What to go for?

Baby "G" · 04-04-03, 02:18 PM

Hello everybody!!
I really want a pet that me and my boyfriend can interact with, since we can’t really do that with our frogs. So...I was just wondering what everyone thought would be the best pet we could get or at least consider (nothing furry, and nothing with more then 4 legs). We’re planning on getting a beardie hopefully this summer, and I’m hoping they’ll want more attention then our froggies do.

Well thanks for your ideas

Baby “G”

HetForHuman · 04-04-03, 02:26 PM

a beardie sounds cool, that would deff be a good pet to interact with.
how about a snake???
ball pythons are a good first snake. as long as you meet their requirements. go reading around im sure youll find something youll both like.

LdyDrgn · 04-04-03, 02:38 PM

Bearded dragons are a total kick! I love the one we have, he has so much personality. The thing to remember with them, though, is they require UVB. Keep babies on newspaper or papertowels, not sand, feed 70-80% vegetable matter and never leave the crickets in with them.

There are more things to know, this is just a beginning FYI. Good luck!

snakemann87 · 04-04-03, 02:45 PM

Leopard geckos are great for a lizard. If you would like a snake, a corn snake, kingsnake, or ball python are all great choices.

hip · 04-04-03, 02:52 PM

Well I find balls are a little to much for firstime keepers(they do go off the feed and are very fussy about prey some times)Rosie boas are awesome first snakes easy to care for good feeders are very placid and calm do not get too large 3' or so Childrens pythons are also a good choice and do not get too large and are easy to care for and are great feeders.reasearch before you buy so you know what you are getting into before you become responsable for a life. Best of luck

Hip

snakemann87 · 04-04-03, 02:57 PM

Not neccesarily all the time. They have the tendancy, but if you obtain a CB specimen, and keep his husbandry good enough he/she should be fine.

Baby "G" · 04-04-03, 03:44 PM

We were also thinking about getting a redtail boa, and possibly a a ball python, but that won't be for a while yet...But what ever we get we'll be doing a lot of research first, We want to make sure we can give the best home for whatever pet we do deside to get.

PS: Does anybody know if beardies can loose their tails?

LdyDrgn · 04-04-03, 04:22 PM

They don't break off like most lizard tails. Usually they lose them due to bites, infections or retained shed that has cut off circulation.

snakemann87 · 04-04-03, 04:39 PM

A redtail boa is a great choice, as long as you can handle the possible size they can attain. I'm glad to here your going to do the best you can to get all the info possible. An example of someone who obviously didn't do their research would be my friend. He has had it for three years, and I met him 1 year ago. I walked in yesterday to see it, and he has the snake in one of those cages for chameleons, no heat lamp, no heat pad, but a heat rock. He feeds live all the time, he and his parents think that it will get no bigger than its cage, and that it is poisonous to snakes only, because it can eat other snakes. I'm not sure how he came to that conclusion because I havent heard of an animal that is toxic only to other snakes. I tried to explain that he WILL get bigger than his cage, and not to use a heat pad. But there was NOOOO way they would have it that they are wrong(the mother). His mom isn't very straight in the head(no joke), and she kept on saying that it wont get any bigger etc. She finally got so mad while I was explaining that she told me to get out of her house!!

hip · 04-04-03, 05:01 PM

Well for a first snake I would warn you against getting a red tail boa or any of the large boids period.Do you have the room for a snake that will or could reach 10 feet and weigh up to 60 pounds?Will you be able to take care of such a serpent for 15-20 years or even longer?(they have long life spans if given proper care.)A boa 6 feet or longer is a very powerfull animal and when they wrap around you and do not want to let go you will not make them if they don't want to.I am a pretty good size dude and I can't make a full grown boa unwrap from me when it doesen't want to.

I can't make you do anything that you do not wan't too I can only offer my opinion(I have been keeping snakes for around 20 years or so) I have to stress that a full grown boa constrictor (even if it is a columbian) is a very fast large powerfull animal,and as I have said before many times only the "Tame" snake injures or kills it's keeper.I am not trying to put you off boas (that is all I keep now) I just want you to be sure you know what you are getting into cause it is only fair to the snake you plan on keeping and to you the keeper to be prepared and being prepaerd comes from experience (time effort and patience)I started with garters way back when I was a kid and worked my way up to were I am now. I will probably get a lot of flack from some over what I have said but at the end of the day the choice is yours and yours alone.As I had said before I do hope it all works out for you.

Peace

Hip

Ps ask some other boid keepers like linds or Jeff flavelle or chris marshell or people who have kept large boids in the past like Roy Stockwell as well as so many others and see what they say,It never hurts to have a range of opinions to go with.

LdyDrgn · 04-04-03, 05:16 PM

I keep large boids. My advice on that would be to never handle any boa over 6 feet by yourself. Rule of thumb is 1 person per 5-6 feet.

Now, on another note, I can handle my 8 foot female bci with no problems (and I'm a teeny thing). It all comes down to really knowing the animal. There is a 6 foot male bci here I would not handle alone, nor would I handle the 6.5 foot male Moluccan python by myself.

If you really want to get a bci, I would suggest a male Colombian or either sex of a Hogg Island since they do not get as big as mainland bci.

Baby "G" · 04-04-03, 05:38 PM

We're not really looking into getting such a large snake for a while yet, not until we know we have the space, the money and most importantly the experience working with herps. For now I just want a pet I can handle more.

Thanks for sharing your opinions.

Baby "G"

Burmies · 04-04-03, 09:06 PM

I would go with a Ball Python to start with if you would like to go with a snake.

Burmies

ThEmAdHaTtEr · 04-04-03, 09:53 PM

I say the beardie, they are VERY awesome.

Tim and Julie B · 04-04-03, 10:26 PM

Well, as for snakes, a king snake is awesome-lizards, beardies and blue tongues. Depends on what you mean by interact with. Usually beardies and blue tongues are good pets 'cause they learn who their owner is and to appreciate time with them(from experience) Good luck. You could always try herp-sitting some things to see what you like best, except you need to know people who have a lot.