whats a good snake

Originally Posted by xXBlueLipsXx

I'll give craigslist a try for the cage buying for decent prices around and near my area e.e where its close for a pickup locally

Maybe this will help...

I am an average bachelor's student, average school hours, and part time job. Room full of reptiles.

General routine...
1. Check water bowls 3 times a day
2. Check temperatures often
3. Every animal has two bowls, while one us washed and dried the other is in use. Bowls are sprayed with an F10 solution before being placed back in the cage.
4. Substrate and cage furniture are checked daily and washed/changed as needed.
5. Wide Masking tape is on each cage that has the following information
- species
- date acquired and source
- DOB
- name
- CBB/LTC/WC
4. Two separate pieces of tape are used to record feeding dates, sheds, and weight.
5. I keep water in gallon milk jugs, this away it's always on hand.
6. Room temp averages about 83F
General maintainance takes probably 15 minutes a day.

Bloods.
1. Misting about 2-3 times a week is working for me so far, I live in a somewhat dry area.
2. Feeding every week for babes and juvenile animals, older ones every 14-30 days depending on who it is.
3. Keep an eye on the water bowl
4. Re-read #3
Total time spent throughout week including Handeling : about 1.5 hours no more than 3 hours.

GTPs/ETBs
1. In adult cages make sure lights are still following 12 hour cycle.
2. Check water bowl and substrate.
3. Chondros: Misting about once a week has been working for awhile but I do have a few that just are not the best shedders in the world and I might mist them twice a week. ETBs: about every other day to every two days for young ones and usually 4 times a week for my northerns...when I have some Basins they will likely be misted daily.
4. Younger ones are obviously misted about 3-4 times a week.
5. Feeding every 7-10 days for young ones, most of my adults eat 2-3 times a month.
Total time throughout the week: about 3 hours counting both species.

Balls:
1. Misting once a week.
2. Most of my balls eat every 14 days after they are over about 250g, before that they ate weekly.
3. Water bowls and substrate.
Total time: probably just a little over an hour.

These times include small Handeling sessions and are just some rough estimates. All in all it's around 10 hours a week of "work" for me I guess.

alright, not a too bad of routine with as many animals you have (snake wise) at least its not too much work really for ya ^^. and craigslist ..im gonna look through there when I get back from wyoming and find something bigger and decently priced e.e

I would like to caution about a few things;

First, if you are going to use Craigslist make sure your parents are aware of what you are doing and do not meet anyone you contact or who contacts you there alone or without an adult present. There are many legitimate people and items posted on there, but, there are also people who do not have the best of intentions that frequent that site.

Second, beware of getting bitten by the "herp bug". Many people (myself included) have found themselves over committed to large collections. I have in the past found myself caring for hundreds of reptiles trying to juggle the care of the adults, neonates, as well as sales of offspring with work, family, and having a life. I have since come to the conclusion it is better to have a small manageable collection that is enjoyable than it is to keep a large volume. The collection we have now allows us the time to interact with the animals and get to know their individual quirks and behaviors. We no longer breed but rather simply enjoy the individuals we have.

Based on what you have stated recently in this thread I think what you consider to be more commonly kept snakes may be a better approach for you. While some of the species may be considered "pet store stock" in general terms, there are plenty of morphs you will never see in a pet store. I have some new recommendations for you that I believe may be more appropriate for your current situation and skill level:

1) Corn snake: there are many mutations that you will be hard pressed to find in a pet store. Some examples you may find interesting are:

Sunspot motley


Okeetee


Candy cane:


There are literally hundreds of corn mutations out there. Take some time to see whats out there before ruling them out.

Sonoran Gopher snake: This is one of my favorite pits. They have good temperament, reach a respectable size (6'-7'), and are available in a few morphs.

Albino Sonoran Gopher


Normal Sonoran Gopher


Gray Banded King snake: You are unlikely to find these in a pet store though they are commonly kept. I prefer the traditional "Blairs" phase but there is quite a variety out there. Make sure you tell whoever you are going to purchase one from that you are a beginner and need one established on pinkies if you go this route. Once established they are easy to care for and quite gentle.

Gray banded king snake (Blairs)


Gray banded king snake (Alterna)


Rosy boa: These are small boas (30"-42") native to the U.S. and Mexico. They have great temperament and are easy to care for.

Rosy boa albino coastal


Rosy boa coastal


Rosy boa Mexican


Children's or Spotted pythons: These are small (30"-36") Australian pythons that are easily cared for and have nice temperaments. Children's pythons have a tendency to fade and become blotchy as they mature. Spotted pythons are available in a blonde phase, Burmese phase, and albino.

Juvenile children's python


Any of the above snakes have the potential to make a good first snake for you without overwhelming your capability to care for whichever one you choose. All have pretty straight forward husbandry requirements and tolerate handling well once established.

alright im thinking about the grey banded kingsnake (thought about them in the past) the candy cane morph of the corn snake is pretty cool and interesting

Those candy canes are gorgeous.

Pmsayi brings a good point. I plan on snakes being a part of my career; however, if I was going into another field or thinking of starting a family in the next 5 years, my collection would not be growing like it is now. I am downsizing a little though just for the sake of space, keeping my projects in line, and being able to know my animals on individual levels.

Between buying and bargain hunting on cages/racks, I find it easier and more rewarding to build your own.

Hannah if you are considering a corn snake I have a suggestion for a site for you to look at. The people there are very helpful and it is a fun place to hang out as well:
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/

EmeraldBoid I dont know how to build my own or at least place the glass in my bf was suppose to build me one but he got too lazy lol and busy soo I had to buy one and yeaa Pmsayi does have a good point

Lucille thanks for the link

Hannah,
Here are links for some reptile enclosures:

http://www.boaphileplastics.com/cages.html

http://visionproducts.us/vp12wp/?page_id=18

These enclosures are well within your budget and still leave you plenty to invest in a reasonable snake of your choosing. I can personally attest that these are good quality enclosures that are easy to service (I currently utilize a mix of enclosures including ones that I have custom built, boaphile enclosures, and vision enclosures). I would recommend upgrading to a keyed lock system and having the heat tape pre-installed when ordering boaphile enclosures and investing in a glass panel lock for the visions. I don't recommend attempting to build an enclosure based on your age and skill levels at both keeping reptiles and woodworking.

I just wanted to ad that by profession I am a general contractor specializing in in remodeling, carpentry, and custom cabinetry/ built in work. There is no cost savings in building enclosures yourself. I am set up properly to build furniture quality enclosures and have the resources to procure materials at lower costs than most. I have found that properly constructed wood enclosures that will last, usually end up costing me more to build than it costs to purchase commercially available enclosures. When you add the time to design the enclosure, build the enclosure, finish the enclosure, and material costs (much less equipment costs if you do not have it) it is generally more cost efficient to purchase the commercially available products. The only exception I have found in the past to this is with regards to rack systems which can be easily and economically fabricated with basic tools and materials.