Decisions, Decisions

[Magdalen]

Ugh so I keep waffling on this subject. Let me explain. There is a show in town end of Sept that I am going to. That I may or may not get a snake at. When I first was looking to get back into the hobby I was going to start with a corn. Went to a pet store, didn't have what I wanted in regards to morphs. I saw a hognose and fell in love with the little guys. (see why I need help haha) I got my hognose almost a month ago. He's shed, had two meals so far and cruising around his tank. Even came out a little to get a good sniff of me. Love how he just hold his tongue out longer to get a better sample of me.

So that gets me started on thinking about my next snake that I'd like to get at the show. Now I'm not too sure about getting a corn yet until I have more space (or until I can save up for staking tanks). I have a 20gal long stand that's sitting there doing nothing in my closet. So I want to keep it to two maybe three snakes total. Now here's where I'm waffling. I'm not sure what to get, other than nothing bigger than a corn, something that doesn't need high humidity and something that's a little more laid back than the hognose. Of course I saw baby tarantulas the other day and had the crazy thought I needed a tarantula. I'm going to drive myself crazy if I don't have a set goal ahaha. I might even decide to just stick with the one snake for now and think about another in a year or so. Or I could just not find a snake that calls to me.

I have a list of possible snakes I am interested in:
corn
African house
children's python
spotted python
Rosy boa (tho I've heard they might have feeding issues)
I wouldn't turn my nose up to another hognose, especially a tricolor, but from what I gathered they are harder to find.

I was also playing around with the idea of a ball python but I worry about their eating habits also.
I liked the idea of a rubber boa, but the only way I can get one is if it is gifted to me (fat chance of that) or I go collect one from the wild. I want to get more experience before dealing with a WC.

Anyway, if you're still with me after this long winded post, any suggestions on snakes I haven't got listed? Or experience with the ones I do have listed? Advice to keep me less confused and crazy haha

[Aaron_S]

African house snake! Won't be disappointed.

Everyone else who replies will be biased. Whereas I am not. I keep ball pythons. African house snake or a corn snake. You won't be disappointed.

[Minkness]

Childrens and spotted are so close it's hard to suggest one over the other. But I have a spotted myseld and LOVE him!
I also have BPs and they are cool, but not exactly my go-to snake. Love the ones I have, but that's about it lol.

No experience with the others, but if you decide not to get a spotted python, I'd gowith an albino african house snake. Orangy punk bidies and nifty olive green eyes! (Will toes have ine....some day....lol)

[ThirteenRavens]

I liked the idea of a rubber boa, but the only way I can get one is if it is gifted to me

Is this a law in California? I was able to find CBB babies from a gentleman in Las Vegas (he doesn't have any right this moment, I checked as I would like to get a male lol)

[dannybgoode]

I'm with Aaron. I don't own an African house snake but they really interest me and if I only had a small viv to fill they'd be right at the top of my list.

[Magdalen]

Is this a law in California? I was able to find CBB babies from a gentleman in Las Vegas (he doesn't have any right this moment, I checked as I would like to get a male lol)

Yeah they are native to California and from the research I've done, I'd need to get a fishing license to collect (only allowed to have two total). They also cannot be bred and sold in California (not sure about importing from out of state, but I doubt it's likely I can. California has made many of the animals I've wanted illegal haha). Like the Southern Rubber Boa is only found in Southern California and you can't collect those.

Anyway, the African House Snake is very high on my list so far. From what I've researched I like what I have found.

Mink actually your spotted was what made me put it on the list. And did you mean albino spotted? Or really the albino house snake? I do like the albino.

[Minkness]

Albino african house snake. Charis on here breeds them and they are BEAUTIFUL!

[ThirteenRavens]

Interesting...I believe the law in Idaho and Montana is the same for collecting out of the wild, but I found no such law pertaining to having one shipped from a breeder? If you decide to delve deeper, I can pm you the info of where I got mine :) (not sure if I can share that type of info on the forum?)

[Snake_eyes_88]

Spotteds have one hell of a feed response, just so it's not a shock when handling them.... I've got one for my gf and it looks like I'll have to take over... He has a full on feed response whenever he's handled and tries to eat my hand... Hahaha

[Humble308]

+1 for the African House Snake. Awesome little snakes, mine had a killer feeding response. They're quite the escape artists though, mine outsmarted me in two different enclosures before finally running off. I'm looking forward to getting another one someday, maybe an Albino with those cool green eyes. However I picked up my normal for $25 at a local show. Could probably live it's whole life in a 20L. I don't own any pythons but I hear the childrens are great and stay pretty small.

Corns are ok, but you might find a little more reward in the more off the beaten path colubrids. All the best.

[brandonh]

Not to steal the tread from you but i have the same problem with the upcoming expo here in my state in September. This months expo had paradox sand boas and many hognose snakes so i don't know what to get.

However that being said there was only 1 African house snake there and it was beautiful!! Out of the snakes you are interested in you i am thinking African house or children's python. I don't really have any advice to offer on either species as i never owned them. I hear they are both pretty awesome snakes and something a little different then what most people keep in my opinion,

[Minkness]

Spotteds have one hell of a feed response, just so it's not a shock when handling them.... I've got one for my gf and it looks like I'll have to take over... He has a full on feed response whenever he's handled and tries to eat my hand... Hahaha

This is probably pretty true. Though mine doesn't strike when being handled, it DEFINITELY has an agressive feeding response lol. I did orriginally get mine from the store for a steal because it would launce itself at peoples' faces when they opened the tub, and it chewed on my hand when I got it the first day. But since then, he's been pretty easy actually. There was one day he was grumpy, but didn't tag me (not for lack of trying lol) but he settled down and was fine after that, and still is. He 'rears up' any time I open his tub but never strikes. Such a funny personality lol.

[Snake_eyes_88]

This is probably pretty true. Though mine doesn't strike when being handled, it DEFINITELY has an agressive feeding response lol. I did orriginally get mine from the store for a steal because it would launce itself at peoples' faces when they opened the tub, and it chewed on my hand when I got it the first day. But since then, he's been pretty easy actually. There was one day he was grumpy, but didn't tag me (not for lack of trying lol) but he settled down and was fine after that, and still is. He 'rears up' any time I open his tub but never strikes. Such a funny personality lol.

Haha yeah you definitely get chomped on with these, but of course you can get a calm individual too... Wasn't trying to put the OP off the species at all, they're a great species to keep. 👍

[Minkness]

Yeah. And even if they are chompy, their heads are the size of a pencil eraser lol

[Magdalen]

Interesting...I believe the law in Idaho and Montana is the same for collecting out of the wild, but I found no such law pertaining to having one shipped from a breeder? If you decide to delve deeper, I can pm you the info of where I got mine :) (not sure if I can share that type of info on the forum?)

Thanks :) The information I have found is a few years old and I'd need to talk with Fish and Game but I wouldn't be surprised if it still held true.


I do want something that is a little more unique to my collection. I mean everyone has a corn, not that they aren't a neat snake and I'll probably have one down the road, but I'm just liking what I am getting from something different.
Hmmm... I get chewed on enough by my kitten enough that I'd rather not get a snake that chews on me too. I can go with a good feeder, especially since my hog is more than likely going to fast on me, but not so much when I'm on the dinner plate.

[Magdalen]

Albino african house snake. Charis on here breeds them and they are BEAUTIFUL!

Yes they are! Haha I had been looking at Charis's snakes before even posting this.

[Minkness]

Yup....I want one some day lol