Snakes

[nedim]

Any snake enthusiasts here? I started out with an anole and now I have a bearded dragon. Im interested in snakes and I wanted to know what a good amateur/first time snake is. I've handled some really beautiful, tame pythons, but the size is definately a turn-off for me because of my parents. Any suggestions?

 

[iheartsammy]

hey! I got a Red Tail Boa! (as seen in the Cats and Other Pets Forum)

Anyway if your looking for a tame, small snake I would definatly go with a Corn Snake! they are great! and they come in so many beautiful colors!

 

[nedim]

I looked up corn snakes, and they look pretty cool. Im liking the eastern hognose and varieties of green snakes. Id really love a boa, theyre so cool and the ones Ive been around have always been docile. How big do the rtb's get?

 

[iheartsammy]

rtb can get pretty big. Male are smaller so they can be anywhere from 6-8 feet and even bigger! Females can get any where from from 8-12 feet!

Also if you interested in Corn snakes
http://www.cornsnakes.net/index.php3

if you click on the link that says Corn Snakes if will show you all the different types of morphs.

also why not get a Ball Phython? they only get 3-6 feet ..not that big. I don't think they're that girthy either...

 

[nedim]

I went to centralpets.com and it says that a 20L tank would be sufficient for a ball python. Do you think that they would need more space than that?

 

[iheartsammy]

Also Corns are better for begginers, there more forgiving for husbandary accadents (sp?)

A Hog Island Boa is like a small RTB..exept more orange then red.
Males only get about 4-6 feet at the most. (kinda depends on the snake though..like people, some are taller, some are shorter)

 

[~Tucker&Me~]

Hey Nedim .
WHy not try a Ball Python?
They are generally considered one of the best starter snakes.
On a side note though, are you sure you can handle so many animals?

~Tucker

 

[iheartsammy]

I went to centralpets.com and it says that a 20L tank would be sufficient for a ball python. Do you think that they would need more space than that?

It would be good for a baby, but I don't think a adult would be very happy in a 20Gl..

 

[nedim]

Also Corns are better for begginers, there more forgiving for husbandary accadents (sp?)

A Hog Island Boa is like a small RTB..exept more orange then red.
Males only get about 4-6 feet at the most. (kinda depends on the snake though..like people, some are taller, some are shorter)

I noticed the extreme size variations between the same species of snakes. For one, it listed adult size anywhere from 14-40-something inches! lol

 

[nedim]

It would be good for a baby, but I don't think a adult would be very happy in a 20Gl..

Thats the same thing Im thinking. Maybe a "fresh air" terarrium for an adult? One of those standing wire cages? Ive got the perfect spot for one.

 

[iheartsammy]

I don't think I know what that is..lol

I've got my baby boa is a plastic container that I got for like $16 and drilled some holes in it. You can just get some heavy-duty clamps to put on the top so the snake can't get out. It's been working great for me!

 

[filarotten]

Nedim, I can't say I am a snake enthusiast, but I can tell you this... my son had a red tail boa, and my husband had a ball python. The ball python is a much better pet. The red tail boa (Miller) became much more aggressive, the older he got, the Ball python (Bud) much more predictable and docile. Unless Bud was extremely hungry you could do pretty much anything with him. Not a grumpy guy. Miller on the other hand...grumpy personality.

We had Bud for over ten years. Keith gave him away a few months ago. I didn't think it was fair to Bud, Keith never had time to spend with him and he wasn't getting the proper care he needed in my opinion. He is still alive and very happy. Bud has a huge home and gets constant hands on love. He seemed to like that.

Miller after a little over a year, finally went to a more experienced handler. He just wasn't a good family pet...JMO

 

[nedim]

Oh, the fresh air terarrium is just like a wire cage that stands on like a metal frame support and you can set it up pretty much like you can a tank. The good thing about the fresh air terarriums is that unlike glass, it doesnt filter uv rays.

 

[nedim]

Nedim, I can't say I am a snake enthusiast, but I can tell you this... my son had a red tail boa, and my husband had a ball python. The ball python is a much better pet. The red tail boa (Miller) became much more aggressive, the older he got, the Ball python (Bud) much more predictable and docile. Unless Bud was extremely hungry you could do pretty much anything with him. Not a grumpy guy. Miller on the other hand...grumpy personality.

We had Bud for over ten years. Keith gave him away a few months ago. I didn't think it was fair to Bud, Keith never had time to spend with him and he wasn't getting the proper care he needed in my opinion. He is still alive and very happy. Bud has a huge home and gets constant hands on love. He seemed to like that.

Miller after a little over a year, finally went to a more experienced handler. He just wasn't a good family pet...JMO

Thanks, Fila. Ill definately take that into consideration. Im leaning towards the ball, because Ive handled them before and because of the size.

 

[iheartsammy]

I don't think a wire cage wil work. It would be very hard to manage the humitity and I don't think the temps would work that well in a wire cage either...

 

[nedim]

Ah, youre right. Btw, do you use one of those humidifier machines to control humidity?

 

[iheartsammy]

no..I just us a humitity gag and if its too low, I spray it down with warm water...I want to buy a thermostat and a humidafir...makes my life much easier...

 

[nedim]

Lol, I bet it would help alot. As for drinking, do they go for bowls/dishes or do you have to use the spray method?

 

[iheartsammy]

bowl..so that way they can soak in it before a shed...

 

[DanL]

We've had a boa for about 3 years now. She was little when we got her, about a foot long and maybe as thick as your ring finger. She's only about 3' long now and maybe 2" thick. They don't grow that fast, so you could get one thats small and it'd stay that way for a while. Ours is in a 20 long tank.