What kind would you suggest for me?

[Nuclear]

Hi everyone, I'm fairly new here and I am looking to purchase a snake, i have been researching different kinds for a LONG time but now its just starting to work out. I could get one in as little as 3 months, but I need to get the appropriate research done. I haev been researching bits and pieces of many types, but I never can seem to get a clear answer about anything! That is using care sheets. Anyway, if ou made it through the ranting.... What types of snakes could live comfortably(or at least without stress) in a 20 gl long tank until adulthood? Some type of list would really help. I have been thinking cornsake of course, would one of those fit though? How about ratsnakes? Rosy Boas? Anyway, any time of list or some info on tank sizes would be appreciated.
Thanks everyone

[kronic2005]

Corn snakes are a good starter snake, really easy to take care of as well. a 20 gallon isnt big enough for it when its an adult. You could easily get him a bigger rubbermaid for very cheap, they work great. Ball pythons are a good snake to start with as well and you can house them in a rubbermaid once it outgrows the 20 gal. Good luck choosing whatever u may choose.

[pitviper10]

to tell you the truth there are really no good begginer snakes that can live in a 20 gallon tank for its life. if you wana keep a snake in an aquarium you will have to get a bigger one when it grows older. Like kronic said, you can get rubbermaid containers very cheap to house a snake in. you choices for a good reiable begginer snake is very slim, Ball python, cornsnake, kingsnakes. Thats about it.

[thunder]

Actually there are plenty of snakes that can live perfectly well in a 20 long. If a snake does not have high humidity requirements, a tank is fine. Rubbermaids are cheaper and work great, but if you want a display animal you'd have to use a tank or a reptile specific enclosure with a glass front. Most North American colubrids don't have too high of a humidity requirement, and corns certainly do fine in a tank, as do many other ratsnakes and kings. BPs do much better in rubbermaids and I wouldn't suggest putting one in a tank, but there are many colubrids which could be perfectly happy in a tank.

[Nuclear]

ok, say if I get a rubbermaid, whats the best way to make a cover for it? Just melt holes on the cover it comes with? And how can you properly heat a rubbermaid? You cannot use a UTH, so how would you heat it so that itd be warm enough even when they are in there hides, away from the light?

[Pinto2]

A human heating pad works great, and you can attach a dimer to it. Also, you could probably cut some sort of hole in the top to run a wire through and into the rubbermaid. You may try to create a new post in the cage building forum to get better responces about the building of cages.

[proud2bcanadian]

Ball Python would be the absolute best started snake IMO.

[Nuclear]

Thanks Pinto, will do if noone seems to know, a lot of knowledgable people seem to be around here so we'll see! Wouldnt I need to cut holes for air too? So I just put a human heating pad right under the substrate in the tank?

[kronic2005]

yea, Just get a sunbeam heatpad, 25$ at crappy tire or walmart (think their cheaper at canadian tire).Do not place it under the substrate!! You can place it halfway under the rubbermaid that you have, it should heat the hotside to 32-35degrees celcius (by the way these temps are for Ball pythons) and around 26-29 on the cool side, at night the temp in my rubbermaid has dropped to about 18-20 degrees :medzoomey im tryna fix that, im not to sure if thats soposed to be happening, but i think its cause i put to many holes in the rubbermaid. For holes use a drill, use about 2-3 mm drill bits(use smaller ones if ur getting a baby corn, they might escape). i drilled about 10 holes on each length of the rubber maid, 4 on each width of the rubbermaid, and 4 holes in the top. For the lid u can use the lid it comes with just find some way of holding it down, right now im using a phonebook opened up and placed over the whole lid, its kinda gay but it does the trick. You could also drill into the 4 corners of the rubbermaid, where the lip meets the lid and put little curved hooks into them. Im in the process of doing that, but my drill crapped out on me after the rubbermaid got its holes put in. You dont need to use locks cause that would suck hairy monkey banana to undo 4 locks to change ur snakes water or handle or feed it. Good luck with ur choice, and if thers anything else u need to know just ask, no such thing as a dumb question. take care.

[Nuclear]

Thanks a lot for the info Kronic.

[JAdkins2451]

Yes ball python are docile and make good pets, but they ARE notrious to go off feed between 2-8 months which could easily stress a new snake owner out.. Rosy boas dont grow big and need next to no humidity.. And as metioned before lots of NA colorbrids make good starters.. Milks, kings, corns..

Jamie

[Nuclear]

I am definately aware of their feeding problems. Its all too commonly heard. Thats the only thing thatd turn me away from them. Even if I expected it, I wouldnt know how much time is healthy for them to stop feeding, its more stress than I need! but maybe in the future, they could be achoice, I do like everything else about them.