Beardie guy with a question for you snake guys.

[J&J Dragons]

I'm not new to herps & I'm big into beardies but I finally convinced my fiance to let us get a snake (or 2).

The problem is I don't know much about snakes & I didn't see a general snakes discussion forum on here (they're all broken down into sub categories of type of snake) so I'm not sure where to post this question or which subcategory I should be searching for my first snake in.

I need help deciding on a snake for our family. I have a few ideas of what I want but I have no idea what type of snake I need to be looking for or any of the names of the morphs or if they require special care.

#1 SIZE: The snake needs to be okay in a 40gal terrarium (so no huge 6 foot long monster snakes). Not sure what categories I immediately eliminated there.

#2 CARE: The snake needs to be relatively easy to care for. We have plenty of time for our pets but I'm concerned with special issues like overly sensitive to humidity levels or shedding problems or stuff along those lines. I want a fairly hardy species. I also want one that won't break the bank by eating me out of house & home.

#3 BODY TYPE: I like the look of the snakes that look like they have a head & neck to them like the boas & ball pythons. I'm not too keen on the no-neck look where there's no transition from the body to the head, it's all one width. This is not a major concern though just a preference.

#4 COLOR: I like either really bright snakes like this yellow one:
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/foru...d.php?t=342917
or ones that are grey/black/white - shades that look like granite or marble. Also not a fan of those albino red eyes.

#5 PRICE: Well the less expensive the better but up to $300 max. I'd like one around the $75-$150 range but if it's amazing & perfect for me I suppose I could go as high as $300 shipped.

I saw a great looking snake on here just the other day but I can't remember what sub forum it was in & I've been searching for the needle in the haystack for a couple days now. It had a pic of 3 snakes in a clear tub & one was the perfect grey/black/white granite look & the price was good too. Seeing it was what got me started wanting a snake but now I can't wind that post.

I know it's a long shot with that vague description but if you know what post I may be referring to please send me a link to it.

If you have any suggestions on what type of snake I need to look for based on the above requirements I'd appreciate it.

Thanks,
James

 

[Snake-Queen]

It appears that you are lookking for a ball python.

In addition, corn snakes are also an alternative & come in a wide array of colors.

Other than those, given your preferences, I cannot think of anything else at the moment. I have mostly boas of various species & most are not a first ti.e snake or reach 8' +.

 

[snowgyre]

I agree, ball python or a corn snake. Corns are a lot cheaper, especially if you want a bright morph. They can be a bit flighty when they're young though. They would be more interesting cage pets because they're active during the day. Ball pythons are only active at night. There were some hot looking corn snakes for sale yesterday (pied-sided Okeetees and those lovely blue striped ones). Really wanted to buy a couple of those but I just moved and I'm really strapped for cash. Plenty of people sell corn snakes though, I'm sure you could find a look that you like.

 

[J&J Dragons]

I agree, ball python or a corn snake. Corns are a lot cheaper, especially if you want a bright morph. They can be a bit flighty when they're young though. They would be more interesting cage pets because they're active during the day. Ball pythons are only active at night. There were some hot looking corn snakes for sale yesterday (pied-sided Okeetees and those lovely blue striped ones). Really wanted to buy a couple of those but I just moved and I'm really strapped for cash. Plenty of people sell corn snakes though, I'm sure you could find a look that you like.

It appears that you are lookking for a ball python.

In addition, corn snakes are also an alternative & come in a wide array of colors.

Other than those, given your preferences, I cannot think of anything else at the moment. I have mostly boas of various species & most are not a first ti.e snake or reach 8' +.

I noticed the one boa I was interested in, the yellow one is a GTB. I had no idea what GTB stood for (lol dang you snake guys use so many abbreviations!!!). Well of course the yellow I loved turns into green & it's not a boa that wants to be held often either so that's out.

I started looking at corn snakes & I really like the one you mentioned, the okeetee, for its pattern & brightness.

I also really like the BRAZILIAN RAINBOW BOAS.
I read this & it sounds perfect to me:
"Captive Bred Brazilian Rainbow Boas are usually quite tame and docile making them a popular snake
Sturdy & long lived (Over 15 years in captivity)
Requires a relatively simple setup, 36" x 18" x 13" or larger
Reaches full adult size of typically 5 to 6 feet
Main staple diet of mice is easily obtained"

What do you all think of those boas?

 

[snowgyre]

Rainbow boas are very neat. I've never owned one, but I consider them more of an intermediate-level snake than a beginner snake. It requires a bit more of a controlled environment than other species, mainly humidity requirements. I considered getting rainbow boas in the past because they're cool, but corns and balls have so much more variety when it comes to awesome paint jobs that I've decided to stick with them instead.

 

[Snake-Queen]

Rainbow boas are very neat. I've never owned one, but I consider them more of an intermediate-level snake than a beginner snake. It requires a bit more of a controlled environment than other species, mainly humidity requirements. I considered getting rainbow boas in the past because they're cool, but corns and balls have so much more variety when it comes to awesome paint jobs that I've decided to stick with them instead.

In addition to the husbandry, they can be nippy. Every snake has its own personality like people do.

Corn snakes, after they age a little bit & get past the spastic stage, they are wonderful snakes.

 

[~Just Curious~]

Snakes are nice and low-maintenance, it's no surprise they can be addicting. I started with gophers personally, they're tough and full of personality, I just love 'em!
I do agree that a ball or corn would also work. They can both be great, but between the two of them, I'd go with a corn because they're likely to be more active.
There is a boa species that only stays around three feet as well. A rosy could work in a terrarium that size, doesn't need higher humidity, is hardy, and can come in black/white or a marbled look for cheap.
And many king and milk species can have the looks you're after without needing much special care either.

I feel that any of these listed can have very aggressive or docile individuals. If it's important, I'd recommend aiming for at least a subadult that's already known to have good temperment and feeding habits. They're often hardier too, as fresh hatchlings can sometimes be more susceptible to change.
You can browse the classifieds here for ideas! There's something for everybody, more than just the commonly cited handful are captively bred and can be easily kept, especially for the advanced beginner who does plenty of research beforehand and is willing to provide what it takes~

Brazilian rainbow boas are neat, but they're a tad more sensitive to humidity. I also can't see it living out it's whole life comfortably in a 40 gallon tank, I'd think it'd need an upgrade after a while, but some may say that's just me...

P.S.

I saw a great looking snake on here just the other day but I can't remember what sub forum it was in & I've been searching for the needle in the haystack for a couple days now. It had a pic of 3 snakes in a clear tub & one was the perfect grey/black/white granite look & the price was good too. Seeing it was what got me started wanting a snake but now I can't wind that post.

I know it's a long shot with that vague description but if you know what post I may be referring to please send me a link to it.

Bit of a long shot, but these three rosy boas in a tub are on the first page http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=312586 You can see others with more granite patterns in that section as well. And these three black/white california kingsnakes are in a tub too http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=342169
Worth a try anyways! If you saw an ad that's no longer there, it's possible that the animals sold and the seller deleted their post. If you really want to find out what it was, we might be able to help if you can describe it better. Best of luck to you~

 

[J&J Dragons]

Narrowed down to 3 snakes now.

I found this one but in the pic, in the link below, it has triangular orange marks like a tiger but in all the other pics of pyro king snakes the orange is a solid band instead. Do they actually have pyro king snakes that look like that or is that just a very unique one or one at a particular stage before the bands become solid as an adult or something?

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Pyro-King-Snakes-Captive-Bred-Babies



I like the idea that the corn snakes are active as you've all told me.
The skittishness will be annoying but I can deal with that.
I like the Okeetee's color best of the corn snakes.


The Brazilian Rainbow Boas are neat & the temp I keep my house at is perfect for them but the humidity isn't. I'd have to put a bit of effort into keeping the humidity up in their tank.
I'm in AZ & it's always warm/hot here so I cool my house to 78-80 degrees but that's using an air conditioner which dries the air out & it's already really dry here in the desert.


I'm not sure what temps each of these snakes need. Would any of them need a basking light? Do they all need UVB lighting as well? I wouldn't need a heating pad for any of them would I?


Also does anyone know of any other really bright colorful easy to care for snakes? As bright or brighter than the okeetees?

Thanks for all the input/advice/insights you've all given so far. Please keep it coming. I want to make the right decision choosing my first snake.

 

[snowgyre]

Blood red corns are even brighter than the Okeetees. Sinaloan milksnakes are also really pretty, especially when you get into the abberant patterns. Pueblan and Nelson milksnakes also have good color.

 

[Snake-Queen]

I haven't owned many of the snakes mentioned aside from ball pythons, corn snakes and Kenyan sand boas.

Out of those 3, the corns are definitely the most active. Mine used to like weaving in and out of my hair. they calm down with handling and make very good pets. I recently sold my albino motley male to a 7yr old and he was very happy & the snake curled right up on him.

 

[J&J Dragons]

Still down to 3 but a different 3rd this time

Okay in all the adult pics of those pyro king snakes the orange triangles turned into full bands in adulthood so that's another snake I can cross off my list.

So far I've narrowed it down to:
-Brazilian Rainbow Boas
-Okeetee Corn Snakes
-Blue Beauty (rat snakes?)

I'm also going to look at the others you suggested above & if anyone else has any suggestions based on what I mentioned we're looking for in our first snake I'll gladly look into their suggestions as well.

 

[~Just Curious~]

I found this one but in the pic, in the link below, it has triangular orange marks like a tiger but in all the other pics of pyro king snakes the orange is a solid band instead. Do they actually have pyro king snakes that look like that or is that just a very unique one or one at a particular stage before the bands become solid as an adult or something?

I'm not familiar, but I think there's a few pyromelana subspecies, perhaps one is more prone to that look. Not being a king person, I don't know if "pyro" typically refers to just arizona mountain kings or all of them. *head scratch* But it'll stay that way regardless, they just vary a lot. Here's a gallery of l.p.pyros
http://www.ophidiarium.com/pyros.html

And okeetee corns are rather neat, personally I think that'd be a great choice. They won't all be skittish either, especially if you get an older one. That'd probably be the safer route and could still be in your price range.

A rainbow boa could work, but only if you're willing to put in the extra effort, especially if you get a younger one which needs the humidity more. I know how hard it is being in a dry household. Even if the substrate holds moisture and stays damp, it's the air that you need humid and it requires more than just spraying. (Which requires that you change the bedding often as you don't want it "tacky" or to mold. Likewise, keeping it "wet" can actually result in blisters or infections.) Especially if your tank has a screen top, that'd probably have to be covered by plexiglass or something. And I still stand by my earlier thought of a 40 gallon being too small to last... It's definitely doable, BRBs don't actually need extreme humidity like some other species, but you just need to make sure you're willing to do what it takes. Snakes don't really require a varied/balanced diet or attention, a proper environment is the most important thing in keeping them stress-free and healthy~

You should look up caresheets for the species you're interested in to find what temps they need, but many snakes like having a hot spot around 85, so I'd say you're probably going to need a heat source on one side. One that won't heat up the entire thing though since, with the exception of a small few, most require a thermal gradient with a hot and cold side. So when they want it warmer to help them digest or something, they can go to one side, then when they want it cooler they'll go to the other etc etc I'm thinking that an under-the-tank heater attached to a thermostat would probably be good for you. (Those can get very hot, it's safest to have them controlled)
It's good to have a hiding place on each side of the gradient, so that they feel secure too, otherwise some shyer ones may just stick to the one side they feel safest in regardless of whether those temps are best or not.
Snakes shouldn't need UVB lighting though.

I'm not sure what's more colorful, but corns come in a lot of different morphs, perhaps you'll find one you like better. Here's a partial list http://www.cornsnakemorphgallery.com/ I agree that milksnakes can be real bright too, apricot pueblans are one of my all-time favs, but sometimes they can be more sensitive and shy than corns. They all have their own personalities though, some are calm as can be, you'll just have to keep browsing and doing research. Like if you're still after something "granite" and looking for something more unusual, then spotted pythons have a granite morph, stay fairly small, and don't really have special needs. Check out various caresheets, good luck~

 

[~Just Curious~]

Okay in all the adult pics of those pyro king snakes the orange triangles turned into full bands in adulthood so that's another snake I can cross off my list.

So far I've narrowed it down to:
-Brazilian Rainbow Boas
-Okeetee Corn Snakes
-Blue Beauty (rat snakes?)

I'm also going to look at the others you suggested above & if anyone else has any suggestions based on what I mentioned we're looking for in our first snake I'll gladly look into their suggestions as well.

I don't know about your mountain kings. I kinda got the feeling that it was a line-bred or locality thing. I could be wrong, but I've seen some larger ones that look like that at least. If you're really interested in them, I'd check with some king folks before writing them off like that.

Anyways, there's absolutely no way a blue beauty could fit in a 40 gallon at all. Remember, since you have restrictions, the basics you should be looking for are size and care, appearance after.
While most asian rats are gorgeous, most are also rather sensitive and many also need a slightly cooler/more humid environment. I wouldn't really recommend them for a beginner.
Corn snakes (aka red rats) and other new world species tend to be hardier. Many such as blacks will get quite long and since they're so active, would be more comfortable in a more spacious enclosure. They can also be defensive and flighty, but again - they're all individuals. Perhaps look into metallic baird's or trans pecos if you really want rats.

Do A LOT of research to make sure it's right for the home you can provide. They aren't going anywhere~

 

[J&J Dragons]

I'm not familiar, but I think there's a few pyromelana subspecies, perhaps one is more prone to that look. Not being a king person, I don't know if "pyro" typically refers to just arizona mountain kings or all of them. *head scratch* But it'll stay that way regardless, they just vary a lot. Here's a gallery of l.p.pyros
http://www.ophidiarium.com/pyros.html

And okeetee corns are rather neat, personally I think that'd be a great choice. They won't all be skittish either, especially if you get an older one. That'd probably be the safer route and could still be in your price range.

A rainbow boa could work, but only if you're willing to put in the extra effort, especially if you get a younger one which needs the humidity more. I know how hard it is being in a dry household. Even if the substrate holds moisture and stays damp, it's the air that you need humid and it requires more than just spraying. (Which requires that you change the bedding often as you don't want it "tacky" or to mold. Likewise, keeping it "wet" can actually result in blisters or infections.) Especially if your tank has a screen top, that'd probably have to be covered by plexiglass or something. And I still stand by my earlier thought of a 40 gallon being too small to last... It's definitely doable, BRBs don't actually need extreme humidity like some other species, but you just need to make sure you're willing to do what it takes. Snakes don't really require a varied/balanced diet or attention, a proper environment is the most important thing in keeping them stress-free and healthy~

You should look up caresheets for the species you're interested in to find what temps they need, but many snakes like having a hot spot around 85, so I'd say you're probably going to need a heat source on one side. One that won't heat up the entire thing though since, with the exception of a small few, most require a thermal gradient with a hot and cold side. So when they want it warmer to help them digest or something, they can go to one side, then when they want it cooler they'll go to the other etc etc I'm thinking that an under-the-tank heater attached to a thermostat would probably be good for you. (Those can get very hot, it's safest to have them controlled)
It's good to have a hiding place on each side of the gradient, so that they feel secure too, otherwise some shyer ones may just stick to the one side they feel safest in regardless of whether those temps are best or not.
Snakes shouldn't need UVB lighting though.

I'm not sure what's more colorful, but corns come in a lot of different morphs, perhaps you'll find one you like better. Here's a partial list http://www.cornsnakemorphgallery.com/ I agree that milksnakes can be real bright too, apricot pueblans are one of my all-time favs, but sometimes they can be more sensitive and shy than corns. They all have their own personalities though, some are calm as can be, you'll just have to keep browsing and doing research. Like if you're still after something "granite" and looking for something more unusual, then spotted pythons have a granite morph, stay fairly small, and don't really have special needs. Check out various caresheets, good luck~

Great references! Thanks! That's exactly the kind of stuff I like to look at to help me make my decision. I have around 12 books & endless bookmarks to websites relating to bearded dragons... but I have nothing on snakes so you snake guys who have all the great resources down already are a big help.

 

[chris allen]

Id say go for a ball python. So many to choose from. So many available in person at shows. Most have good temperments and usually you can tell right away which are nippy and which are not. Easy to care for. If you get one that is feeding on f/t already even better! Just my opinion.
Compared to the beardies most snakes are going to be much easier to care for though so I would honestly go with whatever you feel fits you best. Hit a show or two and check some stuff out in person!

 

[J&J Dragons]

Id say go for a ball python. So many to choose from. So many available in person at shows. Most have good temperments and usually you can tell right away which are nippy and which are not. Easy to care for. If you get one that is feeding on f/t already even better! Just my opinion.
Compared to the beardies most snakes are going to be much easier to care for though so I would honestly go with whatever you feel fits you best. Hit a show or two and check some stuff out in person!

I do really like some of those bright yellow Ball Python morphs like the bumblebee & stuff.

But don't they all get really big & need a tank bigger than 40 gal?

Do they have smaller ones with those yellows (& no red eyes)?

 

[chris allen]

40 gallon tank would be perfect for even a big adult female. Most breeders use 41qt tubs and a 40 gallon has very close if not a little more room than that. Floor space is very close to the same. You could probably pickup a nice bumblebee male within your budget.

 

[Helenthereef]

My feeling is that if you want this as an interactive pet, you'll get a lot more out of a cornsnake than a ball python.

 

[chris allen]

My kids now have a couple of the ball pythons as their regular go to reptiles that they want to hold when they keep me company while I clean/feed whatnot. For them its just enough where they will move around some, but yet arent trying to get away. Sometimes they are more stationary than others but most of the ones that they have been handling from hatchling are quite inquisitive and not shy at all. Definately less action going on than with my colubrids, but again I guess it comes down to what you like/want. I would still vote to go to a show and check some stuff out!

 

[J&J Dragons]

My feeling is that if you want this as an interactive pet, you'll get a lot more out of a cornsnake than a ball python.

Oh great... I might just have to get both then.
I'll just tell my fiance there was a buy a ball python get a free corn snake sale on.