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good second snake ?

Criosphynx said:
I honestly think regular red tail boas (BCI) are going to be easier on som' keepers than ball pythons, in spite of the size...I rarely hear new snake keepers ripping their hair out over a boa not eating or having bad sheds...ball pythons can be a bit hard to read for a novice IMO. Either snake is much more expensive to feed/house.

That said what do you think of another colubrid? Like a kingsnake? Or a gophersnake?

Or even a sand or rosy boa?
Click to expand...

I guess we'll have to disagree on that...
The size is a big factor in my book... and some can be quite aggressive to begin with.
Your opinion is just as valid as mine though :)
 
I do have to agree with RTBs being easier to care for! BPs are notorious for being finicky eaters(I have one!) and I also have one that no matter how top-notch my humidity is,sheds horribly! I've never had a problem feeding my RTB and each shed has been one solid beautiful shed. The only reason I would advice against and RTB would be size. Other than that,though,I think they're great snakes!
 
Criosphynx i know i know nuthin compared to you on the subject but size is a big factor for me and at the moment im quite set on a BP though and im prepared to spend the time and dedication the animal needs :)
 
I don't know what bloodlines you are dealing with, but "some can be aggressive" can also apply to cornsnakes...or any snake.

Som' people size is not an issue, but willingness to take frozen food, or to feed readily in general is an issue...like I said, for som' owners its better if they want a reliable snake.
 
speirsaaron said:
Criosphynx i know i know nuthin compared to you on the subject but size is a big factor for me and at the moment im quite set on a BP though and im prepared to spend the time and dedication the animal needs :)
Click to expand...

haha then perhaps this should be a "I want a ball python tell me about them" type thread...lol

In all honesty I NEVER recomend them...seriously. Unless som'one walks in and says "I have to have a BP, nothing else" I don't even show them to people. They can be such a headache.
 
Another suggestion would be a black milksnake. They do get a bit larger than a cornsnake, but their care requirements are much more similiar to a cornsnake and I think would be a little easier than a BP or a RTB.
 
im not set on buying the BP yet but im set on learnin about them and what not because i would like to get one .. sorry btw i keep gettin my sentences mixed up and sayin the wrong thing lol
 
your fine...we are the ones jumping back and forth.

so that said what do you think about another colubrid? Just a harder one?
 
snakemaster24 said:
You have a corn so I would personally stick with corns.
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This is like saying..."Just go ahead and limit your knowledge and experience to one species of snake....you've already started with one, just stick with it."

It's ridiculous coming from someone with 7+ Species listed in his signature.


To the OP....yes BP's are great second snakes. They are great first snakes....
I have a link to an EXCELLENT care sheet, just in case you are wanting to read one more :)

And I have had a few of them, and actually just got a new one this last week. If you have any questions, you can hit me up via PM or Visitor Message....

Good luck,
Josh
 
i actually might be interested in another colubrid ... my reason for wantin a BP is that i liked them for a long time but never thought of buyin one because i was younger but now that im nearly 17 and well able to handle a bigger snake i thought id see about a BP because iv been interested and liked um for a while. and i wanted to "upgrade" (dunno if that the right word) to a bigger snake :)
 
I'm with Chrisophynx on BPs...they can be delightful, or they can be a massive headache from start to finish.

I'd be more likely to recommend a King, Milk, Bull/Pine/Gopher (they can be testy, but they are easier to keep than BPs and a lot of fun IMO), or another species of ratsnake.

But if a Ball is what you have your hear set on, go for it. I'm sure you know to be careful about where you buy it and be certain you get one that is already feeding well.

Good luck with whichever snake you decide to add to your family. :)
 
I think a BP or a BCI are both a great choice due to all the facts listed here. Also, male BCI do NOT get that big and you can have the snake grow to a normal size rather than huge by feeding it properly. I try to keep my BCI on the smaller size because I'm not breeding them, its cheaper, and healthier for the snake in the long run. Let us know what you decide on, and if you're interested in boas, shoot Tule Montage (Elle) a PM on here. She loves her boas and is in Scotland so she may be able to help you find a place to get a nice BCI or island BCI that don't get as large either. Hope that helps :cool:
 
BPS are ok...I had them in the past. I did have one go 10 months without eating, and they are more difficult than corns....and to me they all look the same....

If you want something bigger though, think about a Florida King...I have one and I ADORE her! She is much easier than the ball pythons ever were, and she is BIG. And I know people who have MBKs that swear by them.

So, please, before you decide, just check out those 2 species too.
 
THANK YOU EVERYONE :D never thought id get this much help and am soo glad theres people here who in my opinion are genius's :p but i dont think id go for a boa i dont think im ready for sumthin that large yet and im takein all the ppl sayin that there picky eaters into account but would like you all to know that im prepared for this and will try to find a snake that is already a good eater if i go for a BP :)
 
To the general question- are BP's a good second snake?
yes.
Beyond that, it's really just a matter of taste.

I personally prefer them over many colubrids, but Boas are my favorite.
As much as I love Boas, I also do not recommend them lightly.
As the general direction was BP's, I didn't mention BCI's- they get bigger than Ball Pythons, period, and quite a bit more.
Some male BCI don't exceed 5.6 feet... but there are also quite a few that get to 6 and above- no one can promise you that they will remain small(unless you go for the dwarf snakes).

BCI's are easy enough to care for, same as Ball pythons with less feeding issues.
The size however IMHO is vastly different, you can't compare a BCI to a ball python... not in muscle mass, not in behavior, nothing, really. That's a personal opinion- coming from someone who BCI's make most of his collection.

In my book, they are simply the best snake out there
 
Criosphynx said:
I don't know what bloodlines you are dealing with, but "some can be aggressive" can also apply to cornsnakes...or any snake.

Som' people size is not an issue, but willingness to take frozen food, or to feed readily in general is an issue...like I said, for som' owners its better if they want a reliable snake.
Click to expand...

It sounds like you might of had some bad experiences with BP's. Not everyone does.



To the OP.. Go with a BP.. I've never personally owned one or never really gotten into them. But they seem to be a very good snake. Yes they have feeding problems. But every snake seems to have some sort of problem.

Good luck1
 
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