My second snake... what should it be?

So I am contemplating getting my second snake this summer. Hokie is doing very well- thriving, really, with gorgeous colors and almost 24" long (he was 10" when I got him around the first of September). So I am considering getting a new snake.

I am seriously looking at mexican black kingsnakes. I also like african house snakes. If it were solely up to me, I'd be pretty severely tempted to get a Ball Python. I like "dog face" snakes. My significant other does not. If I pushed, I could probably get her to yield on it, but I don't know if I want one that bad....

I've read pretty much everything I can on these three (there's not much out there about house snakes....) Any thoughts? Am I missing something? I'd like a different species than a corn snake. Corns are awesome, but I'd like a little diversity.

My first two snakes were corns, and then I jumped into what is currently my all time favorite snake - boa constrictor imperator.

as long as you have room for a 6x2 cage, they're really not all that difficult to take care of, IMO. My biggest problem is temp and humidty management, and they're still very healthy snakes with great feeding responses. Plus, they're more docile than any colubrid I've ever held. Colubrids tend to be more flighty in my experience, possibly because they're small and therefore a prey item in the wild. My BCI's seem to know that they're too big to be food, so they are very very relaxed snakes. I've never been struck at by one of my BCI's (although I've been tagged by one that was dumped on me at work), but I've been hit quite a bit by colubrids.

Corns are cool and all, and kings are fun to feed, but Boa Constrictor Imperator is where it's at for me.

EDIT: And if you're really against trying out a boid, plane jane Pantherophis Obsoletus (Black Rat Snakes) are great, too. Those are my favorite colubrids, and they come in some cool looking morphs (my favorites are wild type, rusty, and leucistic)

I'd vote for any kingsnake.

Nanci

Shade said:

as long as you have room for a 6x2 cage, they're really not all that difficult to take care of, IMO.

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Oh man!! Wouldn't I love to have a boa constrictor?? H*** yes!! The S.O. would most definitely nix that though... maybe I should suggest THAT and then the 6' ball python might look more reasonable?! :grin01:

Nanci... we had a California Kingsnake in my biology class in HS. Wonderful snake that never bit or musked any of us. Apparently that king snake never read the manual that said that kingsnakes are tail-rattling, poo-slinging muskers! Kings are high on my list... and the MBK's shiny blackness appeals to my S.O.

Hypancistrus said:

Apparently that king snake never read the manual that said that kingsnakes are tail-rattling, poo-slinging muskers!

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I think "The Poo-Slinging Muskers" would be a great name for a band. :grin01:

IMO, if you're going to stay with colubrids, I'd go with an MBK. I did.

If you're going to move to boids, BCC or BCI. I did. :cheers:

regards,
jazz

The one thing that worries me about BP's is their seemingly extra-finnicky feeding habits... eek! Wouldn't have that issue with a BCI. So maybe go with the MBK for now and spend a year or two sweetening up the deal for the BCI?? :grin01:

Hypancistrus said:

The one thing that worries me about BP's is their seemingly extra-finnicky feeding habits... eek! Wouldn't have that issue with a BCI. So maybe go with the MBK for now and spend a year or two sweetening up the deal for the BCI?? :grin01:

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Alternatively, you could look into the dwarf varieties of BCI.

Possibly. Might have to do some more research into them. Thanks for the ideas gents and ladies.

Hypancistrus said:

The one thing that worries me about BP's is their seemingly extra-finnicky feeding habits... eek! Wouldn't have that issue with a BCI. So maybe go with the MBK for now and spend a year or two sweetening up the deal for the BCI?? :grin01:

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I have 2 BP hatchlings and 1 BCI hatchling. I always preferred the idea of a BCI over a BP, but now that I have them all I really prefer the BP's. The boa is beautiful, but she doesn't have much of a personality. The BP's are adorable and extremely active. One of them hasn't eaten yet in the 3 weeks that I've had her, but the other one has a killer feeding response. He has eaten several times with me, and he's just as happy with F/T as with live. His feeding response is so great that my first bite actually came from him!

My husband was a hard-core BCI fan at first too, and now I think even he likes the BP's better.

MBK is on my list for next month's reptile show.

BP's not feeding is blown way out of proportion.
During breeding season some may go off feed but it's not as bad as some make it out to be.

Does this girl look like she refuses food?

If you get a MBK, you can join the exclusive club here at Cornsnakes.com.

I am not just a spokes person for the club but a member as well. I own 3 of these guys and I love them.

I agree with SPJ, BP's are not hard to look after providing you get one from the right place. IMO, it MUST be captive bred and be a young snake. Mine are bot 06's and have not refused a meal. The only thing is with mine, they have to think that the mouse is alive. They are not interested in picking a dead one up off the floor like my Corn.

Id go for either a King or a BP. Ive never had a BCI but really want one. Thats something for when ive left home!

This is my female BP.

My second snake was a BP. They're awesome and you should definetly consider one!