I am having difficulty choosing a snake! Its my first time..so you guys think you can help me decide? -size:I have a 20 gallon tank. If the snake needs a larger tank then I am willing to go up to MAX 30 gallons. -temperment: I want a snake that I can hold and is pretty non-aggressive. Non venemous as well of course. -I want it to be pretty and colorful. I was thinking along the lines of corns, kingsnakes, or boas. looking at what I have here..what do you suggest?
well i just got my first snake and i bought a corn because i heard it's the easiest. kingsnakes are easy too but grow a lil larger (i have heard). if you only have a 20 gallon (long i hope) i would go with a corn. any they have a million colors so you have your own pick...hehe
The only thing is: I heard that corns arent very holdable. I want something that is going to be a bit sociable and not just dart across the floor whenever I get it out of its habitat.
Corns are very handleable. Very well tempered, docile, snakes. They are just a little more active. When you hold them they are always moving, as opposed to a Boa or Python. A minimum for a Corn is a 30 gallon. A 20 would be fine for quite a while. They come in many pattern and color morphs. All of them are very beautiful. Ball Pythons are another option you should consider. But they will require atleast a 40 gallon as an adult. Rosy or Kenyan Sand Boas will do great in a 20 gallon. Also very calm snakes. Most will never bite a human in their lifetime. There's several options. It's really your choice, Good luck with your decision. :wink:
I'd go for a corn snake. Not only can they be handled, but come in a large variety of colours! They're also very interesting to watch ( At least I think so ). They also can burrow in their substrate. Which I think is really cool! Would a hognose snake be a good choice? I don't know much about them, but a lot of people with hognoses say they like their temperments.
There are ALMOST as many Cal King morphs as there are Corn color morphs. Then don't rule out the Variable Kings (L.m. thayeri). They look like somebody painted them. I'll gladly spend $80 to $100 for a baby thayeri. It's also a plus that they can live in a 10 gal for the rest of their lives. How much are you willing to spend? From what I've seen a couple of the differences between Corns and Kings is attitude. My 2 Kings (Cal King and a holbrooki) give me alot of it when it's time for them to be handled. My Cal King decided to go on a hunger strike for a month, but this is normal. I don't think you'll have to worry about either of thise 2 things from a corn. they're pretty mellow, dependable snakes and will eat like pigs. I keep a W. Hognose. He's got boatloads of personality. reako45
well to give the non-colubrids a voice here i would recommend for a 20 gallon tank a Kenyan Sand Boa. a male will get about 16 inches long and a female will get around 24inches. they are a beautiful black and orange and both sexes could live there whole life in a 20 gallon tank. they also have great temperaments. wonderful to hold and I've never found one that has shown any aggression at all they just chill in your handle a wrap around your fingers. supposedly the babies can be a bit nippy but they are so small they can hurt and they quickly grow out of it. i am yet to see a nippy baby though. and if you wanna go with the 30 gallon tank i would recommend a ball python. they get around 4.5 feet. they have great temperaments and are a really pretty black and brown and they can live their whole life in a 30 gallon.
Rosy Boa is a good choice. A king Snake is a good choice but make sure you research the one you want. Eastern Kings will need something larger to live in, what kind of king do you want? A favorite is the Western Hognose, cute little snake with a nice personality and will do great in a 20G. Corn Snakes would also be a great choice. I find that most CB Corns can be handled without a problem.
ive got a KSB and hes an awesome little snake, a very good mellow snake that likes to just chill, total nto agressive as well
Hognose don't grow very large, 3 feet is about the average i believe, however they're one of the only common pet snakes that i haven't researched. Unfortunately they are venomous (i want one just to say i have a venomous snake lol) but they are rear-fanged and would essentially have to swallow your hand or finger in order to give you a dose of venom. I know many people who own them and are very happy with them..so it's something to be considered.Actually right now i'm very much starting to consider one lol
the hognose is a venomous snake? i didn;t know about that, though from what i have heard they aren't sggressive and won't bite you, i've heard they will head but you or puff out like a cobra but won't bite. and a kenyan is a good starter, as well as a corn, king, ball, ect.... just depends on what you want. as for size a kenyan can live the whole life in a 20, and if you want to breed later on go with a kenyan or a boa species, gives live birth no eggs laid to worry about..
The hognose's venom is not harmful to humans though. It has really only shown toxicity toward really small prey items, like toads.
pretty much it comes down to price, avilabilty, and which one's pattern and color come out to you. Google search a few and decide on what you want. Royal Pythons, ie. Ball Pythons are pretty easy to get ahold of, as are corn snakes, who have many many many color morphs
Im getting a corn with amenalistic genes. Breeder should have it ready to go in a few weeks I think. Im going to a herp show soon and I may also end up getting a hognose or a kingsnake. Kingsnake because I think the 50/50s are gorgeous...and the hognose is just an awesome snake. Their "play dead" routine is awesome, plus it would be great to tell people I have a venemous snake (even though it is only slighty toxic to humans)
yeah, i didn't know hognoses "played dead" but i saw one do the cobra routine where their next puffs out, they stand up straight and bob a little bit. but congrats and hope you find a great snake
