Ball Python Costs Vs Cornsake? Best Investment?

[BatSqueaks]

Hiya. I'm relatively new to snakes and taking my time looking at their proper requirements/joining forums/so on to get myself acquainted with the care the animals need. As this will be my first snake, I've limited my options to the cornsnake and the ball python.
I appreciate the look of the blizzard bloodred corns, but feel as though a python would better suit what I'm looking for in a snake (calm, squishier, though definitely a bit more unpredictable in feeding and demanding) but I've yet to find a pale/white python that isn't going to clear my savings account..black eyed leucistic to name one, gosh that's a beautiful snake <3
What do you think would be best? I know these snakes both live a good while, so I want to make the right investment in them. Whatever housing and food requirements they may need isn't an issue though, just wondering if paying more for the snake will be worth it (though it will be my first one, I'm afraid an accident may happen, and boom, there goes a very expensive snake.)

What are your thoughts?

[Mark Taylor]

Hi and welcome.

Corn snakes are the best starter snake IMO and not to expensive I have one and I love him relatively easy to care for, good eaters, active, handleable and come in a wide range of morphs.

I don't own a royal and I probably wont as they tend to be a bit lazy. That being said there are some really nice morphs but tend to be a little pricey.

[Starbuck]

I would go with a corn snake definitely, they tend to be a bit more active, and if you get a well established juvenile you should have no trouble feeding him. Also, they stay on mice their entire lives, so you wouldnt ever have to worry about switching them to rats etc...
Also, as you mentioned, there are hundreds of corn snake morphs that are all pretty cheap, especially when compared to some ball python ones :)

Since this is your first snake, corns are more forgiving of error and hardier overall; and remember, you dont have to stop at just one! ;) You can always get your black eyed leucistic BP later down the road ;)
BTW, have you looked into Leucistic Texas Rat snakes at all?

[Mark Taylor]

My corn eats small rats every 10 days he is over 5' rats are more nutritional than mice.

[Starbuck]

ah, i excluded the 'giants', Mark :) my bad.
I should have said 'Most corns will stay on mice their entire lives, while Most ball pythons will need small rats when they are adults.'
I could probably feed my milk snake rats, but just bought almost 100 XL mice lol, and she is the only one big enough to eat them yet. Also, dont want to mess with a good thing since shes only eaten twice with me so far :P

[StudentoReptile]

Personally, I think corns are better starter snakes.

However, it seems that appearances mean a lot to you. There's plenty of color mutations out of both species to choose from. Find one that matches your appeal and your budget.

[Pareeeee]

I'd say Corn or Rosy Boa. My rosy is a breeze to look after.

[jarich]

My corn eats small rats every 10 days he is over 5' rats are more nutritional than mice.

NmNObROcBOo

Aside from that, I agree with everything else you said Mark. ;)

[Mark Taylor]

Oh OK. I just read the Feed Guide for Newbies (Rats v Mice) You made some good points :)

[Terranaut]

IMHO - Get the one you like the best. If you are considering it an investment... hate to be negative but they are not in most cases. Both of those can be either next to free or cost thousands depending on what your buying. Corns have less humidity requirements and are not likely to go off food for months at a time but other than that I see neither to be more difficult to care for as a first snake. Just get what you like. If you get a corn remember they can be squirmy busy little buggers and if you get a ball remember to get the right enclosure and not to freak out if it goes 6 months without eating in a couple years.
Also remember that a fish tank is not a snake cage. I stress to all new or would be keepers to get a real snake cage right off the bat and don't screw around with screen top fish tanks. YES you can make them work but something that is front opening and intended to hold humidity will make a world of difference towards how much time you spend enjoying your snake and how much time you spend on here asking how to fix issues. Also get a heat source with a THERMOSTAT. Doesn't need to be an expensive on but do not use a rheostat or just a jungle heat wave , cheap job plugged into the wall.
Having a proper setup at home ready for a snake is the single best thing you can do.
So the list.
Snake cage= Stack-able front opening is best IMHO
Heat source= Heat tape or radiant heat panel. Again IMHO these are best.
Thermostat= Cheap Hydrafarms are all you need but if your budget allows get a true reptile thermostat.
Temp gun= again this can be cheap as long as you can verify temps within the viv your good to go.
Humidity gauge= Get a digital and not the cheap Zoomed round dial types. I have seen a 20% difference in the stack on the shelf at the store of new ones.

Chances are your going to spend way more on your first enclosure than the snake inside but truly....That is the investment.

[Terranaut]

I love these single post people. You spend a bunch of time giving them a great answer and they never reply. Thanks for coming out and wasting our time!!!!

[Pareeeee]

I love these single post people. You spend a bunch of time giving them a great answer and they never reply. Thanks for coming out and wasting our time!!!!

Maybe they got the advice they needed and just don't know forum etiquette. Be nice to have updates from people like this though, to know what decision they made.

[BatSqueaks]

I love these single post people. You spend a bunch of time giving them a great answer and they never reply. Thanks for coming out and wasting our time!!!!


Actually, as I am a female I get something formally called a period.
I'm prone to cysts and they tend to grow and cause extremely painful cycles that often land me in the hospital, though more often then not I duke it out and don't have hardly enough energy to work from home. I am quite aware of the social aspects in forums. If you're familiar with goosemoose I am quite well established there in regards to my pet rats. (and I am actually switching to snakes simply because my precious vermin are VERY demanding)

C'mon. I'd assume this kind of behavior from people on the forum after a few days would drive many new snake owners out of the beneficial social community.
Be nice yo~

[BatSqueaks]

Hi and welcome.

Corn snakes are the best starter snake IMO and not to expensive I have one and I love him relatively easy to care for, good eaters, active, handleable and come in a wide range of morphs.

I don't own a royal and I probably wont as they tend to be a bit lazy. That being said there are some really nice morphs but tend to be a little pricey.

Yeah, I love that lazy squishy ness to em though, I don't think I could sit still with a corn snake :eek:
I probably would get a corn as a starter, but I only want one 'pet' yanno?

[BatSqueaks]

Personally, I think corns are better starter snakes.

However, it seems that appearances mean a lot to you. There's plenty of color mutations out of both species to choose from. Find one that matches your appeal and your budget.

They do c: I really love the g stripe BPs, not nearly as expensive and it makes them look quite a bit like the moray eels c:

[BatSqueaks]

I would go with a corn snake definitely, they tend to be a bit more active, and if you get a well established juvenile you should have no trouble feeding him. Also, they stay on mice their entire lives, so you wouldnt ever have to worry about switching them to rats etc...
Also, as you mentioned, there are hundreds of corn snake morphs that are all pretty cheap, especially when compared to some ball python ones :)

Since this is your first snake, corns are more forgiving of error and hardier overall; and remember, you dont have to stop at just one! ;) You can always get your black eyed leucistic BP later down the road ;)
BTW, have you looked into Leucistic Texas Rat snakes at all?

I was looking at those but I've seen The they are relatively temperamental as opposed to corns which is extremely similar, I suppose it depends on the snake itself though c:

[BatSqueaks]

IMHO - Get the one you like the best. If you are considering it an investment... hate to be negative but they are not in most cases. Both of those can be either next to free or cost thousands depending on what your buying. Corns have less humidity requirements and are not likely to go off food for months at a time but other than that I see neither to be more difficult to care for as a first snake. Just get what you like. If you get a corn remember they can be squirmy busy little buggers and if you get a ball remember to get the right enclosure and not to freak out if it goes 6 months without eating in a couple years.
Also remember that a fish tank is not a snake cage. I stress to all new or would be keepers to get a real snake cage right off the bat and don't screw around with screen top fish tanks. YES you can make them work but something that is front opening and intended to hold humidity will make a world of difference towards how much time you spend enjoying your snake and how much time you spend on here asking how to fix issues. Also get a heat source with a THERMOSTAT. Doesn't need to be an expensive on but do not use a rheostat or just a jungle heat wave , cheap job plugged into the wall.
Having a proper setup at home ready for a snake is the single best thing you can do.
So the list.
Snake cage= Stack-able front opening is best IMHO
Heat source= Heat tape or radiant heat panel. Again IMHO these are best.
Thermostat= Cheap Hydrafarms are all you need but if your budget allows get a true reptile thermostat.
Temp gun= again this can be cheap as long as you can verify temps within the viv your good to go.
Humidity gauge= Get a digital and not the cheap Zoomed round dial types. I have seen a 20% difference in the stack on the shelf at the store of new ones.

Chances are your going to spend way more on your first enclosure than the snake inside but truly....That is the investment.

Wow, I cannot tell you how informative this was.
Lucky me, I have a 'rack system' in my room, but not for snakes Haha. I use 39 L x 17 w x 6 H tubs for my stuff and from what I've heard that seems to be a perfect snake cage as they would feel secure with all sides covered but one with a blurry/hard to see through opening.
As for the equipment I definitely don't mind price and the temp gun sounds like the best investment mentioned
thank you so much, I think I'll be getting a ball python in a few weeks c: