Good first snake

Discussion in 'General Snakes' started by ~Eris~, Jul 3, 2004.

  1. ~Eris~

    ~Eris~ Embryo

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    For those of you who didn't read my intro in General Chat, I am an aquarist who has recently taken an interest in herps. At present, I have a few toads, but no reptiles. I have been deliberating between a lizard and a snake for my first reptile (I already know I'll end up having more than one :D ), and am pretty settled on getting a snake. With most of my bare wall space and almost all electrical outlets currently being occupied by fish, space is a factor. Is it true that a corn snake would be happy in a 30 gallon tank for life? I would start it in something smaller; I've been doing my reading and realise they are secretive and agoraphobic. Are corns generally considered a good first snake? Are there any others I should be considering that would be good for a novice (novice to reptiles, but very accustomed to the sort of meticulous husbandry required for a variety of fish species) and that can live for life in a relatively small tank (preferably something in the 30 gallons or less size range)? I think I mostly just want someone to tell me to go ahead and get the corn snake! :D
     
  2. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  3. Hummingbird

    Hummingbird Well-Known Member

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    corn snakes, rat snakes, and king snakes are (in my opinion and the opinion of most snake people) the BEST 'first' or 'beginner' snakes. they stay pretty small, don't mind being handled, are generally good eaters, and don't need large or complicated cages. i would definately recommend a corn snake for ya'. great little guys.

    lots of people will tell you that boas or ball pythons or something can make good beginner snakes. yes they CAN make good beginner snakes . . . but i certainly would never advise it. they get big, can be hard to handle, often refuse to eat for no reason, are more likely to bite, and need larger cages with lots of sturdy climbing branches and high humidity. that's a LOT for a newbie. heck - that 's a lot for someone who HAS owned snakes before. stick to the corns and rats (or maybe a king). they are all awesome animals.

    a small corn or rat would definately be happy in a 30 gallon as long as he had plenty of places to hide. they don't climb much, though, so a long cage would be much better than a tall one.

    also, make sure you always take your snake out of its cage and put it into a bucket or something with a secure lid (many tiny air holes in the lid, of course) to feed it. if you feed your snake in his cage he is MUCH more likely to bite because he will get used to you opening the cage and throwing food in. plus its easier to clean up a seperate container and more sterile that way. feeding in a seperate container will bring the chances of your snake swallowing something he shouldn't down to zero, as well.

    one last thing - never get a heat rock for ANY animal (even if the pet store people tell you to). they are so dangerous and cause burns and even electrocution. a heating mat UNDER one side of the tank is great, though.

    i'd get your snake at a reptile show - petstores often SUCK for many reasons, plus the people at reptile shows are the actual breeders; they love their animals, take care of them, and can help you out a lot!
    good luck! :D
     
  4. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  5. IronButterFly

    IronButterFly New Member

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    I have to agree with HB.. Actually I've never had a rat snake, or a king snake but I do have 3 corn snakes. They are the best in my opinion for a great first snake. Good luck and keep us updated on what you decide.
     
  6. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  7. ~Eris~

    ~Eris~ Embryo

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    Thank you for the replies! (I'm sure I'll be asking lots of questions in the next few months.) It sounds like a corn snake is just what I need. :D Bad news on the reptile show, though. I live in a small town on Vancouver Island. I believe the Fraser Valley Herp Society had a reptile show this weekend in Vancouver or somewhere in the lower mainland, but I a) didn't know about it in time and B) wouldn't have been prepared to bring home a snake yet. There's a lovely little corn snake at the lone lps in town - still just wee, feeding well, shedding well, beautiful - but they want $175 for it! :shock: That seems a bit much for a pretty regular looking corn snake. The tag on the tank says it's a Black Ghost Corn, but that means nothing at this shop. I have been buying fish there for years, and they are often labelled with hilariously wrong common names. Anyway, I'll start having a look around and see what I can find. I'm sure if I drive to Victoria I can get a much better selection and much better prices.
     
  8. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  9. Hummingbird

    Hummingbird Well-Known Member

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    you should be able to get a corn snake for $20 or $30. if you have trouble finding a local breeder, there are breeders that will ship. i don't know any reputable ones, though - ask around here; i'm sure someone can recommend someone. as for the reptile show, don't they have them regularly or something? like once a month? just wait til the next time and be all ready for your new baby when you go! B)
     
  10. JEFFREH

    JEFFREH Administrator

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  11. ~Eris~

    ~Eris~ Embryo

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    Well, the reptile show was advertised as "The First Annual Reptile Show"... so I don't think they have them every month. B) Seeing as I'm so new to this hobby myself, I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing they're a somewhat new group. Being that I'm in Canada, a lot of the more reputable breeders online are not options for me. I think there may be some who ship to Canada at reasonable rates, however. I have found some 'local' breeders (within my province) online, but they appear to be mostly specialists, dealing in high end boas and pythons, not generic corn snakes. Even if I have to pay a $30 packing fee, $40 shipping fee, and $30 for the snake, I'm still $75 ahead of buying from the local pet store, and am likely to get a better snake, I'm guessing. The good news is that I'm not in a big rush to acquire a snake. I'll keep reading about them and learning about their needs and get a tank set up for one. Then, I'll just keep my eyes and ears open until I find 'my' snake.
     
  12. Hummingbird

    Hummingbird Well-Known Member

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    good for you and good luck! B)
     
  13. caliking

    caliking New Member

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    corns rock and are the best
     
  14. susyq

    susyq Member

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    i have been keeping corns now for eighteen months, and have 1 snow corn and an axminster corn (hybrid corn/king snake cross) and have just built housing for 2 more. My snakes do not seem to be agrophobic and enjoy roaming about their tanks occasionally ie one third of the time. they also seem fasinated by my cats and watch them on a regular basis. they are a good choice for a starter snake and i have many hours of pleasure watching them and handling them. I introduced mine straight into 30 gallon tanks with 2 hides with no problems. corns are fantastic creatures and come in many colour morphs, some good examples can be seen at www.dksnakes.co.uk/snakes , and i would say go for it, as i post this my axminster is out and about round her tank and seems quite fasinated by my friends dog lol
     
  15. Reptodude

    Reptodude New Member

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    Uhh? Ball Pythons are also a good starter snake. I enjoy them.
     
  16. doughboy

    doughboy Member

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    i would say go with the corn they are the best from my experience and this is my first snake and i love them already and when i get older i am getting 2 males and 2 females to breed
     
  17. Hummingbird

    Hummingbird Well-Known Member

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    ball pythons are NOT the best beginner snakes - they get large, frequently stop eating for no apparent reason, need fairly large and complicated setups, and are much more testy than corns, rats, etc. just because you enjoy them and just because you've never had any problems does NOT mean that they are for beginners.
     
  18. blink

    blink New Member

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    perfect advise!!

    I can vouch for having a grumpy ball python. I aquired her about 5 years ago and she was feeding on live mice. For safety reasons I switched to frozen mice and she was happily accepting these on a regular basis. Then she stopped eating the frozen mice for some reason and didnt eat for awhile. I started to feed her live mice again but I dont like the idea of her being bitten(even though its natural for her to catch her prey)
    I began to use pre-killed. I found suffocation to be the quickest and easiest way do do this. she has been happily feeding on pre-killed but over the years has been a picky eater. balls are known for their bad eating habbits

    go with a corn or king snake. personally I would go with a corn
     
  19. cole11492

    cole11492 Embryo

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    get a ball python my friend has one and says it is a great snake
    8)
     
  20. Hummingbird

    Hummingbird Well-Known Member

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    however, like has already been discussed, they are not good for beginners (which is what this thread is concerning).
     
  21. cka

    cka Embryo

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    Hope this isn't a violation of TRR's TOS; my apologies if it is...Eris, here's a Canadian corn snake breeder's web site, I'm sure he can help you out with a corn or point you in the right direction...good luck :*)
    http://www.extremesnakes.com/
     
  22. Hognose13

    Hognose13 Embryo

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    How about a sand boa or a western hognose both awsome small and different
     
  23. helmethead

    helmethead New Member

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    I think the Western Hognoses are the ideal first snake. They always eat and they never bite.
     
  24. spittmonkey

    spittmonkey Embryo

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    ahh great

    Seems that Cornsnakes are unamious just about.
    I am rather new to the Herp world but have been in the research phase of my desire for a snake for 3 months now.
    I am looking for a nice display snake that is not difficult to handle and stays under the 4' range, and will do well in the elevation/climate of NC.
    Initial reaction was a Pueblan Milk, good looking, but not good for display (secretive/noct in nature) and squirmy/fiesty buggers to handle in youth.
    Then I thought of the Brazialian Rainbow Boa. Beaut in the display case, docile enough to handle, but SIZE matters 7' is rather large I would need a 5'X2' which is out of the question for the moment :(
    Most of the Corns I have been looking at are rather fiesty/defensive buggers. Are there any sugestions out there for a specific corn that would fit my requirements? I plan on spending a good many years with this project and would like to get as much input as possible before I rush into it. Any help is appreciated, thanks.

    Edit: Thanks for the site Cka :) It opened up many a doors to links and such. Aztek seems to me a beaut. Just when I start liking one I need to research another. Off to the drawing board again :D
     
  25. RyoIsaguri

    RyoIsaguri Embryo

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    As long as you do your homework and understand what you are getting into, a ball can actually be a good beginner pet. It really just depends on the person.

    Everyone has their own definitions of what is best and good.
     

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