Best Medium Sized Snake for fist time owner?

[sthall21]

Hello guys, I just found this forum today and had a quick question. I have gotten really interested in snakes the past few day and was wondering what the best snake for me would be.I have experience with other pets but not much with snakes. I have done a lot of research about snakes and know what it takes to keep one as a pet.

I want a bigger snake, something like a ball python. I would get a ball python its just that I've heard that they aren't very inquisitive. I went to my local pet shop and met a few snakes and I have to agree with people saying that ball pythons are like " pet rocks", meaning that they don't move much in your hand. I also got to handle a red tail boa and I very much liked that snake. It was much more curios and quite a bit more active. The problem is that I don't want a snake that will grow over 7 feet in length. I also don't want a skinny snake like a corn snake and I like the size of ball python.

What would be good snake that is 5-6 ft in length, thick, very active, likes to be handled and isn't too hard to maintain? I did some research and found that the Brazilian rainbow boa, woma python, and jungle python somewhat meet these requirements. Can anyone advise me of these snakes and maybe suggest some more?

[phassin]

Carpet pythons are a great choice. I have a coastal jaguar and he's the easiest guy to care for. They get about 7 feet max but are fairly slim so it's still not nearly as much snake as a 7 foot boa. They are definitely inquisitive and you can spot them climbing if you give them limbs and branches. I also think they are some of the prettiest of snakes with the bright yellow and black markings. Lastly they are great eaters and can thrive in a pretty wide variety of set ups. Look for Irian jayas, jungle carpets, or jaguar morphs of you want to make sure they are under 7 feet.

[Karilyne]

Woma Python!
I would also recommend Savu Pythons. This is definitely one you want to see in person and handle. They can either be the sweetest snake you've ever met or completely mad. Both are gorgeous, a good size, and if you pick them right, of good temperament.

[Karilyne]

Also, if you want something similar to a ball python but bigger...check out Angolan Pythons. They are cousins but the Angolans are much more inquisitive and their scales have a really cool beaded texture.

[sthall21]

Thanks so much for the advice! I looked into the coastal jaguar and the Angolan pythons, and they both seem like good choices. The problem is that my local pet store doesn't carry them so I would be forced to order online. Is this a good idea. It seems like shipping a snake to my doorstep would be harmful to the snake. Have you ever ordered as snake online and would you recommend it?

[EL Ziggy]

Welcome and best wishes sthall. A Carpet Python of any kind would be my first choice. After that I'd go with a Bull Snake or a Texas Leucistic Rat Snake. All of these critters get fairly large but they're still manageable. The husbandry is pretty simple too.

[bigsnakegirl785]

If you liked the boa but didn't like the potential size, check Nicaraguan boas, Tarahumara boas, Crawl Cay boas, Caulker Cay boas, etc. These guys should stay under 6'. I think Boa constrictor amarali also stay small, 6' or under. Boa constrictor longicauda can max out at 7', but they are much leaner than a Colombian/common boa, so they'd be easy to handle even if they got that big.

Don't get a Hog Island or a Costa Rican boa, I see people recommend Hog Islands all the time as "dwarfs" but they aren't. They average the same size as Colombians, and the biggest boas (not boa, boaS) I've seen were Costa Ricans.

[toddnbecka]

A gopher or bull snake would also fit those requirements very nicely. Easier to maintain than a boa or python for temps and humidity, and they're active by day. I don't know of any snakes that actually like to be handled, but some are more tolerant than others. My baby bull snake is as easy to handle as my Dominican mountain boas, and even some of those sometimes musk if they're not in the mood to be picked up.
Carpet pythons are generally pretty easy to maintain too, but their dispositions are more variable among indivdual animals.

[Karilyne]

The only breeder who I would recommend for a true dwarf is Vincent Russo of Cutting Edge Herpetology. His Hog Island Boas are gorgeous and tiny. Also, my experience has been that the dwarf boas don't take as well to handling as their bigger cousins. I am on a wait list for a Hog this summer, but I purposely chose a man who breeds them for a slightly larger size, higher pink and blue coloration, and minimal speckling. The mom is gorgeous.

[Karilyne]

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I am very partial to Womas. They are very docile, seem to almost enjoy handling, a nice size, and they don't have any crazy husbandry requirements. Keep the warm spot at about 86 degrees...the cool side is at 78. They have an awesome feeding response...no worrying over skipped meals here.

[RAD House]

One thing that is quite important is how big of an enclosure are you willing to provide? Also just a side note but a hot spot of 86 degrees for a woma, an Australian species, seems really low. Even my native American colubrids do better at temps above 87 degrees.

[Andy_G]

With womas the ambient should be 80-85 and a hot spot of 90-92 should be given. If the hot spot is 86, you may run into potential R.I. problems.

In regards to the OP, I second the bull snake/carpet python recommendations!

[SerpentineDream]

Black milk snakes are cool. They are the biggest of the milk snakes and are found in the cloud forests of Costa Rica and Panama. As such they like cool temperatures. They are big, hefty, powerful snakes but very docile and laid back. Babies are tricolored like most banded milk snakes, but as they mature they darken to an iridescent black. They have strong feeding responses.

Womas are fascinating. I agree with Andy_G, temps ahould be a little warmer. They are graceful, curious and fun to watch. They have crazy feeding responses so watch yourself at mealtime. My woma is still figuring out that I am not edible.

[Karilyne]

Originally Posted by Andy_G

With womas the ambient should be 80-85 and a hot spot of 90-92 should be given. If the hot spot is 86, you may run into potential R.I. problems.

In regards to the OP, I second the bull snake/carpet python recommendations!

Just curious where you got that information from? I've looked all over and the recommendations are always in the 80's range. My Woma only hangs out on the warm side after being out of the tank for awhile, and spends all of her time hanging out on the cool side of her tank. I have a temp gun so I'm certain that the temp readings are correct. Could it just be individual preference? The author of the below article clearly states that although they live in the desert they spend the majority of their time in burrows where the temp is both cooler and more consistent.

Woma Python Care and Breeding
A
This recommends temps similar to where I have mine.

[Derek Roddy]

Originally Posted by Karilyne

Just curious where you got that information from? I've looked all over and the recommendations are always in the 80's range. My Woma only hangs out on the warm side after being out of the tank for awhile, and spends all of her time hanging out on the cool side of her tank. I have a temp gun so I'm certain that the temp readings are correct. Could it just be individual preference?

Woma Python Care and Breeding
A
This recommends temps similar to where I have mine.

The best place to get information about any species environment is to look at their environment.....not books, etc

Temps in Woma territory can get in excess of over 100 degrees most of the year....(during the day)

Because of this fact, they would need access to warmer temps than a tropical species, etc.

86 is great for ambient but, I offer mine a basking of at least 92/94 and they spend a good deal of time there during the day.

D