Help Choosing Species

[Kaianuanu]

So I've been keeping jeeps pretty much all my life but I had never really been into snakes until this year when I got two carpet pythons, one coastal and one jungle. At the moment the coastal is a tiny 16" baby and the jungle is about 26". Anyway, out of nowhere, I started to want a big species of colubrid. I want something that is really chilled out that I can just sit on the couch and watch TV with. I was really digging black indigos but they're just not worth as much money as they sell for to me. If I was going to drop that kind of coin on a snake, it would be on a zebra jungle carpet python. And I'm just not into the look of Cribos. So I really love bull snakes but, I'm not too sure what their temperament is like. Basically, I just want a really big corn snake., that looks cooler. I love how bulls remind me of the rattlers that they imitate. Anyway, can anyone comment on the temperament of bull snakes, or recommend a species I might also be interested in? Also, I'm not looking to spend over $100 on a baby.

[wrecker45]

I have a corn and a cali king that are very calm when i handle them.

[drumcrush]

Yeah, kings are awesome colubrids! I know Honduran milk snakes and brooks kingsnakes get pretty large

[smy_749]

Hi, typically colubrids are not a sit and relax type of snake. I can't think of any off the top of my head which you would be able to sit and watch TV with for more than a minute before hes gone. Colubrids are also not a "chill species". They can be unpredictable and full of attitude, or complete sweethearts. They can also be one half the time and switch on a dime. I won't get into the watching TV thing as I'm sure someone else will explain why its a bad idea, but some more "chill" species which aren't expensive (not colubrids) would be your smaller boa constrictor species and ball pythons. But again, most species don't sit around long enough to actually watch a program, unless they are cold.

Bold terms are disclaimers for the people who will inevitably post that there animal does not behave as mentioned.

[StudentoReptile]

Eastern, Speckled and Florida kings can get fairly hefty, definitely over 5 ft. They are definitely not fat, lazy slugs like ball pythons are, but I have had some very well-mannered specimens over the yrs.

[Terranaut]

I have a female gopher snake. She is like mentioned above. Typically calm but sometimes she hisses and freaks out. Not a lap snake. Very busy.

[Kaianuanu]

I understand no snake will be motionless but I mean something that is calm enough that I won't have to put too much effort into handling, and can tolerate long periods of handling. My jungle carpet has this type of temperament and I'd like my next snake to also be this way. I'm not into milk snakes however I do LOVE a brooks king, but they usually max out around 5 feet if I remember correctly and I'd like something a bit larger.

[Kaianuanu]

I have a female gopher snake. She is like mentioned above. Typically calm but sometimes she hisses and freaks out. Not a lap snake. Very busy.

How big is she and how big was she when you got her, is this representative of gophers/bulls that are raised from hatchlings?

[drumcrush]

My Mexican black king is extremely chill

[Starbuck]

the male parent of the mexican pine i had was about 7 feet. I cant comment much on his attitude at home, but he was used on education programs frequently. his owner is a very tiny wish foot woman, and she is very comfortable handling him on her own. my pine ws a pissy little baby, but he started to grow out of it.... certainly not calm though by any means.

I also have a tangerine honduran milk who is over 5 feet, and she is a doll to handle, but NOT a sit still and chill kind of girl.

im not sure if you will find what you are lookng for in colubrids :/

[Kaianuanu]

It seems you guys might be right that my TV snake will probably not be a colubrid, I guess it will stay my Jungle Carpet. At any rate, I've been wanting a big colubrid for other reasons than this, a snake being a bit of a busy body is not a deal beaker for me.

[Terranaut]

She is a 2011 and about 4' now. I do expect another 2' out of her yet.
She is great to have. Very curious and busy.
When we first got her
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j9/terranaut0/IMG_0686_zps91a9ccf4.jpg

Now

http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j9/terranaut0/20130921_185242_zps794d4da2.jpg

[KORBIN5895]

Is that your wife?

[Mikoh4792]

Get a russian ratsnake. They are not shy snakes at all and get pretty big(6-7ft). They require cooler temps though(70f-82f)

[Terranaut]

Is that your wife?

Yup. She is afraid of tiny sakes not big ones.

[KORBIN5895]

Yup. She is afraid of tiny sakes not big ones.

You definitely married up bro.

[Terranaut]

Lol. Thanks....I mean eat my shorts....I mean thanks. Lol

[reptocarl]

I own a two year old male bull. I got him because i wanted a snake with personality (attitude). Mine is not a tv snake, he is always moving. He still rattles his tail and hisses especially when eating. We think its hilarious but then again thats why we wanted a bull.

[Concept9]

Go for broke and get a King Rat. :)

[sharthun]

A Black Milk Snake would be another good choice. Extremely docile and Males can reach the 7 foot mark. ;)

[Sharlynn93]

my columbian rainbow boa is very calm and docile...she has been known to sit on our laps or draped around our shoulders for long periods of time...but there are also times she just wants to explore everything too...she is 4' now, and i'm expecting another 1.5' of growth out of her...the brazilians get a bit bigger, but i hear they can have a slight bit more attitude than the columbians...

[infernalis]

Yup. She is afraid of tiny sakes not big ones.

That says something about you.:rolleyes::cool::p

[Kera]

I personally love black and white aberrant Cali King Snakes. :) cheap cheap cheap, but beautiful. :)

[Hurrok]

I find through personal experience that corns can be quite active. They are great to handle once they are used to you but are usually always on the move. Out of 11 ball pythons 9 of them are more active as well. Definitely more chill compared to a corn or colubrid but they don't always stay on your lap either :p More active than most people think especially when they get used to being handled 4x a week.

I don't have experience with any other snakes but maybe a boa would be a choice to consider? Brazilian/Columbian boas are very pretty and get nice and lengthy. All I've heard about them are great things! Hognoses are cool too but they don't get as big.

[Primal Rage]

Get a Honduran milk snake! The biggest I have seen/read about is a 7'11" monster that was imported by "the shed" in Miami during the late 70's. Most Hondos will grow to a respectable 4-5 ft. They are not "lap" snakes though. You should also understand that most hatchling colubrids are born on the bottom of the food chain. A lot of hatchling and yearling animals do not want to be messed with. Of course there are always exceptions. One of my males has been docile and fearless since he was a noodle. Literally, he has never musked, struck, or even attempted to evade capture from me. Hopefully you find what your looking for! Take care. -Patrick

[parabolgravity]

i don´t know about curling up on the couch to watch tv with you but i´ve had good luck with some of the larger colubrids, most notably a sonoran gopher female, and a male mexican lined pine.

the gopher was a bit shy and didn´t like to be out for overly long periods, but the lined pine was a doll baby, though he could be pretty active. both snakes were gorgeous, i miss the lined pine to this day.