What snake between these two do you guys recommend?

[eminart]

Originally Posted by Slippery Snek

Hello everyone! So I am setting up a 40 breeder and after research I have decided to get a corn or king snake. I am learning toward a king snake but what is your advice? Are both these snakes good beginner reptiles?

Nothing wrong with either of them, although "corn snakes" are a species and "king snakes" are an entire genus. You didn't specify which species of king snake you're interested in, although most of the commonly available ones are pretty similar in behavior.

It's really just preference. Personally, I like rat snakes (which corns are) more than king snakes, as far as their behavior. Rats tend to be semi-arboreal where kings are strictly terrestrial and even somewhat fossorial. What that means, in my experience, is that kings are much more likely to be burrowed under the substrate a large part of the time. I've always hated that with any snake. But, my main joy in keeping snakes is setting up natural enclosures and watching the snake's natural behaviors in them. If you're like most people and just want a pet that you can get out and handle, you probably won't care about that.

[WolfMum13]

Yes! I use all kinds of hides really, log hides, coconut, skulls, anything will work. Also i put some of that reptile fake plant shrubbery in, my kings both go underneath them, they think I can’t see them, which is funny!!! They are fun curious snakes, a lot of personality!


Also with the small enclosures that just has been recommended by most breeders and herpotologists alike. They have seen snakes thrive better as far as feeding, stress, and shedding. And they aren’t wild snakes, they are captive snakes who live twice, triple the lifetimes of wild snakes because of the captive atmosphere you create for them.

[Andy_G]

Originally Posted by phenyx

I don't know why everyone thinks baby snakes need to be in small enclosures to feel secure. Hundreds of baby snakes hatch in the big, wild, world every day and do just fine with no enclosure of any size. Now, keeping a baby snake that needs ridiculously high humidity (like a BRB) in a small enclosure or even a plastic shoebox is a different matter because it's far easier to maintain high humidity in a small space.

Many baby snakes die in the wild for one reason or another...it's why so many are produced in a single litter. This would include predation in open spaces, which they have evolved to avoid. We could quite literally spend all day pointing out differences between conditions or situations encountered in their natural habitat compared to in captivity, so although I get what you're saying, I don't regard it as a fair comparison. Snakes are thigmotactic, meaning that they receive a lot of their peace of mind in regards to feeling secure from their body touching surfaces. It's one of the many reasons why people use grow enclosures, and why tight fitting hides always work best. If one were to provide a large space without appropriate cover, it would create a negative response from the snake of some kind. You can definitely use a cage as big as you like, but with that comes the possibility of missing some spot cleaning, possibility of the snake being less adept at finding food due to strong scent in an enclosed space that they may be unable to pinpoint if it has to be left overnight, more upkeep due to the necessity of having to offer additional hides, as well as sometimes issues achieving proper temps and humidity. It's largely speculative as to the level of enrichment actually offered to the animals when provided larger caging, and it certainly is more clear that it benefits the keeper rather than the kept, especially when it comes to nervous species/individuals. Bottom line: it's up to you as to what you do, but there's nothing wrong with using grow cages, nothing wrong with using larger more cluttered cages, unless your snake responds negatively to such.

[WolfMum13]

Originally Posted by Andy_G

Many baby snakes die in the wild for one reason or another...it's why so many are produced in a single litter. This would include predation in open spaces, which they have evolved to avoid. We could quite literally spend all day pointing out differences between conditions or situations encountered in their natural habitat compared to in captivity, so although I get what you're saying, I don't regard it as a fair comparison. Snakes are thigmotactic, meaning that they receive a lot of their peace of mind in regards to feeling secure from their body touching surfaces. It's one of the many reasons why people use grow enclosures, and why tight fitting hides always work best. If one were to provide a large space without appropriate cover, it would create a negative response from the snake of some kind. You can definitely use a cage as big as you like, but with that comes the possibility of missing some spot cleaning, possibility of the snake being less adept at finding food due to strong scent in an enclosed space that they may be unable to pinpoint if it has to be left overnight, more upkeep due to the necessity of having to offer additional hides, as well as sometimes issues achieving proper temps and humidity. It's largely speculative as to the level of enrichment actually offered to the animals when provided larger caging, and it certainly is more clear that it benefits the keeper rather than the kept, especially when it comes to nervous species/individuals. Bottom line: it's up to you as to what you do, but there's nothing wrong with using grow cages, nothing wrong with using larger more cluttered cages, unless your snake responds negatively to such.

Definitely knows his business, and I am about it, very eloquently put, and perfect examples and predicaments