Advice for an old newbie?

[backafter30]

As I've mentioned elsewhere, I am an experienced reptile keeper, but 30 years out of practice, and the hobby is hardly recognizable. When I was younger, I had wild-caught stuff in standard colors and had to breed my own mice. I am blown away by what I am reading online lately. I honestly had no idea...

I have yet to acquire a new reptile, and have over a month till my first local reptile event (Repticon Denver), and I am already trying to plan out rack systems. (I tend to dive in head-first rather than test the waters.) I don't even know what I want to keep yet, so I thought I'd ask why you keep what you keep. I know I don't want the bigger boas or pythons, but I wouldn't mind good-sized rat snakes. I love the colors of the kings, milks, and corns, but have read (and seen on youtube) how they can be jumpy, nippy, and musky. (That was just expected of my wild-caught specimens.) I like how calm most Ball pythons seem, but I honestly cannot tell most of those morphs apart and do not understand some of the prices being asked. So:

Why do you keep what you keep? What makes you interested in your particular breed, and why do you prefer it over other types? (big boas/pythons, small boas/pythons, corns, kings/milks, etc) Maybe your perspectives can help guide me on the right path with less trial and error. Thanks!

[CK SandBoas]

I currently have 25 snakes in my collection, 22 of them Kenyan Sand Boas. I also have a Royal (Ball) Python, a Brazilian Rainbow Boa, and a Grey Banded Kingsnake. My thought when i first started to get serious on keeping snakes was i wanted a variety of species, mainly Boas and Pythons. I'm really not much of a colubrid girl, so i really had not thought of even owning one.

I also had no plans whatsoever of breeding any of my animals, they were just going to be my pets, nothing more, until i received my very first Kenyan Sand Boa, my adult Paradox Albino female Cleo. She came to me gravid, so i ended up with a litter a few months after i got her. So began my interest in Kenyan Sand Boas.

I truly love all my animals, but my Sand Boas are my favorite species to work with. They remain small, have great temperaments, and are very easy to care for.

As for the stray Colubrid making it into my collection, i inherited him from my dad, who got sick and tired of cleaning Kingsnake poop every other day, lol

[Aaron_S]

My current snakes, ball pythons and rough scale sand boas fit my lifestyle.

[backafter30]

So, KKgal, do you mean to imply that colubrids are messier than boids? More maintenance? That might sway my choices. I did have someone at a specialty snake store suggest that colubrids just smelled more than his ball pythons.

Same to you, Aaron, I assume you mean that your snakes require less upkeep than colubrids would, mess wise?

[KORBIN5895]

My bci boas poop about once a month. I keep them because I love the fact that they get larger but not massive. They are mostly docile and easily handled. They eat anything and seldom refuse meals.

[Hurrok]

I keep ball pythons as well, but I hope to grow and get some other pythons along the road...Maybe some Boas too. (White Lipped Python, Savu, and BRB, Hog Island Boa).

The reason I keep them is because I don't want any snakes that I can't handle by myself. Majority are within 6ft so it's not a big deal then, and they aren't heavy bodied either. Plus Balls are super easy to take care of and usually pretty good with feeding. Sometimes it can be a bit of a pain when they decide to go off of food but most of the time they come back no problem.

As for mess, as long as you keep them clean it's not an issue at all. No musking to worry about, but they do poop and they are not afraid to do it on your lap either...

[DeadlyDesires]

My bci boas poop about once a month. I keep them because I love the fact that they get larger but not massive. They are mostly docile and easily handled. They eat anything and seldom refuse meals.

well this makes me feel better to read lmfao.. i was wondering why mine didnt poop very much lol.. Ive had her a month and only seen her go once :P .. im like umm.. you constipated? im not sure how you got that way lol but maybe?? but anyway thanks!

[Lankyrob]

I keep mainly pytohns and a few colubrids.

I prefer the shape of pythons and am not keen on boas at all.

Out of all i keep i prefer now the GTP and Ball python. The GTP is purely a display animal and beautiful to look at and the BP is the most docile.

My wife prefers the SD retic and the Carpet as they are the most active and most likely to bite (she is weird ;))

[CK SandBoas]

So, KKgal, do you mean to imply that colubrids are messier than boids? More maintenance? That might sway my choices. I did have someone at a specialty snake store suggest that colubrids just smelled more than his ball pythons.

Same to you, Aaron, I assume you mean that your snakes require less upkeep than colubrids would, mess wise?

My King definitely poops more often than any other of my snakes, so i do a lot more spot cleaning with him. There have been times when i've spot cleaned his enclosure 3 times during a single day, lol

[Mark Taylor]

I keep boa's and one corn the corn is always alert and easy to handle and would never get rid of him. As for my boas bci's and one possible x bcc I just love there pattern and also the way they are hard strong and soft at the same time. I like to look at my snakes more than handle them although I do handle them quite a bit lol. I would like a retic and a burm in the future.

[nicolerae]

Welcome back to the love of reptiles!!!

My first snake was a ball python. He is very timid and often doesn't like to come out from under his tree. He is a great snake, easy to handle. Unfortunately shedding is often a problem even with the proper husbandry and he is often a picky eater. But he wont get over 5 ft, so a good snake in that aspect.

I then went on to purchase 2 Colombian females, and they easy to care for, shed well, eat excellently. But the size will be large.

My newest member is a Brazilian Rainbow Boa. BEAUTIFUL snakes. The babies are quite quick and a little feisty at times (nothing that love and time cant fix). The typical size is 5-7ft. But the humidity level must be kept high.

Check out snakebytestv on youtube....its a fantastic way to look at all the different morphs and types of snakes. As well, he will talk to you about breeding etc.

Good luck!

[KORBIN5895]

Snakebytes does some really foolish things so be careful on what you emulate when watching them.

[Hannibalcanibal]

Agreed, they can be educational, but chewy sticking his nose in an agressive snake's face just to get bit is not something you want to do lol.

[backafter30]

I've seen some of those Snakebyte videos. I love the way he'll have a really nasty snake just doing everything it can to get hold of him, and he won't even realize that it's striking at him. He just keeps talking and gesturing while the snake is going crazy trying to bite him and he mentions what great pets they make.

So I guess my ultimate answer here is just what I thought it was going to be? Keep what I like, and only trying different things will tell me what I like? I was hoping finding out why you liked your particular snakes would help me decide. No one seems to have a specific dislike, or a negative comment to share? Just "I like this because..."? That actually says good things about this hobby. Looking forward to it!

[Aaron_S]

I've seen some of those Snakebyte videos. I love the way he'll have a really nasty snake just doing everything it can to get hold of him, and he won't even realize that it's striking at him. He just keeps talking and gesturing while the snake is going crazy trying to bite him and he mentions what great pets they make.

So I guess my ultimate answer here is just what I thought it was going to be? Keep what I like, and only trying different things will tell me what I like? I was hoping finding out why you liked your particular snakes would help me decide. No one seems to have a specific dislike, or a negative comment to share? Just "I like this because..."? That actually says good things about this hobby. Looking forward to it!

I think you just need to do some more research into what you like. The biggest benefit to you is the fact that so many animals are more readily available once you find the one you like. On top of that, there's far better husbandry information out there to keep any and all species alive.

There are negatives but nobody wants to admit to them. lol.