Decisions, decisions.

[DDW]

Hello, I'm new here and I have a few questions... well, more than a few.
I am looking into getting a pet snake (not for a year or two) but I haven't decided what exactly what I want. I was thinking about perhaps an albino California king but I'm open to any suggestions regarding kind of king/milk snakes. Here are some questions(any answers are welcome. You don't have to answer all of them):

What kind do you preffer/suggest?

what is said snake's temperment, coloration (pictures please ^.=.^) normal size/take size needed(adult)?

Have you noticed any difference between temperment of male and female snakes of the same kind?

where should I purchase a pet snake(expo/show, pet store, or hunt down a breeder)? I am in a very rural area and I can barely find any type of snake breeder.

does a large tank effect the young snake negatively or should I gradually increase tank size as it grows?

What is the best type of bedding?

Hatchling or yearling?

And any other tips you may have for a beginner herper.

[DDW]

I just want to be well educated about any reptile I bring into my home. Thanks for any advise in advance^.=.^

[reptiledude987]

As far as coloration goes its totally up to you. Everyone has their own likes and prefrences. As a species kings/corns/milks are a great place to start. there are a ton of different colour varities to choose from. The care for them is also fairly simple as well. I would suggest a yearling over a hatchling generally. The age isnt a huge deal as long as its eating well and dosent need to be assist fed (which many hatchling corns do). As far as where you get it from goes just make sure theyre reputable and have all the info for you that they should. IE general husbandry info, feeding schedule and genetic history if its a het morph of some sort.

[prairiepanda]

What kind do you preffer/suggest?
Kingsnakes and milksnakes in general are great beginner snakes. They can all be cared for the same, so I suggest you find a species that you like the looks and size of and then hunt for an individual with whatever personality you prefer.

what is said snake's temperment, coloration (pictures please ^.=.^) normal size/take size needed(adult)?
Milks can be more shy and flighty, and kings can be nippy, but that certainly doesn't describe all of them and you can find well-mannered individuals in any species. If you'd like a feisty attitude, it'll be easiest to find in a king; but if you want something calm you can find that in any king/milk species if you look around. Sizes can range from 2.5ft to 6ft depending on the species, so you should think about what size enclosure you can provide to an adult. Let us know how big you think you can go for an enclosure and we can tell you how affects your options. Handling-wise, even the biggest kings/milks are still real skinny and easily handled by a lone individual, even one with little to no experience. As for coloration; there's a wide variety amongst kings and milks. Here's a site with photos of some morphs of many kings and milks(not all would be easy/possible to get in the pet trade though, and not all morphs are pictured) Lampropeltis (http://www.pitt.edu/~mcs2/herp/Lampropeltis.html)
And here's my tangerine albino honduran milksnake:
http://i.imgur.com/IbcbQFD.jpg
She is incredibly docile, but not very active in her enclosure(hides most of the time). She can be expected to grow as long as 6ft.

Have you noticed any difference between temperment of male and female snakes of the same kind?
None at all. Gender does not seem to affect temperament. However, during mating season some males can be extra squirmy or sometimes defensive.

where should I purchase a pet snake(expo/show, pet store, or hunt down a breeder)? I am in a very rural area and I can barely find any type of snake breeder.
Expos are great because you can handle the animal and see different individuals side by side in person. Pet stores can be okay too, especially if they specialize in reptiles, but they usually can't give you the detailed information about the animal's background that you could get directly from a breeder. The nice thing about pet stores, though, is that they can order in a specific species/morph for you if they don't have it. They can't guarantee a specific temperament though. Looking up snake breeders online would be worthwhile. Down there, you have loads to choose from. They will ship to your door or to the nearest airport, so no worries about proximity. Just look around on forums like this one for reviews to see if they're reputable.

does a large tank effect the young snake negatively or should I gradually increase tank size as it grows?
If you want to put a young snake into an adult enclosure right away, it's usually fine as long as you provide many hides so that the snake doesn't feel like it's out in the open and exposed all the time. This strategy usually works just fine. Some individuals do better starting in smaller enclosures, though. You don't have to spend a lot of money to provide that; you can use plastic bins until they're big enough for their nice adult enclosure.

What is the best type of bedding?
This really comes down to personal preference. Aspen shavings or plain newspaper are the most popular. Newspaper is free, but needs to be changed as soon as it gets soiled and doesn't look very nice. Aspen shavings can be found fairly cheap if you buy in bulk, and last quite a while if you just spot clean frequently, but the dust can be a bother to some(I can't stand event the good brands with the least dust; it gets everywhere and bothers my sinuses). For a more naturalistic look, cypress mulch is a popular choice. Make sure it's pure cypress and doesn't have cedar in it though. Personally, I use recycled newspaper pellets. They're sold as cat litter, which is fine as long as you find ones without any odor reducing or clumping additives. Just pure paper. It's real cheap stuff, no dust, and lasts a long time with spot cleaning. Looks alright too because it's dark. There are even cheaper wood pellets available, which some people have used for snakes, but I wouldn't recommend them. I tested the wood and paper pellets in a rolled up wet paper towel to (roughly) simulate a snake's digestive tract; the wood pellets expanded to 5 times their size and didn't break down when pressure was applied because they clumped, while the paper pellets just broke down right away into little bits.

Hatchling or yearling?
If you get a yearling, you can be better assured of temperament, good eating habits, and stress susceptibility.

And any other tips you may have for a beginner herper.
Once you have your snake, you're going to want more herps. I guarantee it. Be sure to carefully assess your situation and the resources you have so that you don't get in over your head. Make rules for yourself and stick to them, and avoid impulse buys. Always research everything thoroughly and try to look for animals that suit you, rather than just going for animals that you like and then trying to adjust yourself to them.

And don't forget to post pictures of everything!!!

[DDW]

As far as coloration goes its totally up to you. Everyone has their own likes and prefrences. As a species kings/corns/milks are a great place to start. there are a ton of different colour varities to choose from. The care for them is also fairly simple as well. I would suggest a yearling over a hatchling generally. The age isnt a huge deal as long as its eating well and dosent need to be assist fed (which many hatchling corns do). As far as where you get it from goes just make sure theyre reputable and have all the info for you that they should. IE general husbandry info, feeding schedule and genetic history if its a het morph of some sort.

Thank you^.=.^
(I think I'm doing this right)

I don't think I want a corn because they tend to be finicky eaters and very lively and sometimes even aggresive, not to mention they are so small. I plan to stick with milks and Kings. (I've done a lot of research but advise from experienced herps is awesome)

I intend to go to a Repticon in a couple of months to see how it is there. Will ask plenty of questions but is it important about the genetic and husbandry ones since I won't be breeding? (I won't breed anything that is possible of having. More than 2 offspring. I have to be able to care for them if they are not bought or given away) besides, I just want a good pet that will tolerate handling fairly often (about every other day or every few days). also pretty safe for older children to handle(Like 9 yrs old and older).

[reptiledude987]

Any king or corn would be having more than 2 babies so sounds like no breeding for you then lol. If thats the case dont bother spending the money on something with a Het. gene because its not a visable trait and will only come up in offspring.

[Albert Clark]

Hello DDW and welcome to the club! If you want to go kingsnake I would suggest the Arizona mountain king and stay away from the Cal kings for now. The Arizona is much more keeper friendly and tolerates handling a lot better than most others. Garters, especially the albino checkered is a great first snake. They also tolerate handling better than most other species. Good luck.:blink::blink::blink:

[D Grade]

My King used to be a bit nippy, now hes a puppy dog and likes being held. My Milk is very flighty when handling and is rarely seen in his viv, hes also on a feeding strike. I love both my snakes, but my King has been a funner snake to own for sure.

[DDW]

That is a beauty of a snake, great coloring. Thank you for the info. I'd like a snake closer to 5 or six foot (which I believe take a 40/50 gall tank for an adult) thank you so much for that link. It already has helped a lot. ^.=.^ all of your advise is great. Thank you.
About the online stores, isn't there a risk when they ship it to you that the reptile be sick or injured (kinda like the ordering from amazon you run the risk of a damaged product?) What are some good sites to order from?

[DDW]

I know, that's why I said no breeding XD I'd more likely get different types of snakeso than that. Thanks

[DDW]

AwesomEric Arizona mountain king huh, I'll have to search that one^.=.^ thanks
garters are a bit small for me.

[DDW]

Nice comparison on milks and kings, thanks ^.=.^

[DDW]

I seem to be liking the black milk snake but I am still interested in the diverse coloration of the cali kings.

[reptiledude987]

I find that the flightyness (dont think thats a real word but you know what I mean) of milks varys from one to another mine isnt fond of being held but have seen others that dont seem to mind at all. From my expierence kings tend to be more tolerant of being handled generally.

If you like the black MBK is a good option with kings however they are one of the larger kings.

[DDW]

I find that the flightyness (dont think thats a real word but you know what I mean) of milks varys from one to another mine isnt fond of being held but have seen others that dont seem to mind at all. From my expierence kings tend to be more tolerant of being handled generally.

If you like the black MBK is a good option with kings however they are one of the larger kings.

I like the larger kings^.=.^ as long as it's safe to handle. Thanks for the suggestion:)

[reptiledude987]

My mbk is super chill and has never struck or even given a tail rattle. He has a great feeding response tho ;)

[DDW]

Wow. A great snake! About how big do they get?

[reptiledude987]

They top out around 6'

[DDW]

Sounds like my Kind of snake^.=.^ what size Viv do you use? 40/50 gallon?

[prairiepanda]

Sounds like an MBK is the way to go for you! You get the sleek black and the size that you want, and you won't have any problem finding a nice friendly individual. Just don't get any random one because some of them can be aggressive. A 40gal equivalent sized enclosure would serve it well; you want to focus on floor space more than anything else because they are terrestrial. (They will climb a bit if you give them something to climb on though) Aim for about 5 or 6 square feet of floor space(so a 3'x2' for example would suffice)

[DDW]

I think I have fallen in love with the MBK (my mom said it looks like a worm lol) plus, does it matter how tall the habitat is? You said they will climb so if the habitat is tall, the snake would utilize the entire space?

[knox]

MBKs are great little snakes, for sure! Gorgeous and not too large.

The Black Milk might possibly be the most perfect colubrid, in my opinion.

[SoPhilly]

Man, you definitely want an MBK if your screen name is dark dragon warrior, lol. IMO they look just like Toothless from "How to Train Your Dragon" :D

[DDW]

I'm starting to think the same. Thanks^.=.^

[DDW]

Lol I hadn't thoughe of that before lol Toothless is so adorable but fierce X2 I've always liked the solid black too. XD

[prairiepanda]

I think I have fallen in love with the MBK (my mom said it looks like a worm lol) plus, does it matter how tall the habitat is? You said they will climb so if the habitat is tall, the snake would utilize the entire space?

They do climb if given the opportunity, but they don't need to climb and aren't particularly good at it, so height doesn't really matter. Heck, they'd be happy in a 6" tall bin. Of course, having decorations to fill vertical space in a taller enclosure makes it look nicer and as I said the snake will climb them sometimes. Just don't get anything super tall as kings do tend to fall down sometimes.

[DDW]

Okay, I see thankyou ^.=.^ don't want my king getting hurt from a bad fall:)

Do you happen to know how much MBKso are? I just saw on a site they were selling one for $50 but it seems a bit too good to be true. I'd expect closer to $80 - $100 for a MBK

[prairiepanda]

Okay, I see thankyou ^.=.^ don't want my king getting hurt from a bad fall:)

Do you happen to know how much MBKso are? I just saw on a site they were selling one for $50 but it seems a bit too good to be true. I'd expect closer to $80 - $100 for a MBK

MBKs down there are pretty cheap, as far as I know. $75 to $125 is reasonable. Keep in mind with ordering online you'll have shipping charges on top of that. Not sure about the states, but here in Canada I'd expect $60 to $80 for shipping, so that $50 snake online would likely come to over $100 ;) I've seen them go for $280 at local pet stores around here for some reason, but the highest price I've seen direct from a breeder was $175. I'd expect them to be cheaper than that in the states though since there are more breeders and higher demand.

[DDW]

MBKs down there are pretty cheap, as far as I know. $75 to $125 is reasonable. Keep in mind with ordering online you'll have shipping charges on top of that. Not sure about the states, but here in Canada I'd expect $60 to $80 for shipping, so that $50 snake online would likely come to over $100 ;) I've seen them go for $280 at local pet stores around here for some reason, but the highest price I've seen direct from a breeder was $175. I'd expect them to be cheaper than that in the states though since there are more breeders and higher demand.

That is quite the range. I am hoping to go to a Repticon in a couple months and am most likely to find many fine reptiles. It's going to take every ounce of will not to buy those beauties but I must Resist XD (I wish my mom wasn't so scared of something that is pretty much harmless but everyone has their fears :/) anyway. I think I have all my questions answered but will continue asking when I have more.

Anyway, thank you so much for your very helpful advise ^.=.^

[reptiledude987]

The repticon will probably be the place to find the best deal.

[DDW]

The repticon will probably be the place to find the best deal.

Yah, but sadly I have to wait a few years before getting my serpentine friend D:

[DDW]

It's been getting harder and harder to resist getting this one Honduran milk snake at the petco pet store. The person caring for them seems to be doing well but each time I see this one snake, it is always out and about. It is a beauty of a snake and is always cruising around its enclosre(but oddly dissapears under its water bowl when other customers arive) Idk. Probably coincidence lol. I'm falling in love but is have no way to keep it if I did. :( no snakes in the house. D:

[prairiepanda]

A really active Honduran like that is a rare find! A lot of them like to hide all day. Just don't try to sneak home a new pet. You might get your parents to budge on the "no snakes" rule if you can demonstrate that you've done your research and that the snake would not become a burden to them in any way and you'd take every precaution to prevent escapes. You might even be able to convince them that snakes are cute, if you show them enough babies! It's worth a shot. But if you do manage to convince them to let you get a snake, you'll want to make sure that the snake you get is really the one you want. You don't want to rush into getting the first snake you find, and then a couple weeks later find your dream snake, because you obviously won't have the luxury of being able to get both ;)

[DDW]

A really active Honduran like that is a rare find! A lot of them like to hide all day. Just don't try to sneak home a new pet. You might get your parents to budge on the "no snakes" rule if you can demonstrate that you've done your research and that the snake would not become a burden to them in any way and you'd take every precaution to prevent escapes. You might even be able to convince them that snakes are cute, if you show them enough babies! It's worth a shot. But if you do manage to convince them to let you get a snake, you'll want to make sure that the snake you get is really the one you want. You don't want to rush into getting the first snake you find, and then a couple weeks later find your dream snake, because you obviously won't have the luxury of being able to get both ;)

I've done so much research I could probably handle a retic (hypotheticaly, not serious) I've been going back to that store and checking it out for months. I'm just hurting myself by returning to it... I wish I could DX my mom claims she is so scared of snakes, she gets nightmares after seeing pictures of them (the cute ones too) and wouldn't even be able to sleep at night knowing there was one in the house. I've brought this on myself I guess because I got my hopes up. I thought that maybe I would be able to talk them into it. I should have just quite Before I got too far into it.

Sometimes I feel like I'm wasting your time. I'm sorry. Everything is still very appreciated.

so it doesn't seem like there is any chances. I just hope the snake goes to a good knowledgeable home. Thanks for all the support though. It still will be nice to be able to talk about reptiles here though.

[Albert Clark]

Get a garter! By far the best beginner snake. Hardy and very manageable on all fronts. Only getting to 3 - 3.5 ft. at most. There are some beautiful morphs also. Check out these naturally occurring Oregon red spotted garters. :blink: These guys are the blue bellied variety also.

[Minkness]

Dawww....totally know your situation. That is EXACTLY what my mom said for YEARS of talking about me getting a snake. I broke her down to reptiles after years of talking about all kinds, then settled on leopard geckos as my 1st. Years later I wore her down to snakes, and now have 3. Please note, my mom and I are like best friends/roommates and I was 27 when I got my 1st snake . You may just have to wait till you move out or just keep talking to her about it. Good luck little dragon!

[DDW]

Get a garter! By far the best beginner snake. Hardy and very manageable on all fronts. Only getting to 3 - 3.5 ft. at most. There are some beautiful morphs also. Check out these naturally occurring Oregon red spotted garters. :blink: These guys are the blue bellied variety also.

Thanks for the suggestion but my mom retained the same attitude with all kinds of snakes (no matter how big or small, how harmless or not.beautiful snake BTW.

[DDW]

Dawww....totally know your situation. That is EXACTLY what my mom said for YEARS of talking about me getting a snake. I broke her down to reptiles after years of talking about all kinds, then settled on leopard geckos as my 1st. Years later I wore her down to snakes, and now have 3. Please note, my mom and I are like best friends/roommates and I was 27 when I got my 1st snake . You may just have to wait till you move out or just keep talking to her about it. Good luck little dragon!

27? Hopefully I'll be moved out by theN but thanks for encouraging words :)

[Minkness]

No problem. Most people are. Like I said, me and mom are beat friends. I could easily move out but would be so lonely. I was actually about to move out just so I could have a snake and that was when mom caved. No joke "If I let you have a snake, will you stay?"....heck yeah!

Don't get me wrong. I pay rent, bills, have a solid career, ect. We just prefer to live together than apart. It's a very rare thing these days lol.

[DDW]

No problem. Most people are. Like I said, me and mom are beat friends. I could easily move out but would be so lonely. I was actually about to move out just so I could have a snake and that was when mom caved. No joke "If I let you have a snake, will you stay?"....heck yeah!

Don't get me wrong. I pay rent, bills, have a solid career, ect. We just prefer to live together than apart. It's a very rare thing these days lol.

(Wow, I didn't realize I missed this comment, sorry for late reply) I'm closer to my mom than anyone else. I guess I'm a bit too stubborn for my own good lol (in a bit better mood right now. Though I'm getting a little depressed about the whole no reptiles thing. I may be getting progress on that gargoyle gecko though. I just need to keep on it a bit, and try not to annoy her about it to much. I just find it hard to not talk about something I enjoy, especially since I can't use that knowledge to do anything:/ but you have given me hope, and perhaps I can get a job at a pet store so I can make the animals there more happy and comfortable even if they are only there for a little while. (There is a petco and a pet smart about 45 minutes away) perhaps that would help XD

[DDW]

Forgot to update this, I am getting a most likely gargoyle gecko, but I am unsure about whether or not repticon will have what I want. Keeping my fingers crosed for a snake! But perhaps I'll have my own place before I have to cross that road with my mom and dad.

[DDW]

Been browsing different small-ish sized snakes, and I have fallen in love with the green tree python. I really like the color morphs, especially the green with yellow coloration.

[RAD House]

From what I have read GTP are in no way a beginner snake. They may look cool but are almost solely a display snake and even then are not at all acive. I think you would do yourself a favor by getting one of the species that is known to be good for beginners.

[DDW]

From what I have read GTP are in no way a beginner snake. They may look cool but are almost solely a display snake and even then are not at all acive. I think you would do yourself a favor by getting one of the species that is known to be good for beginners.

I know, I was just commenting how I like the coloration:) I just wanted to mention I liked them but I didn't want to start a whole new threadXD

[DDW]

Been looking at different Cornsnake mops and find I like reverse Okatee cornsnakes:)if I do get a corn, that will be the one for me^.=.^

The other day, I was at the LPS and I finally got my mom to touch a particularly active 2 mounth old bp (ironicly, she couldn't feel it because of effect her diabetes has had on her fingers (forgot the name, I'll remember when it's not important lol) but the snake took no ead and just continued minding it's own business:) she didn't jump back but she still didn't like it. I love the feel of not fuzzy soft but smooth soft. I want her to enjoy it as much as I do but to no avail DX

[prairiepanda]

Been looking at different Cornsnake mops and find I like reverse Okatee cornsnakes:)if I do get a corn, that will be the one for me^.=.^

The other day, I was at the LPS and I finally got my mom to touch a particularly active 2 mounth old bp (ironicly, she couldn't feel it because of effect her diabetes has had on her fingers (forgot the name, I'll remember when it's not important lol) but the snake took no ead and just continued minding it's own business:) she didn't jump back but she still didn't like it. I love the feel of not fuzzy soft but smooth soft. I want her to enjoy it as much as I do but to no avail DX

That's a huge first step, though! She doesn't necessarily have to like snakes, but if she can learn to tolerate them and appreciate them from a distance then you'll have a much easier time pushing to get a snake ;) Seems like she's pretty open-minded, despite her fear.

Those reverse Okeetees are pretty cool, eh? My favorite corns are orchids, gold dusts, and honeys. Probably because I already have a bright orange and red snake.

[DDW]

That's a huge first step, though! She doesn't necessarily have to like snakes, but if she can learn to tolerate them and appreciate them from a distance then you'll have a much easier time pushing to get a snake ;) Seems like she's pretty open-minded, despite her fear.

Those reverse Okeetees are pretty cool, eh? My favorite corns are orchids, gold dusts, and honeys. Probably because I already have a bright orange and red snake.

I told her that, but she doesn't think so. She does have a v fib and she says it sets off when she thinks she sees a snake and she would constantly be worried the snake is loose:/

I like high contrasting colors and patterns on snakes, as you can probably tell by the types of snakes I talk about. Most corn morphs seem almost muddled or blending:/ but the reverse okatee is stunning.

[Lefitte]

That really is a huge first step! My family doesn't really approve either but they all tolerate. Only my sister and niece have touched my snake and I got her in September of last year. My dad doesn't care about reptiles and lived with a beardie for a few years, he prefers them. My mom has made some huge steps though. She's not particularly keen on the idea of having anything to do with a snake but she likes admiring them from behind glass... when they're reaaaaaally small haha. She really likes my snake but she's barely turning a year old.

When we first went into the reptile store near us last year... she looked extremely uncomfortable and looked a lot like she wanted to run out especially when she saw beetles and roaches in the back. Those are things she just does NOT do. Today, however, she followed me around and asked what all the different reptiles were and even admired some carpet pythons. They didn't have any full sized adult pythons or boas like they did last time but some were close to it. Last time she DID flee when she saw a very large boa in a tank, this time she stood and admired them all and made friends with some beardies. I'm considering a leopard gecko in the future so I asked if she would rather I get a beardie since she always likes them but she complained that they need a much larger cage haha. I'm personally trying to get her in on the idea of a Rainbow Boa.

There was also a green tree python there! If I ever had a display snake, that'd probably be it! So pretty. They had two actually. One was already green but they had a younger one who was yellow and I got to point out the differences to my mom and she was pretty thrilled.

Keep it up but don't pester. My dad also has heart problems but he doesn't mind snakes so I can't really help there. One thing that did help everyone and my aunt who's terrified of them, is that I got a cage with locks. We have cats and an escaped teeny snake is a death sentence for the snake so escaping is not an option here. The locks also make them feel a lot better though, knowing that things are definitely secure with no way out.

I also make sure that the mice are in opaque bags in one corner of the freezer door that no one touches so that no one has to see or touch the frozen mouse. I warn my mom when I'm going to feed her as well because I know she is weirded out by that. That being said... she DID let me install a 6ft tall shelving unit in our dining room to house her.. so maybe my mom's not the best example haha.

What I'm trying to say is be respectful. Find out all the information you can but don't give it all at once. Give little bits and pieces at a time but not too frequently. If you get lucky, she may start to ask questions about it. Take some time to consider every detail. For example, I also asked permission to use a small section of the freezer for food and made sure she was okay with that as well [if she isn't, consider a minifreezer?] Opaque was also a big word with me. Even the cup [which we went shopping for together] that I use to defrost is opaque so that she doesn't have to see it if the bag is clear while it defrosts. Good luck but don't push her too fast. With a little time and effort, she sounds like she might come around after all.

[Princess-dad]

This is my sons corn very docile . Corns are escape artists , so he tries to slither away if he gets down but never hisses never strikes .

[DDW]

That really is a huge first step! My family doesn't really approve either but they all tolerate. Only my sister and niece have touched my snake and I got her in September of last year. My dad doesn't care about reptiles and lived with a beardie for a few years, he prefers them. My mom has made some huge steps though. She's not particularly keen on the idea of having anything to do with a snake but she likes admiring them from behind glass... when they're reaaaaaally small haha. She really likes my snake but she's barely turning a year old.

When we first went into the reptile store near us last year... she looked extremely uncomfortable and looked a lot like she wanted to run out especially when she saw beetles and roaches in the back. Those are things she just does NOT do. Today, however, she followed me around and asked what all the different reptiles were and even admired some carpet pythons. They didn't have any full sized adult pythons or boas like they did last time but some were close to it. Last time she DID flee when she saw a very large boa in a tank, this time she stood and admired them all and made friends with some beardies. I'm considering a leopard gecko in the future so I asked if she would rather I get a beardie since she always likes them but she complained that they need a much larger cage haha. I'm personally trying to get her in on the idea of a Rainbow Boa.

There was also a green tree python there! If I ever had a display snake, that'd probably be it! So pretty. They had two actually. One was already green but they had a younger one who was yellow and I got to point out the differences to my mom and she was pretty thrilled.

Keep it up but don't pester. My dad also has heart problems but he doesn't mind snakes so I can't really help there. One thing that did help everyone and my aunt who's terrified of them, is that I got a cage with locks. We have cats and an escaped teeny snake is a death sentence for the snake so escaping is not an option here. The locks also make them feel a lot better though, knowing that things are definitely secure with no way out.

I also make sure that the mice are in opaque bags in one corner of the freezer door that no one touches so that no one has to see or touch the frozen mouse. I warn my mom when I'm going to feed her as well because I know she is weirded out by that. That being said... she DID let me install a 6ft tall shelving unit in our dining room to house her.. so maybe my mom's not the best example haha.

What I'm trying to say is be respectful. Find out all the information you can but don't give it all at once. Give little bits and pieces at a time but not too frequently. If you get lucky, she may start to ask questions about it. Take some time to consider every detail. For example, I also asked permission to use a small section of the freezer for food and made sure she was okay with that as well [if she isn't, consider a minifreezer?] Opaque was also a big word with me. Even the cup [which we went shopping for together] that I use to defrost is opaque so that she doesn't have to see it if the bag is clear while it defrosts. Good luck but don't push her too fast. With a little time and effort, she sounds like she might come around after all.

Thanks for all the advise, just today when we were working in the yard, a small toy snake was left out in the grass by my niece or nephew and as my mom stepped on it, it flung up and hit her on the leg:/ she free kedked out but I can't really blame her though. Anyway, I have brought up the locks on the cage thing, no budging. I guess my uncle used to keep pet snakes and they escaped all the time:/ I don't think I'll ever have a snake in this house. I'll have to move out first (which I'm perfectly willing to do and have made it clear to my parents, once I have the money that is) and if I did have an animal that eats f/th mice/rat, I'd have a mini freezer just for that.

[DDW]

This is my sons corn very docile . Corns are escape artists , so he tries to slither away if he gets down but never hisses never strikes .

I knew that part lol, btw, I recognize those pics, did you by any chance post a thred asking if this was a candycane morph?

[Princess-dad]

I ran a post asking what he was and I was told a candy cane , and also a reverse okeetee

[DDW]

I ran a post asking what he was and I was told a candy cane , and also a reverse okeetee

Okay, I thought it was something like that lol pretty snake though^.=.^