Ball or corn?

[Dark_Angel_x322]

I am trying to decide which snake would be better as a first snake. I like both the corn snake and ball python, but I just read balls can be troubled eaters. Are corns the same way? they get to be about the same size right?

I am just looking for suggestions now as I am not buying the snake for a little while now. so what are the pros and cons of each?

[enso]

Most corns are cheaper, have more variation in color/pattern and dont require any significant humidity. If it was my choice i'd go with the corn, but i'm not you. =P

[marisa]

Corns:

Pro- Almost always good feeders, especially established adults/yearlings. Hatchlings purchased at a decent breeder will also most likely eat anything put in front of them.

Pro- They come in AMAZING variety for relativly low prices for all morphs.

Pro- They are a small species and rarely hit 6 feet. Even then its not that big as they are also slender.

Pro- Simple SIMPLE requirements and less humidity needed than a Ball Python.

Con- THye poop WAY more than Ball Pythons! That's about the only con! :)

Ball Python
Pro- Poop much less than corns! LOL
Pro- Very slow moving normally calm docile snake. Even the most friendly corn will still enjoy moving in your hands CONSTANTLY. Balls do this but are most likely content to just sit there a lot of the time.
Pro- Small snake. Fatter than corns but males don't often get longer than four feet.

Con- Yes Balls can be picky feeders BUT you can eliminate this con by simply purchasing only CB pythons from good breeders.

:D I keep both and love both for different reasons. But my first was a corn.

Marisa

[Jeff_Favelle]

Erika, kudos to you for ASKING questions BEFORE you buy. That rocks man. I wish everyone had your sense and brain.

Good on you, and I'm positive your choice will be the right one!

[Serpent-King]

Ball pythons all the way!

[WingedWolf]

Balls tend to be shyer, and don't care for commotion, whereas corns may be a bit more tolerant of that, another thing to consider.

[Serpent-King]

Balls are for people who want a real hands on pet, that will not be very flighty and try to escape. They're very slow moving and very docile. And normally cb balls are not problem feeders. Ball pythons are definitely the way to go.

[Lisa]

2 of our ball pythons were picky eaters, one wouldn't eat the other would only eat pure white mice (she doesn't have that issue with rats). patience prevailed. with corns we only had 2 that wouldn't eat and it was temp related (last summer was just too hot), now all 4 snakes eat like champs.

[Bryce Masuk]

corns are far more active then balls they just lay there like a sausage corns are usually better feeders many balls are overly shy and easily stressed you could no either way but I would would rather have a corn then a ball myself

[nicola_boulton]

i would say balls are harder2 look after than corn, mabey start of with a corn and then get a ball. I think corns are generally less care

[Serpent-King]

Yeah, my opinions are just personal preference. I have both a ball python and a corn and would much rather have one ball python then 10 corns. I just find they make better pets. I have never had a bp get stressed because pf excessive handling, nor have I had a corn. But I like to site at my computer with my python around my neck, or lying in my lap. Rather then spending a five minute handling session trying to keep a skinny lil snake from escaping my hands. I like how I can stop and watch a movie and pay no mind to the snake coiled on my stomach. Plus I love the pattern of normal ball pythons, and how cute they look just lying there. Everything about them makes me drool in adoration. LOL, I've gone so far as to build a huge bp sire. http://ball.leo-land.net . Check out the caresheet to see if a bp is right for you.

But personal preference aside let me break it down. If you want aesthetics in a snake get a corn, probly a morph. If you want something that would be impossible to kill by lack of care get a corn. If you want a pet that you can just forget about for a week and come back and its fine get a corn. If you want something easy to care for corn is the way. Like perfect sheds? Go corn. Want something long and slender? Corn.

On the flip side. If you want a snake you can sit and watch tv or be on the computer with, ball python. If you want somethjing heavy bodied, ball python. If you want a boid that is neither too big nor too small, get a bp. If you want more of a challenge then a mundane corn snake, get a ball python. Ball pythons a simply too wonderful to explain in this paragraph. So get a ball python.
Look at these pics and try to resist ( Property of Lisa)

http://www.leo-land.net/albums/album45/borisnatasha_2.jpg
http://www.leo-land.net/albums/album45/natasha_14.jpg

[Bencb3]

every one told me to research both alot before i even had the money to buy antything, and i reasearched them both for like 3 months, then i was having doubts and i started researching leopard geckos, and i have one of those now, and there ya go, oh to answer ur question, ball pythons some times stop eating for some reasons and somtimes arnt good beginning snakes, my friend, who is like 35 and got his first snake when he was 10, started out with a bp and he said it all depends on the breeder, because if it is a good breeder then it usualy is a good snake

[Colonel SB]

I'm gonna say Corns, I own both and I think corns are the better starter snake.

[Darlene]

I got my first snake this year after a great deal of research. I now have 3 corns & more on the way. My girls are tremendous eaters & super easy keepers. They look to come out every afternoon. My kids (a 3 year old & 5 year old) sit with them on the couch. We take turns handling them. They do move around a lot but not fast & do sometimes stay still. Neither myself or the kids have a problem handling them. They are very friendly snakes & I'm extremely glad I started with them. The anery loves to lay across my shoulders & the littlest one (a motley normal) likes to curl up on my lap). However I must admit , they have given me such a love of snakes that I'm after a western hognose this year & a bp(ball python) & bc(boa constrictor) within the next couple of years!!
My best advice is to research thoroughly, pick what mostly impresses you & then prepare for more !!!
Good luck with the newbie you pick.
Dar.
P.S. Remember to browse the forums here on the different species, too.

[Dark_Angel_x322]

Ok i still can't really decide, both are beautiful animals. I like the fact that a BP will sit and watch tv and stuff, but the corn seems to be the one that will be easier to take care of. Also How heavy are BPs? corns? one of my main worries with a ball is that it will be too heavy for me, or too strong. I also read that corns are escape artists, is this true of balls too?

Ok here is a bit of background on my life....
I live at home with my parents, work part time, and starting at the end of aug, I will be starting my 3rd year of college
(classes only 2 days a week but all day) . I was going to live on campus but unfortuently funds are not availible for that and I would have to leave my babies. I have 1 chinese water dragon, 2 leopard geckos, 1 gecko that i can't figure out the species, and a green tree frog(probably will get another one soon). Those are my babies but my family owns a "few" more pets than that... 2 dogs, 3 cats, 5 birds, 10-12 fish, 1 red earred slider, and 2 more leo geckos that are my sisters. My brother and his family also live here, so there are also small children around (6yrs & 3 yrs). As you can see we own a small zoo... All my reptiles are in my room with me so they are sheltered from the kids about 95% of the time. Ok I think that should be good...

Now from that what do you think?:)

[Alicewave]

It sounds like you could handle either choice. If you're worried about time being an issue go with the corn. If not, just pick the one you like better. :):)

[fanmaninacan]

Hey
Simple,
Ball pytons are good..

To me corns dont look great

Balls are very nice snakes..
Even better a boa.....LoL......A male wont get more that 6 feet.

T.P

[SCReptiles]

As a first snake, corn all the way. The balls require special heating and humidity for optimum health. The corns are more hardy.

[Alicewave]

You might also like a Rosy Boa. They are very small and even easier to care for than BPs and Corns. (no humidity requirements)

[reptiledude21]

ya you should go for both if you can afford it.

[Linds]

Dark_Angel,
Ball Pythons, though a strong snake, are not a large nor heavy animal. They weigh a few pounds and are usually between 3-4.5 feet in adult length. Most corns are longer than balls do. Both are considered small snakes. If you are looking for something that tolerates handling, I would suggest going with the corn. Balls get stressed very easy and do not tolerate excessive handling very well. Alicewaves suggestion of a rosy boa is also a great one. They are amongst some of my favourite snakes. They come in all sorts of colours and patterns and are super easy to care for, as well as they tolerate handling very well. They are in my opinion, the best starter snake. Corns are quite active (as with any colubrid), rosies however are relatively slow-moving animals for the most part. Good luck with your decision ;)

Originally posted by marisa
Con- Yes Balls can be picky feeders BUT you can eliminate this con by simply purchasing only CB pythons from good breeders.


Hmmmmm... I think someone forgot to tell my CBB male that... he hasn't eaten in 9 months...lol :rolleyes: My females miss a meal from time to time and go on their fasts as well. My yearling female is also a CBB girl :) Both of the CBB were from very reputable sources.

[Invictus]

I agree with the statements about Rosys. Kenyan Sand Boas are also a wonderful choice if you want a snake that requires no humidity and no attention. Problem with the fossorial snakes (fossorial = likes to be buried under substrate) is that they can get really stressed out momentarily when you are getting them out of their enclosures. Once they are in your hands, you cannot get those things to be aggressive at all.

But for the corn/bp debate, I have personal biases. I'm not a big fan of ball pythons. I think they look like slugs when they are full grown. Added to which, even captive bred BPs will sometimes go for months without feeding. I'm a huge corn enthusiast. I have 3 now, and I'm getting 10 more over the course of the next few months. They are, IMHO, the best starter snake, and even a great snake for experienced keepers. But yes, they are hyper, and they poop like crazy.

So, pick what works for you. I'm sure you'll find both species to be very rewarding.

[Lisa]

About the escape artist thing. All snakes are escape artists.

[jncoclub]

Balls all the way!
To me they look better. Corns look like colorful worms to me, ball pythons look more like burley snakes. Plus, I kind of dig the puppydog pout face that they seem to have. Mine has a great personality. At times she’ll just chill in your lap, other times you have to just put them down because she feels like exploring. Mine stopped eating for about 5 months. If you know in advance that it could stop eating ‘just because’, then hey- see it as a way to save some money on food. Good thing you are oding your research first. Ask your self- do you think one is better looking than another? Any one necessarily ‘easier’ to take care of? How much time /effort/love do you want to put into it? If you get your set up right for the snake the first time, then feeding and cleaning the tank seem to be the only determining factors. One poops more (corns), and one poops bigger (ball). You’re call.

[Dark_Angel_x322]

ok well I tallied the comments and left out ones that didn't get a one way or other vote. Some I counted as 2 because the person like both. So after going through I have 11 votes for corns and 7 votes for ball. After reading the comments I think I will get the corn first and the ball later on, maybe at the Oct expo here. I do like the look of a ball better but I want a snake I can handle everyday if I want or can leave it alone for a few days if I have a really busy schedule. The weird feeding habits of a ball doesn't really seem that bad to me now that I know they do it just cuz they feel like it. The reason I am choosing the corn is that I won't have to worry about the feeding issues as much right away and the corns seem like they have a lot less cons to them. I want to progress in the world of snakes rather than getting the harder keeper then going down to an easier one. Baby steps are easier than jumps and there is a lot less chance of failure. So in other words I think the "virtually unkillable" corn snake would be better than the shy BP as a first snake. ;)

Thanks for your help!

One more question... Does anyone know a good corn breeder in the southwest chicago area? I plan on getting a corn from kathy love at the Oct expo but i don't think I can wait that long to get my first. :)

[ReptiZone]

i think that balls are better because it get louce it is eazer to find it latter. korn snakes are just too small

[Bryce Masuk]

The reason most people dont know there ball is stressed is because they just lay there and do nothing while most other snakes would hiss or strike they dont they are Overly shy I got a ball as my first snake they are easy as pie to take care of You wont have a problem if you truely want a ball
Others you should look at are
childrens/spotted pythons
Kingsnakes
Ratsnakes
Milksnakes
You could wont have a problem with any of them to be honest my fav's out of all beginer snakes is LEUCISTIC/TEXAS RAT SNAKE
http://www.szgdocent.org/cc/c-leucst.htm
Although they can be pretty nippy but they can be tamed over time

[Mike177]

realy eather/or. I think you are very capeable of careing for eather and realy they boath dont mind handleing a bit. it is realy a personal call. i had a ball for my first snake and i did fine. just buy a book about ball pythons and one about corns and read them boath. if you buy from a good breeder (like what was already said)chances are you wont have any problems. it is just personal prefreance eather way u will be happy with you desition. also with corns (not that i am suggesting it) u can keep them at room temp there whole life and they will do fine (dont take that the wrong way)

Mike,

[BoidKeeper]

I say for your first snake go Rosy Boa! You get the best of both worlds! The size of a colubrid with the pleasure of owning a boid! I have both balls and corns and I say that if it's your first snake you can't go wrong with a corn they are just so much more for giving. So much so that when a parent(I'm a teacher) ask me what they should get their child for a first reptile I always say a corn!

[jncoclub]

I don't know any breeders in the southwest Chicago area, but I did grow up in Riverwoods (northeast of the city near Deerfield, Bannockburn, Vernon Hills, Highland Park, Northbrook area)- I would love to know of any reptile shops you know of or come across for when I go home to visit my family. I didn't get into herps until I moved to FL over a year ago- but my IL backyard was all woods with swamps- I bet I had a reptile haven and didn't even know it!

[Dark_Angel_x322]

I don't know of any breeders yet but i will try to keep you posted. If you are planning on visiting in early October there will be a reptile expo in Tinley Park. Here is the link for it... http://www.narbc.com/htm_chi/show_main.htm

Ooo I just thought of something... if there are no good breeders in the chicago area, maybe after I get a bit more experience, really learn my stuff, and most likely get out of college I can be a breeder here... I am pretty sure there would be a market and its not like it would be my sole income... grrr there are those thoughts of becoming a vet instead of a psychologist again!:)


What kind of herps do you keep jncoclub?

[jncoclub]

I have a ball python, colombian red tail, hog isle and a burm. Unfortunately I have to find new homes for all my ladies. My fiancé is in the Navy and we are moving to Hawaii where it is illegal to bring snakes onto the islands. It’s tearing me up to have to give them up. (Sob story on this link http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19215 )

Thanks for the expo info- I may actually be able to go to that show in Tinley Park. We are leaving CT to drive to Chicago on Oct 10 or 11th (we like to drive fast and without stopping) to visit my family before we head off to Hawaii. I have never actually been to a show- I would love to see one, especially since I will have (hopefully) found new homes for my girls by then.

If you have the knowledge, time and dedication, you definitely could be a breeder in that area. I can’t think of any reptile-specific shops in that area, but then again, I didn’t get into herps until I moved to FL over a year ago.

BTW-I'm a communication studies and psychology major.

[sapphire_moon]

I have a ball, For me it was the perfect begginer snake. She ate the first day I got her and have not refused a meal since. I am hoping that the new BP baby that I'm getting this week will be the same. As for care, thoughrly (sp?) clean out the cage 1-3 times a month and your fine. Imediatly clean out the soiled area when they do deficate (sp?). I feed my BP 1 time a week with a F/T juvinile rat, usually in the middle of the week. I give her a heavy mist atleast 2 times a day, upping it to 4-6 times a day when she gets ready to shed. She usually sheds really good. So all in all it takes maybe about 8 hours of care. Thats just cleaning and feeding. Then the handling comes into play and thats as much as you want (as long as its not right after feeding her/him) And they are great to just sit with, although mine is usually pretty active , not just sitting there. She also tends to get active around 1 in the morning. Coming out of her hide and exploring her cage.

Happy Herping! Get what you love and you can't go wrong! (as long as you do your research!)

[DrunkShadow]

So what are you going for???? I would say ball python, because that my first snake i ever got and the only one I still gt. He eats really well. Well Ive only had a snake for a month, but know a lot from this site already.
Make A Great Choice Dark

[matrix1829]

personally I would choose the corn sanake the are easy to keep easy to feed and livly snakes. the only thing that I hate about baal python is that when they decide to stop eating there a pain in the ***.

[sapphire_moon]

I hold my BP for hours, then sometimes I don't hold her for more than a month (unless to take her out and feed her, or to clean her cage) So she really isn't all that time consuming!