Milk vs. Corn vs. King

[woahamie]

Sooooo... I'm looking in to getting a snake. I'm new to snakes (kinda, I work with them at my job, but I'm not really "hands-on" with them as much), but I'm not new to reptiles. I have a beardie, and a few leopard geckos.

I think I've narrowed my search down to certain types of snakes, but I still want some input from people who know snakes better; you guys! :D

-I want a snake that doesn't grow too big. Maybe not more than 5ft.
-Something with lots of nice colors.

Would a king, corn, and milksnake fit into that category?
I've researched into rosy boas and ball pythons, but I haven't really fallen in love with them; not like those other guys I've mentioned.

[alessia55]

Yes, miks, corns, and kings all fit into the category your'e talking about.
Corns would be the one I would recommend for a beginner like yourself, just because they tend to be more tolerant of handling and less likely to bite or musk.

[DragonsEye]

I agree, go with a corn. IME, milks are frequently muskers.

[crazycorns]

yes go with the corns, i have two right now and i luv them so much they eat really good and seem to like handleing they always come out and hang with me and there r so many different morphs to choose from i will be breeding corns in a few years. i think u will be pleased with a corn i know i am

[franks]

All three snakes you listed fit the bill, is there anything else specifically that you are looking for in a snake?

Oh... And rosy boas are awesome!

[woahamie]

Eh, nothing really in particular. Just something that looks RADICAL. The more I read about corn snakes, the more I like 'em. :)

Haha!

[UwabamiReptiles]

I'd have to say corn too. They come in tons of morphs and are easy to care for. Great first snake.

[exwizard]

All the above. I have a pair of Corns plus recently hatched babies. They are very easy to care for, make great eaters, are unmatched in the variety of morphs available even by Balls, very docile and are very active and fun.

[buffcoat]

I've had all 3 at one time or another. The corn was/is by far the easiest to handle. Milks look cool but they do like to musk and are quite the fast little buggers. Kings get a little bit bigger and can do some, how should I say this, odd things. Mine liked to bite himself. Corns are pretty hardy and are a bit more forgiving. All 3 are good eaters.

When someone tells me that they would like to get a snake they always ask what I would suggest. My reply is "Get a corn, if ya like it and want something else, get a king. Then a royal. But remember, these guys aren't anoles, if taken care of properly, they will be around for years."

[woahamie]

Then a corn snake it is! The more I read about them, and the more I look at videos of them, I love them even more. :D

Does anyone know a reputable breeder online that I can go to? I'm not too concerned about costs.

[alessia55]

My first snake was a corn from Kathy & Bill Love: Corn Snakes 4 (http://www.cornutopia.com/)
They wrote a great book on corns too, which I recommend:
http://www.rainforestsupplies.co.uk/lrf_old/images/1cornsnake.jpg
Very little selection, but someone who really cares about her snakes, and will stay in touch for any questions you may have even years after your purchase.

BHB Enterprises (http://bhb-reptiles.myshopify.com/collections/corn-snakes) also have a good selection of corn snakes for you to look at.

I'm not a corn person, so I'm sure others will chime in with more breeders soon :)

Don't forget to check the BOI for reputations and reviews of past customers. There are always snakes that need a new home at rescues and classifieds websites.

[Kettennatter]

Okay, I will break with the consensus: My recommendation would be to go to a breeder or expo and observe each type. Kings can be odd, and I personally own one with many quirks. Some of the quirks annoy me, others make me laugh. However, this varies by individual snake, and many Kings are just the greatest snakes, and so terribly easy to feed. Both corns and snakes are very easy to take care of.

[Rogue628]

All three are good choices. Kings can be quirky but are overall a good animal. I've known people with corns and milks that can be just as odd in their own way. All are easy to take care of and eat well.

I have to agree with Kettennatter. Sometimes the best recommendation comes from the animal itself. :)

[woahamie]

I plan on going to the Repticon show when it comes to Ft. Lauderdale in September. I like to have everything ready before jumping into a new pet. So hopefully there ill find my snake :D

But thanks for all the info/advice, guys!

[Jlassiter]

Please explain these "quirks" kingsnakes have.....
I've had thousands over the past 20 or so years and still don't understand what you all mean by kings being quirky?

If it is feeding hatchlings after they hatch then I'd have to say my worst clutch of feeders was a cornsnake clutch........

Kings make great pets....as do corns.....

[MoreliAddict]

Please explain these "quirks" kingsnakes have.....
I've had thousands over the past 20 or so years and still don't understand what you all mean by kings being quirky?

If it is feeding hatchlings after they hatch then I'd have to say my worst clutch of feeders was a cornsnake clutch........

Kings make great pets....as do corns.....
In my experience, Kings are one of the snakes that you could be handling without a problem, and next they'll latch onto your finger without warning. I've seen a corn get cage defensive, but not bite without warning like that...

[Jlassiter]

In my experience, Kings are one of the snakes that you could be handling without a problem, and next they'll latch onto your finger without warning. I've seen a corn get cage defensive, but not bite without warning like that...

If fed correctly (not once a week) on the kingsnake's schedule they will not bite and latch on.....That is a feeding response, not a defensive response.

Feeding on a once a week schedule is the keeper's schedule not the king's.
A growing king will want to eat 2 to 3 times a week.
An adult king will want to eat every 5 to 10 days depending on the keeper's husbandry techniques/set up.

Oh...and you haven't had enough corns if you haven't been bitten by one.....lol

[MoreliAddict]

If fed correctly (not once a week) on the kingsnake's schedule they will not bite and latch on.....That is a feeding response, not a defensive response.

Feeding on a once a week schedule is the keeper's schedule not the king's.
A growing king will want to eat 2 to 3 times a week.
An adult king will want to eat every 5 to 10 days depending on the keeper's husbandry techniques/set up.

Oh...and you haven't had enough corns if you haven't been bitten by one.....lol
Just to clarify: I've had 2 corns, and 0 kings. The king I was bitten by was a friend's. One the Corns would become cage-defensive if I wasn't handling it enough, and if it wasn't used to me.

[Jlassiter]

Well I'd tell your friend to feed that king more......Just my opinion as I don't know his/her set up or husbandry details.....

[Kettennatter]

I largely agree with Jlassiter, it's what every breeder told me. Then again, there are exceptions. My king will still strike food items when he's completely full. When he's hungry he'll come after me even outside his enclosure. Lol

[Rogue628]

If fed correctly (not once a week) on the kingsnake's schedule they will not bite and latch on.....That is a feeding response, not a defensive response.

Feeding on a once a week schedule is the keeper's schedule not the king's.
A growing king will want to eat 2 to 3 times a week.
An adult king will want to eat every 5 to 10 days depending on the keeper's husbandry techniques/set up.

Oh...and you haven't had enough corns if you haven't been bitten by one.....lol


Ahhh....so maybe that's why my king likes to bite. She's not quite an adult yet, so maybe I should feed more frequently. However, she only bites the boyfriend.... :robo:

[Jlassiter]

Your BF smells like mice?.....J/K.....lol

If a thermal gradient is set up in a king's enclosure the keeper can tell when they want to feed when the snake is on the cool end conserving.

When they are full they are typically on the warm end metabolizing........

Adults eat larger meals and it takes them longer to digest the meals......And food is not needed for growth but rather used for sustaining......If an adult is fed too much it can become obese unless it is cycled and bred......

Young snakes eat smaller meals and they are digested quicker and used for growth......Thus they will eat more without ever becoming obese...especially if husbandry is correct.

[rmfsnakes32]

I have several corns adult and babies and a baby milksnake for beginer go with the corn milksnake is musky and nippy and for sure a fast little bugger go with a corn and make sure the cage has clamps corns are very good escape artists I lost a baby about a week ago and still havent found it

[snake man12]

kings are milks. They are all good choices.

[Jlassiter]

No...milks are kings....Lampropeltis are all kings...some are milks

[StudentoReptile]

Please explain these "quirks" kingsnakes have.....
I've had thousands over the past 20 or so years and still don't understand what you all mean by kings being quirky?

If it is feeding hatchlings after they hatch then I'd have to say my worst clutch of feeders was a cornsnake clutch........

Kings make great pets....as do corns.....

Ditto.

I think most kingsnakes (mainly L. getula sp) are equally good pets as cornsnakes.

I think most people are just wussies and put off by their strong feeding responses (OMG, they're too aggressive!). Methinks they've been playing with ball pythons for too long.

Some of the nicest (most docile) colubrids I have had have been kingsnakes.

[rmfsnakes32]

Thanks for the info I didnt realize milksnakes needed to eat so often I will change his feedings straight away