Thinking of getting a snake...

Kat · 12-09-02, 03:13 PM

I'm thinking of getting a snake only I have no Idea what kind. I was wondering if you all could offer some suggestions. I'd like something colorful, the brighter the better. I'd also like it to stay relativley small, say under 2 feet. Once I decide what one I might like then I can start to do some research into it's care. Any suggestions would be greatly apprieciated (and no comments on my spelling!!)

Big Mike · 12-09-02, 03:35 PM

Under two feet....that really limits your choices. Maybe decide how much room you have to house a snake and get something bigger.

Corns, Kings, Milks etc come in many colors & patterns and are fairly easy to keep. Rosy boas are pretty small and are also easy to keep.

Good luck in the search...

P.S.
Good luck only getting one...they are very addictive.

HyGhBr|d · 12-09-02, 06:33 PM

also kenyan sand boas are small.

Kat · 12-09-02, 07:02 PM

Thanks guys! I wouldn't mind a bit longer than 2 ft, I just dont want something that's going to be 10 ft long. I love the Albino Burmese Python, but that's entirely too big!!!

As for the addiction *sigh* I guess it's like everything else....geckos...tattoos....piercings....snakes... .
You get one, you want more!!!

tightsqueeze · 12-10-02, 10:18 AM

go with a ball python they don't usualy get more the 5-6' and they have an awsome personality i have 5 of them ...

i accualy have one for sale a female baby ...let me know what you think

i have pics if you want to see them let me know

jay

Lisa · 12-10-02, 11:27 AM

For something bright you might consider a Brasilian Rainbow Boa

stormyva · 12-10-02, 12:50 PM

In my opinion.....

Go with a Children's Python or Rosy Boa.

Brazilian Raninbows are great, but are not a good first snake due to more intense husbandry requirements and that they are less forgiving of errors in their husbandry.

Kurzix · 12-14-02, 08:05 PM

Stormyva

Brazilians husbandry is not more intense, all you gotta do is give high humidty, and slightly lower heat than most animals, and give them plenty of places to hide, mine is always hiding, but pokes her head out to look around every now and then. I find the husbandry of my BRB easier than that of my burm, or jungle carpet. I put a piece of acrylic over the lid of my aquarium with a few holes in it, run a airline with a airstone into her water dish, poof instant 80+ humidity with no mantience other than checking the water dish (and you really should do that regularly anyways)I keep my temps 75-85

Anyways, BRB shouldn;t be ruled as a first snake, they are tame, eat good, stay smallish (about 10 lbs at 6-7 feet) and are gorgeous

and for the record keeping humidty super high is easier than keeping it like 60-70%

Just my 2 cents

escm · 12-17-02, 02:30 PM

hey kurzix,

if you are using the air pump to circulate air why would you need to put an air stone on it? I thought the air stone was to help mix the air/water in an aquarium?

Pontus · 12-17-02, 11:07 PM

go with a rainbow boa for a very nice color affect if u want that but u need good humidity but if u dont want to deal to much with humidity go with a ball i love mine to death and she always wants to come out and roam around and they both dont get that big

lol i on the otherhand am geting a savannah monitor in a day or 2 but i got a cage that is 6x2x3 lol and from there who knows

pontus:bsmile:

Pythonian · 12-17-02, 11:47 PM

I don't want to tell you what to get.. but i will tell you what i know:
my ball python is the cutest and sweetest animal alive... (just don't tell the other members of this forum that Kali *IS* in fact the best snake ever

) Right after she sheds her colors are the brightest and most eyecatching colors i've seen on a nonaquatic animal. She eats like a piggy.. and just likes her light, water, miceys and a hiding place so she is safe. she cuddles with you to steal some of ur body heat and just all around a sweet snake.

Vertigo my corn snake (recently deceased

) was a snappy little booger. He wasn't as bright but stayed smaller then Kali, and ate less. He was very sick when i got him ... i just wanted to try to make the rest of his life happy

and i think i succeeded ($45 for a dying snake that they were going to let go in the wild) but the vet gave him 3 weeks.... well 5 months later poor little sucker died

i just hope he knows how much i loved him ... ANYWAY! wow..damn off subject.. yea corn snakes and ball pythons are great snakes. and personally i wouldn't have asked for a better pair of first snakes

Mike

snakekeeper · 12-18-02, 12:21 AM

If you want some thing small try spotted pythons or kenya sand boas they both are 3 feet or under.

If you want something larger 5-6 foot range kings, corns, balls, milks, brb would be great. They all have good temperments....

Linds · 12-18-02, 12:40 PM

I would recommend going with a rosy boa, kenyan sand boa, or male african house snake (females can reach lengths of up to 5'). All of these stay under 3 feet in length and make great first snakes.

Rosies are my personal favourite of the bunch

They are super easy to care for so long as they are kept in an arid environment. They are slow-moving animals that tolerate handling VERY well and come in a variety of pattern and colour variations from blue base colour with orange zig zags to black and white stripe and everything in between

Sandboas are also quite colourful, and are easy enough to acclimate to handling as babies. They aren't much for show though since they like to be hidden beneath substrate all the time. They can be difficult to start feeding, but are usually ok once they start.

House snakes can be a good choice and have wonderful irridescence. They are a colubrid so they are much more active/skittish than the others, but are usually good feeders and easy enough to care for

Kat · 12-18-02, 12:43 PM

Thank you all very much! I've decided to hold off on getting a snake for a bit though. I fear for getting evicted if I got one right now. I appreciate all your help and advice greatly!!

Kurzix · 12-21-02, 10:30 PM

ESCM

if you are using the air pump to circulate air why would you need to put an air stone on it? I thought the air stone was to help mix the air/water in an aquarium?

the Air stone is to allow the end of the air line to placed into the water dish, the bubbles then help carry the moisture into the air inside the cage, so no only are you pumping air in, but you are pumping in humid air so no misting is required