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Best beginner herp or invert?

Alex G

Alex G

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I have a friend who's been pulled into the hobby (specifically the snake part) by my own interest, and for a while we've been looking at every species under the sun trying to find one that's
1. Not too expensive (under $50 preferred, under $100 necessary... show prices, not online+shipping)
2. Pretty simple in care (IE no tropical animals with high humidity and sensitive heat requirements, as we live in AZ for now
3. Doesn't get too big (normally under 4ft preferred, normally under 6ft necessary)
4. Will live several years
5. Pretty by her standards. He doesn't care for "fat" animals, as she calls them, IE ball pythons, skinks, anything else with a thick body, and likes browns, blacks, and pinks.

What, in your opinions, would be the best choice?
 
A cornsnake? They come in a rainbow of colors/patterns, are docile, easy to care for, & while they can get long they're slender so it doesn't seem big at all.
 
Twizted Paths said:
A cornsnake? They come in a rainbow of colors/patterns, are docile, easy to care for, & while they can get long they're slender so it doesn't seem big at all.
Click to expand...

garweft said:
Cornsnake....... :D
Click to expand...

I recommended those to her as well, partially because I have them (as well as books about them coming out my butt) but she seems to want something different from what I have and considers corns as her backup animal if we can't find anything else she likes that meets the requirements.
 
I would also recommend corn or rat snakes, and there is SUCH a variety to choose from!

However if that's a no go, I love my Candoia boas.... Solomon Island boas, Australis Boas, Fiji Boas - (Candoia paulsoni, C. australis, C bibroni). Males are small (up to 4 feet), females larger (up to 6 feet), they stay slim and have great natures. Solomons come in an amazing range of colors too.

Not too easy to find, but there are breeders in the USA. They have a reputation of being hard to feed, but many keepers are getting them onto pinkie mice easily. Check out out some Candoia threads here in Fauna...

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=162704
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=161742
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155826
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160716
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=160974
 
Besides the already mentioned Corns :)thumbsup:) my other suggestions would be a Rose Hair (for your terrestrial choice) and or one of the many varieties of the Pink Toes (arboreal choice) in the invert category.

The color choices you mentioned she likes made me think you may want to suggest a Dumeril's Boa.
 
SapphireGemReptiles said:
dumeril's are a thick species as adults a bit thicker then balls
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But they don't look thick (fat) like balls do which is what I think the OP was saying her friend didn't like not the actual thickness.

Pepper said:
She doesn't care for "fat" animals, as she calls them, IE ball pythons, skinks, anything else with a thick body
Click to expand...
 
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