Hi, new :) Looking for some help on snake species

[hazzaram]

Hi everyone. I'm new here. I'm going to take some time to look around.

I got into snakes last March. I went to a wonderful breeder and picked up a male albino ball python. He's really amazing. I loved him so much that a week later I got a female yellowbelly ball python and a few months after that, a brazilian rainbow boa.

I've been really lucky in that all my snakes have been super friendly, right from the get-go. I've never been hissed at, never been bitten.

And that brings me to my problem. I'm looking for my next snake - a calm, docile snake that can deal with being handled and doesn't grow too big.

I am in love with Rosy Boas, but I've had a very hard time finding a breeder in Canada. I've found one and he has some available, but he sort of dropped off the face of the earth right after we started corresponding.

I then found this gorgeous, tame Baird's rat snake but the seller flaked out on me.

What else is there that fits my requirements? I've been recommended a Dumerils but they get much too big. I've also been recommended a Kenyan Sand Boa but I don't know how I feel about them. I've heard they hide a lot of the time and I'm iffy about how they look.

Would love some suggestions from you wonderful people :)

[toddnbecka]

Are there any reptile shows within driving distance? People typically recommend whatever they've had personal experience with. Corn, milk, and king snakes are widely bred and available in quite a variety of species and colors/patterns. Carpet pythons are also quite popular, disposotion varies among individual animals though.
If you want a calm, docile snake that absolutely never strikes or bites see if you can track down a Dominican red mountain boa. I have no clue regarding their availablilty in Canada, or if they are allowed across the border from the US, but though not a common species they are occasionally available here.

[Georgia]

copperheads are great snakes if you can get them there

[RAD House]

copperheads are great snakes if you can get them there

Docile suggests they want a snake they can handle often and safely so a copperhead is not a good idea.

KSBs are know to be expert hiders, so you are correct there. I have heard great things about bairds if you locate another. The more common examples would be a corn snake or California kingsnake. I have a leucistic black rat snake that I has become my favorite in my collection. She is very active and entertaining.
What size animal are you looking for? Do you have a enclosure for it currently? If not how much space do you have in mind for it? Are you looking for something more advanced then the animals you currently own or would you like to get something more advanced? Maybe give us a better idea what you are looking for.

[hazzaram]

Are there any reptile shows within driving distance? People typically recommend whatever they've had personal experience with. Corn, milk, and king snakes are widely bred and available in quite a variety of species and colors/patterns. Carpet pythons are also quite popular, disposotion varies among individual animals though.
If you want a calm, docile snake that absolutely never strikes or bites see if you can track down a Dominican red mountain boa. I have no clue regarding their availablilty in Canada, or if they are allowed across the border from the US, but though not a common species they are occasionally available here.

Not really. The closest one is in Toronto, so a 4 hour drive each day. They have a massive expo every September and I am planning to go next year, but I think I'd like another snake before then. I wanted to use the expo next year as a chance to see and handle some different species, particularly the ones I'm interested in owning in the next years (bloods, carpets etc.) but no rush there for sure. I need more experience with snakes first :)

[hazzaram]

Docile suggests they want a snake they can handle often and safely so a copperhead is not a good idea.

KSBs are know to be expert hiders, so you are correct there. I have heard great things about bairds if you locate another. The more common examples would be a corn snake or California kingsnake. I have a leucistic black rat snake that I has become my favorite in my collection. She is very active and entertaining.
What size animal are you looking for? Do you have a enclosure for it currently? If not how much space do you have in mind for it? Are you looking for something more advanced then the animals you currently own or would you like to get something more advanced? Maybe give us a better idea what you are looking for.

I'm looking for an animal under 6 feet, for sure. I know my rainbow boa is going to grow somewhere close or possibly even exceed that size, but I'm pretty comfortable with her. I just don't want to add another large snake yet, especially not one I can't handle on my own.

No setup yet. I'll have to tailor the setup to whatever species I choose. I don't mind a little more advanced. My rainbow boa was a good step up from my ball pythons and I settled in with her quite well.

As for room... I've got room. That's not really a problem.

I might stick with a Rosy Boa, but I'm not sure. The breeder has gotten back to me again, he's just slow.