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corn snake, rosy boa, or other?

B

brandes

New member
getting my first snake in a week but after all my research i was initally going to go with ball pythons and am still kind of deciding,i have to see how big they are girth wise but from what i read i love there personality, not so active snakes, but this is why im debating rosy boa instead, i heard the girth is a golf ball whic seems a pretty good size, a snake that is a golf ball size girth to below a ball is good, i hope rosies are the same personality as balls im hoping someone can clear it up, i just want a big begginner snakebut i dont think as big as a ball, just cause of enclosure costs and food, anyways any suggestions? i heard corn snakes are long but girth is small id rather a fat snake
 
Either one can be a good first snake. With ball pythons getting one that is an established eater will go a long way towards enjoying your first snake :*)
 
Come On! This is a corn snake forum. Whaddya think we are gonna say! In all seriousness, all three snakes are considered good pet species. Search this site and iansvivarium.com for different color morph corns and you might just be swayed to get a corn.
 
I would always recommend a corn snake as a first snake. This is what I did before I got my carpet python and it really prepared me for everything.

BPs are known for being difficult to feed, so if you get one of those, make sure the one you´re getting has been eating well. Also, buy from a breeder because you never know with a pet store whether it´s WC or captive.

I´ve heard good things about rosies but I know very little about them. Most people seem to think they are really friendly in temperament. They aren´t exactly a wide-bodied species like BP, but they do get pretty big.
 
I have never owned a rosy boa but as for corns, they are obviously my favorite but they tend to be a bit more active whereas ball pythons are slower. If you get a younger corn you will have a snake that is go-go-going all the time you're holding it. Once a corn gets older they typically slow down, but I haven't had any of my older corns just sit still, they still tend to move just more slowly. But even as young snakes balls are typically pretty slow, they're the type more likely to curl up around your wrist or your neck and just sit there while you watch TV or go on the internet, but as Chris said its best to get one that is an established eater because balls tend to have phases where they just stop eating for no apparent reason. My friend had a ball that stopped eating for an entire year and they had to force feed it but it ended up dying. As a petsmart employee I often had people coming in with "my ball python stopped eating/hasn't eaten since I got it, what should I do?" scenarios. I have never had a problem with my corns eating aside from ones that refused to eat since hatching, which happens sometimes.
 
lol yes well i guess everyone would side with corn snakes but i just assumed you had more knowledge than me with snakes in general, and since you guys are all corrnsnake lovers i would assume you would be able to answer this how big do they grow width long? ive herd it was as big as a cap on a 2l pepsi bottle or 1 inch, im looking for a snake that would get 2-3 inches, balls get like 4 inches... so i guess what im looking for is a snake with the ball python demeanor but a little smaller in width, 7ft max, if there is ever a snake like that...
 
brandes said:
lol yes well i guess everyone would side with corn snakes but i just assumed you had more knowledge than me with snakes in general, and since you guys are all corrnsnake lovers i would assume you would be able to answer this how big do they grow width long? ive herd it was as big as a cap on a 2l pepsi bottle or 1 inch, im looking for a snake that would get 2-3 inches, balls get like 4 inches... so i guess what im looking for is a snake with the ball python demeanor but a little smaller in width, 7ft max, if there is ever a snake like that...
Click to expand...

Corn snakes get about the width of a garden hose an a little larger as adult size and normally get about 4´6-5ft long. I suppose the pepsi bottle cap comparison is pretty accurate.

Maybe you should consider a milk snake or a king snake as a first pet. I think those get a little thicker than corns. Check out different types of rat snakes.

Rosy boa probably meets your size requirements. Check out some other kinds of boas and pythons before you consider a rosy, though. Woma pythons also seem to meet your size requirements, and so do carpets (but carpets bite a lot as neonates)
 
I think more accurate adult size for a corn is 3-4 feet long. Rats are more 5-6 ft, my fiance knows someone with one that is pushing 8 ft but that I think is more rare. Our rat snake is thicker than our corns, too.

I would be more careful with a milk or king as a first pet because they tend to be even more energetic than corns. I have a few that are nice but you also run the risk of getting one like my Veil (Ghost honduran milksnake) who has never completely calmed down since we got him. When we first brought him home he'd bite like 10 times within the first five minutes of holding him. Now he only bites one or two times. Always he flings poo all over you, rubs it in your wounds and whatnot.....great snake. Veil I think is an extreme but milks and kings are definitely more hyper than corns on average.
 
Really? I haven´t seen adult corns shorter than 4 feet. They seem to get between 4 and 5 feet.

Yes, milks and kings are really energetic and I´d also say they´re more likely to musk than a corn.
 
yes herd king and milk snakes are more likely to musk, thats why im sticking with the python or boas breed, and because of the energy level, i think id prefer a low energy level, matches me more, nothing over 6 feet and nothing as wide as a ball python, i just think i dont have the space for like a 40-50 gall tank, i dont want to keep it cooped up in a small tank like that
 
You shouldn't need to keep a ball in a 40-50 gallon tank. A 30 gallon should be fine.

My yearling corn is about 2.5 feet long and I'm keeping him in a 10 gallon. It's just fine for now, but in a few months, I see potential need for an upgrade.
 
everyone takes for your input, i have decided to go with a rosy boa, i just have to ask, what is your opinion on buying over the internet, i dont want to buy from pet stores and finding a breeder in toronto may be hard,
 
There are quite a few breeders who sell online. Maybe someone can give you a suggestion. They usually ship overnight with live arrival guarantee, but you have to have certain highs/lows temp and be there to sign.
 
Buying over the internet is pretty standard. You should just check out whoever you are thinking of buying from on the Fauna BOI. Here is the link to the Canadian BOI.
http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=614

Then here are the two rosy breeders that I know of, that have great reps, they are in the US and don't ship to Canada but might be able to recommend a rosy breeder in Canada to you.
http://www.vmsherp.com/
http://www.rosyboas.to/

Both corns and rosys are awesome snakes, for different reasons but my male rosy is definitely my favorite to just sit and hold. Hope that helped some! And we need pictures of whatever you end up with!
 
I have kept all 3 species at one time or another. I still have 4 elderly rosy boas. I loved them but will never ever keep a ball python or get another rosy boa in my lifetime. I just love corns SO MUCH MORE!!!!!

In my opinion though, buying over the internet is definately the way to go.
 
I have all three species and love them equally. The baby Rosy Boa is the least active, and feels kind of "squishy" when compared to a BP or a Corn. It has a fantastic temperament and an enthusiastic feeding response.

My BP (I had 3, but rehomed 2 and kept my favorite) has a wonderful temperament, as they all seem to have. He is very bulky, heavy, and strong. Of all my snakes, the BPs are the most likely to go on hunger strikes, although they've always started eating for me again after a month or so.

The Corn Snakes are wonderful, varied but always beautiful, relatively inexpensive (compared to some BP morphs), easy to keep, and somewhat longer (in my own limited experience) than the other two species.

I will always be glad that my first pet snakes were my Corns. They make a wonderful species to start with (their husbandry needs are fairly easy to meet and maintain), and to compare with other species one might later decide to branch out to.

If I had it all to do over again, my first snake would STILL be a Corn snake.
 
My suggestion is to go to http://www.localityrosys.com/. Lots of info and breeders on that forum for Rosy Boas. Look at the localitys and see what kind you want. Lots to choose from.
My suggestion for a first snake tends to be Rosy Boas vs. other kinds because of the low humidity requirements, smaller cage needs and the fact they tend to be very good eaters.
 
I've only had 2 snakes in my life. A Garter when I was a kid, which was a great snake, and my corn. My corn ( a normal ) is now 3 years old, 50" long, 530 grams and about as big around as a roll of quarters, maybe a bit bigger. He's a great pet, and easy to take care of. He is always on the move. I've always wanted a big snake, but am smart enough to know I need something I can handle by myself, so my next snake will be a carpet python.
Good luck with your choice. All 3 seem like great pets.
 
I think a rosy is a great choice (however I'd go with a corn of course!).

Remember, if you want a snake for handling, a ball is not the choice! Not that it isn't safe necessarily, but unlike most corns and rosies (among others) who seem to enjoy the handling time, it really stresses out ball pythons in general, although obviously some individuals may be different.
 
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