Choosing the Right Species for Us -- Questions

[Rhaethe]

We don't have a snake, yet. But my Christmas gift to my other half this year is a snake. He's been wanting one for some time.

I have a card all done up that will say "This Year's Christmas is Snakey!" :)

Then we will decide upon the species together, I'll buy all the necessary things, etc.

Thing is, I've been reading up for some time on differing species. From my experience with fish species, while I know that the critters are individuals, species do have tendencies ... and there is never better accounts to read than personal experience.

So I wish to ask ... if given the following criteria, which snake species would fit the best, do you think? We will be purchasing an adult or near-adult snake.

-- Small ... 3 feet max adult size or less. If purchasing a male of the species will match, even though female will get larger, that's fine. I don't mind being specific and asking for a male.

-- Mellow and lazy. Yes, we want a lazy snake.

-- Tolerant of beginner's mistakes.

-- Relatively uncomplicated to care for, i.e. doesn't need exact or ultra-tiny range of humidity and temps

[infernalis]

Corn snake..

[Gungirl]

Corn snake..

Ditto ^^ I don't think snakes get any easier than a corn.. The come in a wide selection of colors too. Here is my baby Ivan a buckskin Okeetee

http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0075.jpg

[exwizard]

I would also say corn snake. They are very hardy, eat well and very easy to care for.

[youngster]

so far 4 for corn snakes.
I have 3 and they are all puppy dog tame.
They are NOT lazy lap snakes like ball pythons but mine aren't as high strung flighty like they get a reputation for.
I recently had a corn escape and survive for over a month in cold New Hampshire weather with no signs of a RI, so they are very forgivable when it comes to husbandry.

[Rhaethe]

Corn snakes get no larger than 3 feet? Size is also one of the primary criteria. And laziness factor.

I'm also not sure we can have those in Georgia ... a good number of the colubrids are disallowed.

[SpOoKy]

What about a childrens python. I don't know too much about them nor have I ever owned one but as far as I know they don't get too big. You would have to read up on them.

[Kayla90]

Well if you can't have colubrids that pretty much cuts out the majority of snakes under 3 feet... O.o

[zamaya]

i looked it up, it says that you can have any colubrid except rear fanged ones like hognoses
Georgia Exotic Animal Regulations ? Pet-Snakes.com (http://pet-snakes.com/more-pet-snakes/pet-snakes-state/georgia/georgia_exotic_regs)

[Rhaethe]

That site is inaccurate.

This is from the actual govt site:

Georgia DNR, Wildlife Resources Division - Print Version (http://georgiawildlife.dnr.state.ga.us/content/printversion.asp?txtDocument=6)

Although this URL seems to indicate they are fine. Keeping Georgia Wildlife as Pets | Georgia DNR - Wildlife Resources Division (http://www.georgiawildlife.org/node/1202)

Ugh. Georgia law is so complicated :/

By and large, most all pythons and boas are ok ... or so I have been told by people living here that do own pet snakes.

[SpOoKy]

Wow, you guys are really regulated there :( Did I read correctly you are not allowed cats?

[Rogue628]

Sand Boas come to mind, although I don't know anything about their husbandry nor their temperments.....

And what's your idea of a lazy snake? One that doesn't move much at all and pretty laid back or is it you're meaning one that's easy to hold and handle....doesn't move really fast?

Other than that, a male corn should meet your criteria.

[SpOoKy]

Other than that, a male corn should meet your criteria.
__________________

They are not allowed corns where they are.

[Rhaethe]

And what's your idea of a lazy snake? One that doesn't move much at all and pretty laid back or is it you're meaning one that's easy to hold and handle....doesn't move really fast?


Hmm. Either :)


And yes, we can have cats. Just not any kind of bat, which is what I think you read, Spooky.

[Rhaethe]

I will look up the children's python and the sand boas, and start reading up on them.

[SpOoKy]

Carnivores (weasels, ferrets, foxes, cats, bears, wolves, etc.); all species.

Maybe they mean big cats like tigers and such.

[Rhaethe]

Yeah ... cause there are an asston of domestic cats all over the place, lol.

[Rogue628]

Hmm. Either :)



Just because they move alot doesn't mean they aren't easy to handle. I had a king that was easy to handle but he was curious and loved to move around. He didn't dart, but you could handle him with ease hand over hand. He was laid back but by no means was he a lap snake. No matter how much I held him would he settle down in my lap.

Colubrids are generally the easiest to care for because most are fine at room temps (as long as it doesn't get too cold) and humidity isn't an issue with most if not all of them. But they aren't still most times yet they're still easy to handle.

[ZARADOZIA]

Ditto ^^ I don't think snakes get any easier than a corn.. The come in a wide selection of colors too. Here is my baby Ivan a buckskin Okeetee

http://i1228.photobucket.com/albums/ee454/KAMacie/DSCF0075.jpg


I'm not crazy about corns, but this is a very pretty corn!

[minitruckinAL]

ball python is what id suggest they are really pretty forgiving on husbandry issues do not get much bigger then 4 foot and are usually laid back animals kinda like a pet rock also... and there are some crazy looking morphs out there too

[KORBIN5895]

Personally I think the size plus "lazy" thing is gonna really hamstring you. Up your size limit a foot and get a male ball python. It will be something everyone in the family will enjoy.

[snakehill]

I agree with the above 2 posts! You can't get much lazier than a ball and they do make great lap snakes!!

[Shmoges]

Imo I wouldn't get a sand boa because you hardly ever see them with out disturbing there substrate to dig them out and they are finicky eaters. There cool but for some reason i can take care of anything else with out problems and these things just die on me.

I would recommend a rosy boa if you can get those. Small, friendly, and active.

[minitruckinAL]

and to be honest most sand boas i have ever had any interaction with seemed to have an attitude. id rather put up with my little blood python.

[Shmoges]

Yeah ... cause there are an asston of domestic cats all over the place, lol.

You mean feral?

[Rogue628]

Imo I wouldn't get a sand boa because you hardly ever see them with out disturbing there substrate to dig them out and they are finicky eaters. There cool but for some reason i can take care of anything else with out problems and these things just die on me.

I would recommend a rosy boa if you can get those. Small, friendly, and active.


See....I didn't know any of that when I suggested it. Just knew adults rarely got over 3 feet. And I totally forgot about the rosy boa. lol

[Ridge Runner_20]

We don't have a snake, yet. But my Christmas gift to my other half this year is a snake. He's been wanting one for some time.

I have a card all done up that will say "This Year's Christmas is Snakey!" :)

Then we will decide upon the species together, I'll buy all the necessary things, etc.

Thing is, I've been reading up for some time on differing species. From my experience with fish species, while I know that the critters are individuals, species do have tendencies ... and there is never better accounts to read than personal experience.

So I wish to ask ... if given the following criteria, which snake species would fit the best, do you think? We will be purchasing an adult or near-adult snake.

-- Small ... 3 feet max adult size or less. If purchasing a male of the species will match, even though female will get larger, that's fine. I don't mind being specific and asking for a male.

-- Mellow and lazy. Yes, we want a lazy snake.

-- Tolerant of beginner's mistakes.

-- Relatively uncomplicated to care for, i.e. doesn't need exact or ultra-tiny range of humidity and temps

I put this very description in another thread about good snakes for children, and it sounds like it meets all your criteria as well:

"I would look very closely at a Variable kingsnake. Also known as a Nuevo Leon or Thayer's kingsnake, they are small (3' max), very docile, and have beautiful coloration in any of their 3 color phases. Husbandry is also quite simple, as with most kingsnake species. They are readily available from several respected breeders on the internet, and make outstanding pets. My son has a 1.5 yr old male Leonis phase named Pedro, and he's just the sweetest animal ever! Good luck!"

They are really great little snakes, and come in a variety of beautiful colors and three different pattern phases as well. Here's a pic of ours:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u304/ridge_runner20/pedro_1.jpg

And a couple others:

Leonis phase

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u304/ridge_runner20/IMG_0334.jpg

Milk snake phase

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u304/ridge_runner20/M3.jpg

Genus, species, sub-species is Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri. Let me know if you have any specific questions.

RR_20 (Mike)

[alessia55]

If you up the size limit by a foot, a male ball python would be a great choice. My 2yr old ball python will sit in my lap while I watch TV or do work. They're really great and fairly easy to take care of. Also they typically have a great temperament :)

[Sasha2]

Most colubrids (corns, kings, milks etc)are not lazy.They constantly move when picked up and have to be watched because they are quick.A ball python is lazy and slow.And although they can get to 4ft they are so easy and laid back, and when balled up can still fit in your hands easily....I think Ball python is the way to go, they have the cutest faces of any snake out there too.

[Rhaethe]

You mean feral?

Well, there are some feral populations in the city ... but what I meant by the comment is that a lot of folks have them as pets. A lot of folks have dogs, too. Folks in Atlanta like pets, heh.


Imo I wouldn't get a sand boa because you hardly ever see them with out disturbing there substrate to dig them out and they are finicky eaters. There cool but for some reason i can take care of anything else with out problems and these things just die on me.

I would recommend a rosy boa if you can get those. Small, friendly, and active.

We've been doing some reading on the rosy boas. We can get those ... would just need to find a good breeder.

If you up the size limit by a foot, a male ball python would be a great choice. My 2yr old ball python will sit in my lap while I watch TV or do work. They're really great and fairly easy to take care of. Also they typically have a great temperament

Hmmmm. How long does it take for a male snake to get "max length"? Are they fast growers or slow growers?

[KORBIN5895]

Most snakes never stop growing. But I believe a BP will slow down around the 3 year mark.

[shaunyboy]

childrens python would be my choice

cheers shaun

[phalangus]

Sand Boas come to mind, although I don't know anything about their husbandry nor their temperments.....

And what's your idea of a lazy snake? One that doesn't move much at all and pretty laid back or is it you're meaning one that's easy to hold and handle....doesn't move really fast?

Other than that, a male corn should meet your criteria.

Sand Boas would be a good match adult males are around 1ft 6inch they dont require much no need to worry about humidity and they are very lazy and have good tempermants very docile

[Freebody]

the only snake that fits you criteria is a sand boa imho, rather easy to care for, and lazy and small, ball pythons would be #2, but a little more problems can be had with them, i have never had a sand boa so its hear say, but you said lazy, corn and everything else seem to be rather mobile. gl in your search, be sure to fill us in what you got.

[SpOoKy]

childrens python would be my choice


still with Shauny here, childrens python

[GarterPython]

I vote Garter Snake they are small and are not very hard to take care of. Plus they can be very pretty.

[red ink]

childrens python would be my choice

cheers shaun

Biased bout Antaresias... but hey, I have all the reason to be. You can't go wrong with any of the Childrens complex.

[millertime89]

a children's python would be sweet, if you're ok with a max of 4 ft a male BP is a good choice.

[Nos]

from experience id say a ball only because ive never had a sand boa, but they both would make great pets