bite along with the dental equipment to really inflict severe lacerations if the snake is a larger speciment.

pitbulllady
 

dtknow

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Pbl: Willing to reccomend some snakes that are ok at roomtemp? I noted you mentioned corns/kings. I've heard of people keeping corns w/o heat but it is noted they do better with at least frequent access to a heat source.

BP's are only considered good beginner snakes because so many of them are imported. And honestly morphs matter little to most beginners because few will have that kind money to plunk down on a first snake.
 

pitbulllady

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Pbl: Willing to reccomend some snakes that are ok at roomtemp? I noted you mentioned corns/kings. I've heard of people keeping corns w/o heat but it is noted they do better with at least frequent access to a heat source.

BP's are only considered good beginner snakes because so many of them are imported. And honestly morphs matter little to most beginners because few will have that kind money to plunk down on a first snake.
I've never given Corns or any other native Colubrids access to a heat source, and keep them at room temp year-round, and I've had some live for 18-19 years, which is pretty darn old for a Colubrid-not a record, but not far from it. In addition to Corns, Black Rats, any of the L. getula complex, Garters, and Waters, I'd recommend the Asian Rats in the "Beauty" Snake group, especially Taiwan Beauties. They actually prefer a cooler temp, are easy to feed, are very attractive, can become extremely tame, and if you like a larger snake than what the North American Rat Snakes provide, this is it. I've had Blue Beauties that were easily nine feet, and I've seen others belonging to other people that are verifiable at 10 feet, yet they are slender enough to be a manageable snake. The Pituophis family also provides some really good snakes, but be aware that their temperaments vary a lot, and many can be moody. African House Snakes(Lamprophis) are another good choice, although they do like it warmer than most North American Colubrids, and I've seen quite a few of these that were almost as "bitey" as an Amazon Tree Boa.

pitbulllady
 

jayefbe

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Red-tailed boas and ball pythons, IMO are great first snakes. Neither get very large and both are generally very docile.

I disagree completely with the statement that most ball pythons won't eat frozen-thawed rodents. I've had over 20 ball pythons and every single one of them have eaten frozen-thawed. Yes, they do tend to go on pro-longed fasts which can be infruriating at times but it does no harm to the snake itself. As long as you have the patience to deal with a snake that may not want to eat for a few months out of the year, and realize that it's just a natural part of the ball pythons habits then there is nothing to worry about.

The one caveat comes with imported adults. They have been accustomed to their natural diet which, surprise, is not captive bred rats. Recent imports can be a giant pain to feed, and some will starve to death. In short, don't buy them. If you buy CB from a reputable breeder then you have nothing to worry about. Or you can just buy from me in a few months. I should have a number of different morphs and normals available.
 

pitbulllady

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Red-tailed boas and ball pythons, IMO are great first snakes. Neither get very large and both are generally very docile.

I disagree completely with the statement that most ball pythons won't eat frozen-thawed rodents. I've had over 20 ball pythons and every single one of them have eaten frozen-thawed. Yes, they do tend to go on pro-longed fasts which can be infruriating at times but it does no harm to the snake itself. As long as you have the patience to deal with a snake that may not want to eat for a few months out of the year, and realize that it's just a natural part of the ball pythons habits then there is nothing to worry about.

The one caveat comes with imported adults. They have been accustomed to their natural diet which, surprise, is not captive bred rats. Recent imports can be a giant pain to feed, and some will starve to death. In short, don't buy them. If you buy CB from a reputable breeder then you have nothing to worry about. Or you can just buy from me in a few months. I should have a number of different morphs and normals available.
I was debating with myself(which makes for some interesting conversations, let me tell you)about whether or not to include Colombian Boas(I don't call them "Red-Tails" unless they are Boa constrictor constrictor, which most in the pet trade are not)in the list of Best Beginner Snakes. They CAN attain a pretty large size, females can at least, of 10 feet or thereabours, with considerable girth, which makes housing and handling a bit of a issue for many starting-out keepers, but on the other hand, I've never known anyone to have been injured by a Boa, and there are no documented human fatalities associated with these snakes. It's a rare Boa that has a nasty or even moody disposition unless it's really been abused or unless it's a female that has just given birth to a litter. I got my first Boa, a TRUE Red-Tail(Brazilian Bcc), when I was 12, and I've never had any problems dealing with one at all. They DO of course, require auxially heat, being tropical snakes, and they DO attain a size at which feeding jumbo rats(or similar-sized feeder animals like young chickens or rabbits)is necessary, so if that is a problem, then these probably shouldn't be considered. I've found that rats are easier to obtain year-round than mice, since rats do not slow down their breeding in the winter, unlike mice, so feeding large snakes has never been an issue for me. And, like Ball Pythons and Corns, if you don't like one color, there are plenty of others to choose from, depending on your taste and your bank account.

pitbulllady
 

StephanieH

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I'm curious about not having heat on your corns. Everywhere I've read said they need to be at 82-85. I've noticed that mine seem to hang out on the cooler side a lot, but will venture on to the UTH. My home is cool (65) in the winter.
 

BrettG

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We used a heater with our 2 Corns,and they avoided it at all costs.They are kept at room temp as well(75ish)It was a waste if $20 IMHO.............
 

Avicularia Man

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Just remember this. If you are looking to get a king snake or milk snake as a first snake. They do eat other snakes. They will even eat their own kind. So always keep them one per cage unless you wish to wake up one morning to only having one fat one left in the cage.
 
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Tecnition4life

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The best begginer snakes are either Corn Snakes or Ball Pythons. And that is only because they are not on the large side of snakes, they are very hardy, and easy to care for. I think Corn snakes are better though because ball pythons will go of feeding a lot and corn snakes hardly ever do.

The worst to start with though(not including hots) would be either Amazon Tree Boa, Emerald Tree Boa, Or green tree python. These snakes need very specific care and are not hardy. If the tempeture or humidity drops with these guys for even a couple days it could kill them. They also can be picky feeders if not kept in ideal conditions.
 

Avicularia Man

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The best begginer snakes are either Corn Snakes or Ball Pythons. And that is only because they are not on the large side of snakes, they are very hardy, and easy to care for. I think Corn snakes are better though because ball pythons will go of feeding a lot and corn snakes hardly ever do.

The worst to start with though(not including hots) would be either Amazon Tree Boa, Emerald Tree Boa, Or green tree python. These snakes need very specific care and are not hardy. If the tempeture or humidity drops with these guys for even a couple days it could kill them. They also can be picky feeders if not kept in ideal conditions.
I also think a water snake would be a bad first snake. So would a Hognose snake.

One more good starter is a Garter Snake. That's what I started with when I was 11. I caught it in the woods near my house. She ended up having 19 babies for me, but only 15 made it. The other four where deformed at birth.
 

dtknow

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I guess this thread shows that a good beginner snake for one circumstance may be totally unsuitable for others. You have to look at your living situation, abilities, natural preferences etc. and figure out the advantages. A RTB or BP might be a great snake for someone else...but for someone in an apartment like me who would rather not pay excessive electricity/feeding/cage bills it would not be a good choice. Likewise, a gartersnake would be a poor pet for someone who wants something bigger and easy to handle.

PBL: the asian beauties are fine w/o heat in your experience? What kind of ambient temps are we talking of? Most care guides reccomend a hotspot of about 85 for these...and actually for almost every snake. I have two baby Hondurans on heat right now and I'm guessing they would not fit the bill being middle elevation from Central America(I have heard, however, that black milks and Andeans can tolerate lower temps). I'd prefer a small colubrid but preferably something different. Any suggestions? I also have an African egg-eater and that thing definetly enjoys the warmer spots in the cage.

Hogs are excellent beginner snakes from all reports. They do stay small however and sometimes babies can be tricky to start...but they do not bite in defense and as adults will feed readily on pretty much anything. According to some breeders they do prefer higher temps than other colubrids.
 

pitbulllady

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I'm curious about not having heat on your corns. Everywhere I've read said they need to be at 82-85. I've noticed that mine seem to hang out on the cooler side a lot, but will venture on to the UTH. My home is cool (65) in the winter.
I live where Corns are common in the wild. EVERY Corn I've caught has either been found at night, or underneath something like a sheet of tin lying in the SHADE. I've never seen a Corn out in the open if the temperature was 80 or above. Most people do not take things like that into account, because they have absolutely no experience with those snakes in their natural habitat. My house stays around 70-72 in the winter, and around 76 in summer. Like I said, I've never kept any native snakes in an artificially-heated enclosure, and they thrive just fine.

pitbulllady
 

ShawnH

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I'm surprised nobody mentioned Rosy boas or kenyan sand boas as far as great snakes to start with. They top out at less then 3 feet usually, get dog tame. Generally are great feeders too. Although you will need to provide them with a heat source but that is a given for most snakes.
 

Tecnition4life

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I'm surprised nobody mentioned Rosy boas or kenyan sand boas as far as great snakes to start with. They top out at less then 3 feet usually, get dog tame. Generally are great feeders too. Although you will need to provide them with a heat source but that is a given for most snakes.
The only reason i dont think they are good beginner snakes is because people see it say Kenyan SAND Boa and they automatically assumer to put it on sand. Which is very bad and can cause impaction easily.
 

Tecnition4life

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I also think a water snake would be a bad first snake. So would a Hognose snake.

One more good starter is a Garter Snake. That's what I started with when I was 11. I caught it in the woods near my house. She ended up having 19 babies for me, but only 15 made it. The other four where deformed at birth.
My only problem with garters is that they wont be able to eat mice til they are pretty big. They need fish which can be harder to obtain for a beginner keeper. I know most pet stores sell feeder goldfish but those can carry parasites so its best to feed guppies, which arent as readily available as pinky mice.
 

Lorgakor

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I assume it would depend entirely on where you live and what ambient temps you keep in your house as to whether or not you could keep corns without heat. If you keep your house really cool, wouldn't you need to give them a heat source? And what about captive bred babies that have always been kept in the 80's or higher? Wouldn't that be bad for them to go from having heat at the breeders to having no heat in your home?

I think I'm leaning towards either a Kenyan Sand Boa (if I can find one) or a Ball Python. I like the docile, calm nature of these guys. I am somewhat put off by the busy nature of corns/milks/kings. They are always on the go, I like the idea of a snake that will just stay put when you hold it.

Keeping spiders, I am not too concerned about balls refusing food, I've had spiders fast for two years!

Thanks for all the replies, it's interesting to see how different they all were.
 
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