What to get what to get?

Hey everyone..
Im going to be getting a new snake at my next local expo (ONLY 1 MOREWEEK YAAAYYYYY!!!) ive had some room open up in my home for another snake. My heart is SET on an arboreal, but every time i tryed to find out what kind of snake to get people assume im a noob and tell me to get a corn or king snake

I WANT AN ARBOREAL BAD lol

Id LOVE an emerald tree boa. But those big fangs and horrible rep in terms of temperament are a no go for now (my fiance is just warming up to my snakes so i dont wanna scare her off with a nippy snake)......im rambling...

Point is.... What kind of arboreal snake should i get? im leaning towards a gtp but id like to hear your suggestions!

Either a GTP or ATB purchased directly from the breeder would be a good first arboreal. If you see one you like, ask just one question, “Did you produce it?”. If the answer is no, no need for any further questions, walk away. Nothing necessarily wrong with farmed animals purchased from dealers, but you will open yourself up to more potential issues with these animals than you would with a captive born animal purchased from a breeder who can offer support after the sale. First impressions can be important. People get into the mindset that they don’t want to pay for a captive bred animal since farmed animals are so cheap. Then they run into issues with the animal, don’t have the breeder to assist them, and form a generalized opinion that these animals are too difficult to keep. Hence the mentality that these animals are not for “noobs”.

Forget what people tell you about these not being a good snake for a “noob” (not suggesting you are one). Having little or no experience can be an asset. In my experience, new keepers are more open to information regarding care than those with years of experience caring for other species. Breeding balls for 10 years does not necessarily prepare you for keeping a GTP any better than someone who hasn’t kept any snakes before. In fact, I often see people rejecting good advice because they feel, since they keep other species, that they already know what they are doing.

Good luck with your decision.

Originally Posted by wormfood

Id LOVE an emerald tree boa. But those big fangs and horrible rep in terms of temperament are a no go for now (my fiance is just warming up to my snakes so i dont wanna scare her off with a nippy snake)......im rambling...

I just saw this.....guess I read too fast. Arboreals can be temperamental. Some calm down in time, some don't. You may get one that eventually takes to being handled, but you may not. If you are not willing to take that chance, get a corn snake. If you get a baby, it will probably be nippy and I suggest keeping it that way, and avoid handling it too much or attempting to "tame" it during its first year.

ETB's, GTP's, and ATB's all have large teeth in proportion to other species of similar size. They also all seem to have the same horrible rep (whether people feel it is accurate or not).

Since the next White Plains show isn't until late April, I'll guess that you're talking about Poughkeepsie. I wouldn't get your hopes up too high (no offense to the vendors or promoters) - It's a small show, with a fairly limited selection...and arboreals are somewhat of a special interest snake. You might get lucky; but don't feel compelled to drop your cash if you don't see the right snake.

what about a carpet python maybe? they are rather aboreal

All my ATBs are quite nippy but I love that about them.

Ill make it to a white plains show sooner or later, but yes its the Poughkeepsie expo im going to.
I already have a coastal carpet python, and two normal royals. and ive already had a corn snake and they are very surprisingly aggressive when young. and i had my carpet in an enclosure with a rather inviting area to be as arboreal as she can be and she never ventured farther than the bottom or on top of her hide. i just love the way the chondros and other arboreals look when on their perch(if thats what you call it).

i guess im just more curious on what else is out there, ya know? it seems like withing the snake hobby all you see is gtp etb and atb (and carpets) in terms of arboreal..

Oh! while i have your guys attention.... What the deal with GTPs changing color? ive been told that a bright yellow baby gtp could end up a dark green when mature? any info would be great! if i decide on a gtp i dont wanna think im buying something im not.

ETBs and GTPs undergo an ontogenetic color change. While a very few may start life green, the majority start as yellow, orange, or (dark) red. As the snake grows/matures the green starts to fill in and spread. Some GTPs do keep a lot of yellow into adulthood, but that is a combination of luck and genetics. Unless you are searching out, and paying dearly for, a high yellow specimen - keep in mind that the normal color for both species is green, and that the baby color is temporary.

Originally Posted by wormfood

i had my carpet in an enclosure with a rather inviting area to be as arboreal as she can be and she never ventured farther than the bottom or on top of her hide.

Perhaps the set up isn't as inviting as you think. Keep in mind that while carpets are somewhat arboreal - they are not arboreal snakes. They won't perch in the manner of a true arboreal, but they will generally utilize branches/perches (especially when young).