Beginner Snakes

[BeckyFish97]

YIPES snakes!!!how do you not scream when you see them?!

[Cattitude]

Originally Posted by BeckyFish97

YIPES snakes!!!how do you not scream when you see them?!

LOL I guess my tarantulas distract me.

But snakes in general don't wriggle or move about much. My python stays curled under his cork bark most of the time. The spiders hide or sit still most of the time too. Both species are beautiful and interesting in their own way.

That's why I like bettas, they move around more and are beautiful in a different way.

[youlovegnats]

Originally Posted by BeckyFish97

YIPES snakes!!!how do you not scream when you see them?!

Because society has put into people's brains that they're scary. Just with any other "fear" of other creatures. I don't find animals scary, because they aren't meant to be. It's nature, not a sci-fi movie. :P
--------------------------------------------------------------
BL2033:: You could also try a Hog Nose snake. Those tend to fake bite, but if actually bitten you may see a lot of swelling (they're semi-poisonous). But they're small snakes.

Snakes that bite really have nothing to do with the breed. It's like saying "oh all Pit Bulls like to rip people's faces off"...that's just completely untrue. Yes, some breeds tend to be more agressive than others (such as King snakes and some Boas). You should start off with a Corn :) They're much less inclines to bite people. The breeder who I got my snakes from is up in Cincinatti...so that might be a tad far for you, lol. I'd try going to any local Reptile shows. They're really fun and the breeders there sell for REALLY cheap. I got my sand boa there for $20, when in the petstore they're selling an adult female (who is never handled because she bites, and has been there for over 3 years) for over $100. @___@;
It's best to go to a show because the breeders there will let you handle everything- so your guaranteed to get a nice snake. :)

[nel3]

i do agree with going to reptile shows for the animals. i could've taken a asian vine snake home for $30. didnt do so as i had no space, no ideas on care requirements and to tell the truth glad i didnt. vine snakes are picky, apparently intermediate level, wont take too well with rodents and prefer lizards as food. some breeders might not drop prices as willing as others, saw many cresties going for atleast $60 minimum.

[betta lover1507]

NEVER GET A KINGSNAKE AS A FIRST SNAKE NOR MILKSNAKE
they are very hard to handle, and can easily bite. i would suggest:
ball python
corn snake
hognose
garter snake
florida green snake

there might be more, but those are the ones we had before and nothing ever went wrong.
though getting a hognose is pricey, the good thing about hognoses that they rarely ever bite, they'll bluff what i mean by bluff is that instead if taking a grab of you they some what head-but you. bad thing is there hyper and they have a certain poison that swells where you have been bitten, it's not fatal. females reach to 4 feet, and male reach to 2 feet.
ball pythons are easy to find and really calm with you, sometimes there mean. we only have one out of like 5 pythons we have one mean one because she isn't used to people and she is just a hatchling. but there big reach to like 5 or 6 feet (i forgot around that) though females will always be bigger.
there slower and won't go crazy all over the place when you hold them, because since they have a bigger body they won't move as much.
corn snakes these are great beginner snakes, not as pricey as the other two but they reach to 6 feet as well (for females). they are really nice and gentle, but they are energetic since there body is more slim. they have beautiful colorations that don't reach to like $1000 like hognoses or ball pythons. we have a juvenile, and she is really loveable, though kinda hyper.
garter snakes i don't know the average size of them since i haven't had them for a long time. good beginner snakes, you could also feed them crickets or worms unlike other snakes eat mice, toads, etc. so there more simpler for care as well. not much of a wide coloration. but they are nice to have around :) i think they don't really have razor sharp teeth either (am not sure)
green florida snakes i think they get a bit bigger than garter's, but they have a beautiful green, and a unique face. good beginner. they also have a nice yellow on them to. also we haven't had one for a while, and they don't live as long as pythons or anything, i think it was 4 years. am not sure with the colorations. but we fed ours pinkies (new born mice).
so i wouldn't get a king snake as a first snake.
pics:
ball python:

hognose:

corn snake:

garter snake:

green Florida snake:

[betta lover1507]

here's a pic of a king snake:


she was a mean sucker XP SHE TRIED TO EAT OUR CORNSNAKE!!!! o-0

[Olympia]

BL1507.... I can't believe you'd have your king snake around your corn... That is a horrible thing to do. King snakes SPECIALTY is eating other snakes. That's the main component of their diet in the wild... They are even immune to venom, and are often released to control venomous snake populations in urban areas... Of course he tried to eat your corn, that's his favourite food...

I think you could find a lovely well handled king/milk snake at a reptile show, already sexed so you have a good idea of future size.
Posted via Mobile Device

[betta lover1507]

i only keep an albino ball python and a hog nose. the rest aren't mine my brother done that. that's why i said "Our"
we gave away the king for a spider ball python female, she had a respiratory infection, 4 days before the machine we bought came in she passed away.

[dramaqueen]

I think going to a reptile show would be a good thing to do. We had a member here, CodeRed who has 2 cornsnakes and an African house snake. Too bad she doesn't come to the forum anymore. She knows a LOT about snakes. I think she started out by going to reptile shows if I'm remembering correctly.

[tpocicat]

My daughter has an albino jungle corn (cross between king and corn). He is really nice and won't bite unless he is getting ready to shed. I think he bites at that time because he can't see very well, and only sees movement.
My personal favorites are the corn snake. They come in a LOT of beautiful colors.