Help Me Decide?

[Mathayus]

I am interested in getting another snake, but I am not sure what kind to get. I have two corns right now, and I'm looking for something that gets a bit bigger. I am trying to stay away from ball pythons, because I would prefer something that not everyone has.
My top choices are Colombian Rainbow Boa and Dumeril's Boa. My main concern is temperament, activity, and difficulty of care. I have heard many things online, and I wanted to get opinions from people who have kept one or both types.
Any and all input would be greatly appreciated!

[StudentoReptile]

I've kept Dumerils boas before. They're awesome.

Just curious..have you considered other larger colubrids?

[Mathayus]

I have not. What colubrids are you thinking of? I am somewhat new to the snake scene and am not yet familiar with all the types of available snakes.

[Mathayus]

Forgot to add Brazilian Rainbow Boa to that list as well haha

[StudentoReptile]

Well, there's a large variety of king snake species, most are equal to or larger than the average corn snake. There's the "Pits" (genus Pituophis) which includes pine, bull and gopher snakes, all of which exceed kings and corns in size.

I dunno what your price range/budget is, but other more obscure and pricey options are cribos, and Asian ratsnakes.

Other boids are carpet pythons, blood pythons, and tree boas.

Really, it all comes down to how much space you can devote, how much money you are willing to spend on initial price, what appeals to you visually, and if handling is important to you. Some snakes are really beautiful, and make great display animals, but don't tolerate regular handling. Others are as tame as a reptile can get, but otherwise, can be very unexciting and/or not that colorful.

[Fredricks]

Student summed it up perfectly

I love the BRBs. Beautiful snakes, love seeing a snake soak and a lot cheaper than I initially thought.
Bulls, gophers and pines are for the most part daily noisy, but tame out quicker than you would think but keep up the noise. Part of their charm

[Mathayus]

I'm really leaning toward the BRB. I like the fact that they still get pretty big, but not as big as say a red tail. I am also a fan of anything arboreal, and always have been, even back when all I could think about was tarantulas. Also leaning more towards their coloring...

[alessia55]

Sure, a lot of people have ball pythons... but depending on your budget, you can get a really "fancy" one. Some are visually stunning. Hate to brag (:p) but here is my Pika... he's an albino.

http://sphotos.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/578240_3325335327809_1101150022_32510844_174994927 9_n.jpg

There are hundred upon hundreds of morphs to ball pythons. Depending on your budget, you could get some really nice looking ones. They're also a great pet, easy to care for, laid back, and will be a great lap snake to watch TV with.

Are you looking for something a bit feistier than a corn? Or something with good temperament that will enjoy being handled? What size are you interested in? Long and slender? How about more girth? The rainbow boas and dumerils look very different from each other, so I'm guessing your aesthetic interests are pretty wide. :)

Also, how much time do you have to put into their care? A snake with higher humidity requirements may take up more time, for example. Depending on your budget, you might want to consider the cost of another enclosure, heat source, thermostat, and feeding needs. How large of a prey are you willing to feed? rats? rabbits?

Lastly, don't forget to check if any species are illegal in the local laws of where you live! :)

[Dehlida]

Get a pit, active, large, great feeding responses, hardy. They make outstanding captives and display animals.

[Fredricks]

If you are leaning towards a brb then go for it. Just research like crazy and make sure you can keep the humidity up

[MrBD1980]

Only one word of warning....I have a BRB and love it, however they are *very* shy/secretive snakes and it's not that often I catch mine out and about exploring.

Another potential drawback from your wants is that although BRB's begin life quite arboreal I understand that many of them grow out of this as they get older and remain very terrestrial in the end, although this may be more to do with individual snake personalities as opposed to any inherent trait.

Don't want to dissuade you as i think BRB's are awesome, but these are points worth considering when your making your decision to make sure you get what you want!

Hope this helps

Brian

[hellosugaree]

You want one of these:

[buffcoat]

I love my Joon (100 het albino bull snake.) She has such an attitude until she's out and about. Feeding response is nothing like I've seen, although I guess here real soon Im going to get to house a Dwarf Retic. Anyway, sorry to get off track. Bull snakes are a great "larger" colubrid. The hissing and the tail rattling is so neat. Very easy to care for. Normal humidity levels no extreme heat variances and like I said before very hardy eaters.

[GarterPython]

How bout a Carpet! A carpet is my dream snake. Irian Jaya Carpet Pythons don't get much bigger than corn snakes.

[hellosugaree]

How bout a Carpet! A carpet is my dream snake. Irian Jaya Carpet Pythons don't get much bigger than corn snakes.

Yes they do.

[UwabamiReptiles]

IJs get a lot bigger than cornsnakes, but my choice would be a carpet python. Out of the two you said you were interested in, the dumeril would probably be the better than the brb. I've never had a dum before but everyone on here that has them have nothing but great things to say about them. PM exwizard on here if you're interested in them, he can give you a lot great info on them.

[hellosugaree]

How bout a Carpet! A carpet is my dream snake. Irian Jaya Carpet Pythons don't get much bigger than corn snakes.

Here are a few pics of IJs (Irian Jayas) I pulled up off the internet. None of these people are me and these snakes are not mine. These also do not represent an absolute maximum size, as some IJs will over-acheive and get bigger, while others will stay a bit smaller. But just so you can see they they do get quite a bit bigger than a corn snake.

This does not in any way mean that they are not an awesome choice. They are fantastic and amazing snakes, but they definitely require a larger enclosure and different husbandry than a corn snake.

[Falco21]

^^ Corn snakes get around 4-6 feet. It all depends on which carpet python you are speaking of. For example:

Jungle Carpets can get up to around 8 feet.
Coastal Carpets can get as high up as 11 feet, but usually stay around 7-9 feet.
Irian Jaya Carpets usually grow around 4-5 feet, females around 5-6 feet.

Now there have been "freak" cases, like anything else, but again, it all depends on which carpet you're talking about.

[Falco21]

Where are you guys getting your numbers saying Irian Jaya's get much larger than Corn's? LOL

[hellosugaree]

^^ Corn snakes get around 4-6 feet. It all depends on which carpet python you are speaking of. For example:

Jungle Carpets can get up to around 8 feet.
Coastal Carpets can get as high up as 11 feet, but usually stay around 7-9 feet.
Irian Jaya Carpets usually grow around 4-5 feet, females around 5-6 feet.

Now there have been "freak" cases, like anything else, but again, it all depends on which carpet you're talking about.

Where are you guys getting your numbers saying Irian Jaya's get much larger than Corn's? LOL


Length is not the only thing that determines the size of a snake. By your reasoning, using repeatedly regurgitated length guideline sizes on care sheets, this would mean that boas and corn snakes are the same size because some smaller boas grow to around 4-6 feet. I don't know any 6 foot corn snakes that eat rabbits...

This is not a simple "numbers" thing using the length guidelines you find on a care sheet. Your average IJ will be quite a bit bigger than your average corn snake.

[Mathayus]

I'm actually leaning toward a Ball. I'm not all that experienced with snake care just yet, and I think it would be somewhat looked down upon if I did not have a ball. Sort of like how every tarantula collection needs at least one Chilean Rose. But I am totally loving the look of those carpets....

[GarterPython]

You are not frowned apon if you don't have a ball. The carpets get the same length as a corn was my point. If you like the carpets then research them. Don't feel like you are being forced into anything. Get what you like.

[exwizard]

You are not frowned apon if you don't have a ball. The carpets get the same length as a corn was my point. If you like the carpets then research them. Don't feel like you are being forced into anything. Get what you like.I second this. We have never had Balls. Our first snake was a Dum. In my opinion, they are easier to take care of than Balls because their humidity requirements are not as high and they are better eaters than Balls in general. It all boils down to what YOU want. What others think about your decision is secondary.

[hellosugaree]

You are not frowned apon if you don't have a ball. The carpets get the same length as a corn was my point. If you like the carpets then research them. Don't feel like you are being forced into anything. Get what you like.

I agree with not having to get a ball python. I dont have one and have no plans to get one ever. But, once again, carpet pythons and corn snakes do not stay the same size. Have you ever seen a fully grown carpet in person? I've never seen corn snakes this big:

Please also check out marvelfreak's 8.5 foot 14 lb jungle carpet in this thread. Jungles are supposed to be among the smaller carpets:

http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/morelia-spilota/92644-electra-my-monster-jungle-carpet.html

Please tell me your corn snake isn't planning on getting that big?

[Mathayus]

Do Dums or Carpets make very good "lap snakes"? I really like the idea of a super calm snake that I can carry around on my shoulders or have sitting in my lap when I'm on the computer or watching TV. How are those two snakes in this respect?

[GarterPython]

Irian Jayas get the same size in length if it is a male! Not all Carpet Python's it says Irian Jayas in the very first post of mine.

[GarterPython]

I don't actually own a carpet just researching them so I don't exactly know but if you do want a calm snake than it actually does sound like a Ball Python would be good. We just don't want you to be feeling pressured into a Ball because it is one of the main starter snakes.

[hellosugaree]

Do Dums or Carpets make very good "lap snakes"? I really like the idea of a super calm snake that I can carry around on my shoulders or have sitting in my lap when I'm on the computer or watching TV. How are those two snakes in this respect?

If you want something that doesn't do anything and will just sit still, get a pet rock, aka ball python. Carpets tend to be a bit more curious and may not want to sit still while you play on the computer. Carpet pythons really do have a cool temperament though. Their inquisitive nature is part of why they are so enjoyable and rewarding. An option for you would be to adopt a snake that is mostly grown so you can have an idea of its individual personality before you adopt. Individual snakes even within the same species can definitely have very different personalities.

[jaleely]

individuals can def have different personalities. I have a cool ball python that is curious, but sweet, and two that freak out and hate being held (i did get them as rescues, and both had been abused though). My carpet python won't hold still for a second.
One thing that is really awesome that hasn't been mentioned is a sand boa. My little male is a little wiggly sometimes, but has been known to hold still and sit in my hand. He stays pretty small. My female kenyan flame sand boa is half grown, and laaaazy! she just chills out. and is SOO cute. She's about two feet long now.

My one hognose snake hangs out and sits in my bra : )
I won't be doing that anymore though, since my other younger one seems to think i'm food and keeps biting me. He is NOT a holder...lol

Hmmm Bolivian boas stay "small" at 6 feet. They are slow growers and our female is probably the most docile and sweet natured snake we have. She actually doesn't get much attention because she's so docile.

Dumeri's boas are pretty nice too, though they annoy me to no end that the go off food for half a year...moreso than my ball pythons.

[Mathayus]

I really like the look of sand boas, but I'm looking for something bigger right now. But I am definitely going to get one one of these days. Think I'm gonna go with the Ball, but I'll find a nice looking pastel or a spider, something pretty but moderately cheap. If nothing else, a cool patterned normal from the LPS!

[exwizard]

Dumeri's boas are pretty nice too, though they annoy me to no end that the go off food for half a year...moreso than my ball pythons.
I have never had that experience with any of my 7 Dums. They are as calm as RTBs and make great eaters. Im sorry that was your experience but it's never been mine.

[jaleely]

I've chalked it up to the climate in my area. There's not much i can do about it. I have tried! trust me. they are all in a "snake room" now that has ambient temperature and humidity, and they've finally started eating ...BUT it's also way warmer weather now.
I got my male August 6th of 2011 and he finally took his first meal a couple days ago *rolls eyes* the female's eaten a lot, but she went off food for the winter as well.

Out of everything besides ball pythons, in all the reading i've done, it seems like dumerils do this a lot. You are lucky!

Anyway, to the OP...ball pythons are just fine! most of the time you'll get a nice sized snake that sits in your lap. I really actually like the normal coloring...when you get a morph it's just a lot of money for the same personality snake. The only "morph" i have, and i do like, actually occurs in the wild and that's a pastel. I LOVE how you can see their eyes so clearly. Normals have dark brown, which are lovely, but my pastel has the most amazing two-toned eyes.

[Ridge Runner_20]

Ever consider a Hog Island boa? They stay relatively small compared to most inland BCI and BCC (4'-6', depending on sex), are typically very docile, have beautiful, ever-changing coloration, and are excellent feeders. I sure love our Hog Island girl; she's been a real pleasure to keep. Good luck with your decision! :D

RR_20 (Mike)

[GarterPython]

You could get a Pastel. They are very nice and are reltively cheap.

[Wama]

Out of the two you chose I would go Dumerils........Get yourself a Bredli. Can be a bit nippy when young but soon calm down ( I own both species )

[MoreliAddict]

OP look into carpet pythons. Handle it before you buy it because some of them bite, but the majority are tame.

They are active and will make use of things to climb making them excellent display animals, and they also come in tons of morphs and colors as well. They're also really hardy, eat well and do make good pets. And they do get much bigger than corn snakes.

The Granite morph is my favorite, this is my pet Spot, he's a granite:
http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f376/1MileNorth/59252c9a.jpg