Scared of snakes

[Bradyloach]

Hey guys! I've always been scared of snakes, like I've never ever held one. But over the past week I've been looking at the ball pythons. Of course if I got a snake I would wait like a year till I moved out and I could get a hatchling from a local breeder. But are these good starter snakes? I have a savannah monitor. And my brother has a bearded dragon which I take care of sort of! But I have lots of money, so I could afford a mouse every week there no doubt! What do you guys think? What's the minimum tank size for an adult? Or hatchling? Thanks guys

[youngster]

Ball pythons are a piece of cake if you can care for a monitor properly.

Take a look at Alessia's (alessia55) website on BP care.
Ball Python Care, Information, About ball pythons (http://pythonregiuscare.com/)

[alessia55]

Thanks Eli! :D

Also, (as on the feeding page of my website), ball pythons will need RATS as grown ups, not MICE. ;) Read through my website and feel free to ask more questions! :)

Ball Python Care, Information, About ball pythons (http://www.pythonregiuscare.com)

[Bradyloach]

I've read your site 3 times already!!! I just wanted some owners tips! They seem like a really cool snake

[Squirtle]

bp's can go off feed sometimes for long periods and it can be stressful. i'd get a king snake or corn if i were you.

[Skumbo]

Colubrids (milksnakes, cornsnakes, kingsnakes, etc) are definitely great especially if you're scared of snakes at all, their heads are a lot smaller, therefore certainly aren't as "intimidating" looking. That said, BP's are extremely docile in general so I wouldn't worry too much about either.

They also stay a bit smaller and are usually just as easy to care for as BP's!

[Bradyloach]

I can do stressful :)

[theapexgerman]

Why not a corn or a milk or a king snakes make a better pet than a ball python for some one who barely getting into the snake hobby less requierments than a ball for most part a corn,king,milk arnt as likely to go off fed and arnt picky eater besides a few but balls are great I think coulbrids are better

[theapexgerman]

Colubrids (milksnakes, cornsnakes, kingsnakes, etc) are definitely great especially if you're scared of snakes at all, their heads are a lot smaller, therefore certainly aren't as "intimidating" looking. That said, BP's are extremely docile in general so I wouldn't worry too much about either.

They also stay a bit smaller and are usually just as easy to care for as BP's!
Damm you beat me to it

[mattchibi]

An adult male will be fine to live all of its adult years in a 28 to 32 qt tub, and most adult females and big males can live in 41 qt tubs. Hatchlings will start in anywhere between 6 and 15 quart tubs.

Rough dimensions of tubs:
6 quart tub: 8" x 13 1/8" x 4"
12 quart tub: 10 1/2" x 15 3/4" x 5 1/2" (I use these right now for 4 of my hatchlings)
30 quart tub: 16 1/8" x 23 3/4" x 6"
41 quart tub: 17.75" x 33.5" x 5.25"

Got those measurements from Cornel's World, one of my preferred rack suppliers in Canada.

While if you choose a glass tank setup, I believe adult males under 1000 grams can thrive in a 20 gal, while a female or male bigger than 1000 grams will probably want to eventually live in something bigger. Contrary to popular belief, BP's do not like to climb. So finding an enclosure that isn't too tall, and is long and flat, almost like a "cave", is best for BP's.

Great site alessia, had no idea you made one. Kudos ;)

Edit: oops forgot to add, I agree with those above posts about issues with BP's feeding and other requirements.. corn snakes are quite a bit easier. But if you are willing to put in the time to learn and provide a great home for your pet ball python, I definitely think you should go with what you will like the most in the long run.

[Gungirl]

Get the kind of snake you like. I got a GTP about 2 months after I got into snakes. Just do your research and ask questions along the way. I love my royal, he is very calm and mellow. Set your viv up a few days before you get it in order to allow you to make sure your temps and humidity are good.

[Bradyloach]

I want a snake that will can be handled with stress?

[theapexgerman]

Well no snakes like to be handle when stress but go with a corn or a milk snakes there tons of morphs and not bad price I think milks are better than corns my milk was the first snake I got 4 years ago and very well handle even as a baby and I held a lot of milks over the years and only a few was fussy

[Bradyloach]

Ya, i have to buy my sav her adult enclosure and a couple more things. Then I'll be looking at maybe a snake or another lizard

[theapexgerman]

If you do get a milk stay away from a hondo there one of the ill temper as babys

[Bradyloach]

Ya! What about a green tree python?

[Gungirl]

If you want a snake you can handle do not get a GTP. I have had mine for over a year and have never handled him. GTP's are display snakes not lap snakes.

[theapexgerman]

I would not recomend that as a first snake there pretty hard to take care of as a first timer snake person

[Bradyloach]

Oh okay! King snakes look pretty cool to,

[Skumbo]

If you want one you can handle, i cant say this for all other snakes, but ive only seen black milks that are SUPER calm and (other than a little skiddish at first) are great for handling. They dont just ball up, tend to explore a bit, but ive never even heard one hiss never-mind strike.

Mine is a fantastic eater as well, he'll eat even deep in shed. He doesnt really even strike his food, i just put it on a "plate" of sorts and put that in his viv, he slithers over, eats it, and goes back to his hide :P

They do get a lot bigger than other milks though, the breeders for mine were huge (male 7 ft, female a bit over 6)

most are 5-6 ft and adults don't require any heat, just room temps 68-72 or so.

juveniles don't really either, but benefit from a heat pad set to high 70's for digesting, anything over 80 can cause them to digest too quickly or overheat. I can point you to a fantastic breeder if you want ;)

they're very personal preference though, people tend to love or hate a solid black shiny snake with no pattern lol

--

gtp's tend to be really nippy especially at first, from what ive heard! pretty cage defensive.


there are a ton of cool kings you can get and cheap as well! It's really up to personal preference but I'd definitely go the colubrid route!

[theapexgerman]

King milk corn are one of the most nice looking snakes other than a few others I would suggest an albino nelson snake like the one I got pretty tame and I can get them for like 80 bucks

[theapexgerman]

If you want one you can handle, i cant say this for all other snakes, but ive only seen black milks that are SUPER calm and (other than a little skiddish at first) are great for handling. They dont just ball up, tend to explore a bit, but ive never even heard one hiss never-mind strike.

Mine is a fantastic eater as well, he'll eat even deep in shed. He doesnt really even strike his food, i just put it on a "plate" of sorts and put that in his viv, he slithers over, eats it, and goes back to his hide :P

They do get a lot bigger than other milks though, the breeders for mine were huge (male 7 ft, female a bit over 6)

most are 5-6 ft and adults don't require any heat, just room temps 68-72 or so.

juveniles don't really either, but benefit from a heat pad set to high 70's for digesting, anything over 80 can cause them to digest too quickly or overheat

--

gtp's tend to be really nippy especially at first, from what ive heard.
Yea there supper cool I've held only 3 and they was adult and very nice they get a little to big for a first time snake

[Skumbo]

Yea there supper cool I've held only 3 and they was adult and very nice they get a little to big for a first time snake

I saw my first one and got one (my first snake) on the spot!

so cute (and watching them change color is awesome as well!)
http://blogs.answersingenesis.org/blogs/creation-museum/files/2011/05/Black-Milk-Snake-2.jpg


the good thing with milks/corn/kings is that they come in so many colors/etc.

he could get a black kingsnake, sort of the same but not as big!

[theapexgerman]

Yup black milks are supper cool I would recomend a nelson or a albino one or a grey band king snake there awesom just hard to find over here I forget the name of the black king snake but there good to but nippy when young but when there that small a bite won't hurt at all

[Skumbo]

Basically any milk will be nice and handleable if you handle it enough, heres an awesome vid of someone who lets his black milk "find" his food:

7mX-_4nSb4Y

[theapexgerman]

Not a hondo milk lol I've seen only a few that were nice there tend to be aggressive all through out there life time such a pretty snake to

[millertime89]

Basically any colubrid will be nice and handleable if you handle it enough, heres an awesome vid of someone who lets his black milk "find" his food:

I wouldn't go that far. There are some NASTY colubrids out there.

[Skumbo]

I wouldn't go that far. There are some NASTY colubrids out there.

yeah i edited it to say milk, i meant milksnake :P

[mattchibi]

No idea if this is a beginner snake or not, more research will have to be done. But Ive heard that Eastern Indigo snakes are the most intelligent and personable of all snakes. Apparently they are fearless of humans and are usually quite reluctant to bite. I would think that they are quite handleable too, although I believe their high price may be a big reason you won't want one.

Eastern Indigo Snake from NARBC Anaheim ReptilesTV - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvoV2qZQtdo)

(cant figure out how to post youtube videos)

Personally, I find ball pythons to be great pets that I can handle without causing too much stress. I take all of my hatchlings that are eating consistently out every day for 5-15 minutes, As they get older, like my normal girl, I can extend handling to 30 or even 60 minutes. Not sure how long corn snakes can be handled longer or with less stress, but why would you want to handle a snake longer than 60 minutes anyways :P And ball pythons look the coolest. Haha Im obviously quite biased.

[theapexgerman]

I handle all of my snakes besides my hots for 2 hours or more if I can my dum is out of his tub a lot he chills and watch tv with me corns can be held as much as you want as long as there eating my nelson loves to beld held


Edit I always wanted an indigo snake but kinda pricy

[Jenn_06]

First thing you need to do is find someone with a snake and get over your fear you don't want buy a snake and be too scared to change the water or feed it.

[Bradyloach]

Oh I won't, Im not scared that they will slither on me, I don't mind them, just scared of wild ones cause my older brother used to torment me with gardner snaked when I was a kid

[theapexgerman]

Someone should hit your brother lol but got with what ever you want but stick to a milk there the best

[millertime89]

Oh I won't, Im not scared that they will slither on me, I don't mind them, just scared of wild ones cause my older brother used to torment me with gardner snaked when I was a kid

just hit him.

[theapexgerman]

just hit him.
Yea just knock him out lol

[Skumbo]

If you're scared of being bit, then colubrids are good there as well, other than a few they just nip essentially compared to pythons or boas cause they have smaller teeth and smaller heads

[mattchibi]

Yea just knock him out lol

Oh please, it would be much more satisfying if she got something like a burm and started taunting HIM with it hahahah.

[Bradyloach]

Not any more! I work with my sav all day long! She's more Liky to bite. I've seen my brother dissect water snakes, and rip apart gardner snakes, I've got into fights cause I thought it was wrong, that when I didn't know I lied herps, at one poin I hit him in the back with a baseball bat cause he took a rake to snake and hung it on a clothes line as a trophy, I'll never forget that I was 7

[theapexgerman]

Oh please, it would be much more satisfying if she got something like a burm and started taunting HIM with it hahahah.
There not scary tho something like a false water cobra or something lol

[Skumbo]

Not any more! I work with my sav all day long! She's more Liky to bite. I've seen my brother dissect water snakes, and rip apart gardner snakes, I've got into fights cause I thought it was wrong, that when I didn't know I lied herps, at one poin I hit him in the back with a baseball bat cause he took a rake to snake and hung it on a clothes line as a trophy, I'll never forget that I was 7

I had a similar experience when I was a kid, i remember getting really pissed when someone ripped the legs off a daddy longleg until it was just the middle of it.

I've certainly done my dissections of things before (not wild caught, obviously) including cadavers, but that's a bit different.. lol.

[infernalis]

If you do get a milk stay away from a hondo there one of the ill temper as babys


Most milks are squirrelly snakes and prone to musking..

[theapexgerman]

I've only been musk like 4 times and 3 of them were adults my nelson did once when he was a baby and it was my fault

[infernalis]

Brady, You could do fine with a Ball Python with the correct enclosure.

So what if they go off feed, that's not a law or anything, Mine has been a champion eater for the whole 5 years I have had him.

[theapexgerman]

Few balls python I've seen eat good and stuff I just perfer a milk over a ball

[infernalis]

Few balls python I've seen eat good and stuff I just perfer a milk over a ball


I have both, and a truckload of garter snakes.. I think if he wants a "Lap snake" a BP would make him happier.

Also, remember, it does not matter what any one of us prefers, in the end it will be Brady's snake, and he has to be the one happy with it.:cool:

[Skumbo]

I have both, and a truckload of garter snakes.. I think if he wants a "Lap snake" a BP would make him happier.

Also, remember, it does not matter what any one of us prefers, in the end it will be Brady's snake, and he has to be the one happy with it.:cool:

this!

the one thing with balls is they dont seem to move around a ton if youre handling them, my milk is incredibly friendly and not defensive at all, but he tends to explore if you ignore him for more than 20 seconds lol!

[zamaya]

i was actually scared of snakes until i got one LOL(im still kind of scared of snakes until i actually hold them)
ive always liked them even though i was scared of the thought of holding them, and when catching snakes when i was younger i was too scared to hold bigger ones thatd id find lol
so if you get one, i think the fear will go right away! (unless you get an aggressive ball python lol)

[theapexgerman]

Yea it is up to him my mountain king is a explorer but my nelson is a lazy snake once you hold him or he could get a dum there pretty easy to take care and of love to be held

[KORBIN5895]

I didn't notice anyone recommend a boa constrictor......

[Jenn_06]

boa constrictors are great snakes but might get a little big for him. But i dont know what size snake he really wants.

[alessia55]

Ball pythons being picky eaters doesn't apply to all ball pythons... my Pika (the albino) won't miss a feeding for nothing. I just had to buy longer feeding tongs because he almost tagged me in a feeding frenzy :eek: :p

[insignia100]

I'm gonna go out on a limb and recommend a Western Hognose. ;)

Honestly, if a big snake is viable, my red tail boa is my best snake. She's very inquisitive, a great eater, and has never even thought of striking me. She's my only snake right now that I would never even consider getting rid of (unless it becomes a federal offense to cross state lines with her -- and even then that's kind of iffy...).

[theapexgerman]

I still think a milk or something be a better choice over a ball python I got nothing against balls but I perfer coulbrid

[Skumbo]

hognose are pretty awesome, especially if you dont want a big snake at first. They rarely bite at all, but if they do dont let them get latched on or you'd be in for a possibly bad few days (depending how you react to them) some people can have their whole hand/forearm swell up if they wiggle on there for a long time, i believe its a histamine reaction to their saliva? (or super weak venom, but they arent considered venomous i dont believe)

[theapexgerman]

Hognose are fun why not a sand boa then I herd there pretty cool or a rosy boa now that's a snake I forgot to mention rosy are supper cool

[MoreliAddict]

hognose like to act intimidating, despite their size i wouldn't recommend one to someone who is "scared of snakes"

my vote would be for ball python as they make the best lap snakes imo

[theapexgerman]

I vote for a a milk/corn/king or he could always get a dumeril boa they get a little bigger than a ball and are a lap snake to mine most love able snake at the moment he's on my shoulder and watching a movie with me

[millertime89]

ah yeah, a Dum wouldn't be a bad option either.

[theapexgerman]

Yea I never seen a dum bite anyone I have seen a few bites from balls tho before and dums are just cool

[Wolfus_305]

Hi (i haven't read the whole thread because it was kinda long)

I have a ball python, got him when he was 6 years old. He has never hissed, tried to bit, been aggressive or intimidating towards me, my friends or family.

I find him easy to take care of because I am not worried of him attacking me when I reach in to change his water and he is easy to take out of his habitat so that it can be cleaned.

The only frustrating thing about him is when he stops eating. He never eats between January and September (the first time it happened I was so distraught because he was my first snake and I was trying everything! now it's been a few years and he doesn't lose weight and it's just the way he is.)

If you are going to get a snake make sure you have the funds for a good set up including a heat source and thermostat as well as a hygrometer for humidity. Make sure you will also have the funds should something happen and you need a vet visit and make sure that you can afford to feed it :)

GOOD LUCK :)
Kendra

[JustBitten]

My 2 cents? I absolutely love my ball python. He is an amazing lap snake. He's also likes to explore and climb. I've actually got him in a 2x2x4 enclosure because he is desperate to climb something. Tends to fall off though :) He has never missed a feeding, never hissed, struck or acted aggressive in any way. I also think he intimidates fewer people because of the slow and smooth way he moves and because he has a defined head/neck/body/tail unlike colubrids. Seems to be less frightening for people that way IMHO. My mother has actually warmed up to him and that's saying something.

[Skits]

I think ball pythons are a really great choice if you're scared of snakes. My cornsnake is really quick and harder to handle if you aren't used to it. My ball pythons are more docile and are much calmer when I handle them.

I don't own a milksnake but I've handled one before because it's a snake I'm looking into getting, and he was a little quick but something not too hard to handle either and they won't get too big. If you don't mind a larger snake, boa constrictors aren't too quick and are docile. I take mine out without any problems, but to others she does look intimidating because of her size. But she's fun to take outside in the backyard on summer days and she loves roaming around in the grass. But overall, I would go with a ball python.

[theapexgerman]

Yea milks can be fast but only as babys same as corn the corn I just got is a baby and is a speed racer but if you hold it constantly it will become a lap my milk is more relax than my dum my dum if I put him on the ground hell go explore but if I put my milk down he will stay in the same place

[Aaron_S]

Few balls python I've seen eat good and stuff I just perfer a milk over a ball

I'm honestly not picking on you here...

If I understand this correctly you don't know many ball pythons that eat well.
If that IS the case then you know poor keepers in my honest opinion. I have plenty of ball pythons currently and in the past and they all eat well. I have friends with larger collections, same deal, and I know someone with over 800 and they don't really have an issue. Sure there's the odd snake that can be picky but as Wayne said it isn't law and honestly, most eat fine.

Lastly, as Wayne also suggested, it's Brady's. They will have to get what they want because they have to pay for it, look at it, clean it's poop and feed it. Might as well be the animal you so rightly desire (within reason...no venomous as starters etc.)

[theapexgerman]

yea that's why I said in my other post hit a reptile show and you will find something there my self I think ball pythons are just to common for me and I only saw a handful of balls not eat doesn't mean you shouldn't get one I just perfer milks or corn

[GarterPython]

I like them all! I think it is entierly about you. Every single person on this forum could argue for hours and hours but in the end it's all up to what the person likes.

[theapexgerman]

I love dums but not a fan of balls but there's people that is crazy bout them

[exwizard]

I think ball pythons are a really great choice if you're scared of snakes. My cornsnake is really quick and harder to handle if you aren't used to it. My ball pythons are more docile and are much calmer when I handle them.

I agree with this in this situation. I dont have any myself but these snakes are the perfect snake to help someone get over their fear of snakes.

[Hurrok]

My vote is for Ball Python...they come in SO many morphs and plus, Normals look great too. None look exactly the same which is awesome. :) If your willing to spend $150 on one, go for a Spider Ball Python ;)