Planning for 2nd snake purchase

[mugenjin]

So I've got snake fever , only had my corn for 2 weeks now but can't wait to get another snake. As much as I'm liking my corn I want to mix it up a bit. Even though if I had the $ I'd do it tomorrow , i'll probably wait ill till I upgrade my corn to a 40 gal viv and then put the 20gal long I have now to use for another snake. That doesn't mean I can't prepare for the future.

I've narrowed it down to 3 choices , all of which I understand are good "intermediate" snakes but if anyone has any other suggestions , I'm listening. So far it's down to a Ball python , Coastal carpet python or a Red tail boa.

From what I've read their needs are similar and temperaments too ? Only housing requirements as adults are different for the most part ?

From what I understand the coastal and red tail will be a lot larger as adults , requiring a larger than 40 gal preferably as adults ? If I choose one of those, better to get a male since I believe they are smaller ? The 20 gal long tank also would not last as long for those 2 species vs the ball ?

I really don't want to be biting off more than I can chew by getting a larger snake but everywhere I read , the coastal carpet and red tail are not listed as snakes requiring advanced handlers.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Nanci]

I haven't kept any of these, but that doesn't mean I don't have an opinion! Plus, you'll get bumped back up where someone who has these can help.

BPs can be difficult feeders. As your second snake, this might be hard for you to deal with.

Coastal carpet- I don't know anything, but I haven't heard anything bad, either, such as picky feeding, difficult husbandry, etc.

RTB- that is a big snake. A snake that could potentially kill you. (Just had it happen here in the US last week- great...) Which isn't to say they don't make sweet pets, but they are definitely a snake that you have to make accommodations for. It's possible that laws may restrict them in the future in some places.

Have you considered any of the kingsnakes or milksnakes? Florida King, California King, Mexican Black King, Mexican Black Milksnake...The care is similar to corns, you aren't going to have a feeding problem, any adult will easily fit in a 40 breeder.

 

[mugenjin]

I don't want to get another snake so similar to my corn. Variety is the spice of life

I didn't think RTB's were capable of killing humans. Males seem to be significantly smaller , an 8ft boa is not a danger to an adult human is it ?

I want to avoid a snake requiring anything larger than a 55 gal tank as an adult.

Doing some more research , a Dumeril's boa also seems like a good option. Not too large as an adult either.

 

[dickdeuel]

I have kept all three and wouldn't recommend any of them.

Ball pythons are not very interesting and about as much fun as a piece of rope. As Nanci stated the can be poor feeders and can stop for long periods of time. They also require hotter and dryer environments then corn snakes.

Coastal carpet pythons can be beautiful and great feeders, but get quite large (10-12 ft.) and are hard to handle when bigger. Food requirements for adults are several large or jumbo rats or medium rabbits. Coastals also like to climb and prefer a taller cage.

Red-tailed boas are very attractive and most can be easy to handle, but just lay around most of the time. They get bigger in length and mass than the carpet pythons and eventually will require a large cage. It's also no fun to get bit by a large adult, and it will happen! Food requirements are about the same as for the carpet python.

Nanci gave a good list of more enjoyable and active snakes for you to consider. Another suggestion if you are looking at pythons is Children's (Spotted) pythons. They only get about four feet long and are great feeders on just mice.

Good luck with what ever you choose.

 

[Daenerys]

If you want a RTB but don't want a snake that gets that big you could get a smaller yet similar boa species, like a hog island boa. Hogs are a dwarf species and shouldn't get more than about 6 feet in length as adults and are the same as far as husbandry goes.

 

[oneirogenesis]

If you like carpets, I would highly recommend an Irian Jaya as opposed to a coastal. They are the smallest of the carpet pythons, usually not getting longer than 6 ft. You still need to be prepared to invest in a 40gal+ enclosure with enough branches for them to climb on. My IJ girl is a little on the shy side, but not at all aggressive, eats well and is out of her hide hanging out on her branches most of the time. She's a great display snake and not bad for handling either.

 

[oneirogenesis]

Sorry for the double post, but thought I should include a picture of my girl:

She'll be turning two in the fall and is just about 4 ft long.

 

[Nanci]

I didn't think RTB's were capable of killing humans. Males seem to be significantly smaller , an 8ft boa is not a danger to an adult human is it ?

June 10th 2010

A Nebraska man was strangled to death by his pet boa constrictor while showing the snake to a friend, police reported on Thursday.

Cory Byrne was pronounced dead Wednesday after police and paramedics loosened the 9-foot, 25-pound snake's deadly squeeze, said police.

The Nebraska Humane Society in Omaha, which currently has custody of the red-tailed constrictor, has not been able to determine what prompted the attack.

The boa seemed to be well-fed, according to the Humane Society's spokesman, Mark Langan.

"The sad reality is, whether it's a dog or a cat or snake, no matter how much you trust an animal, they react unpredictably in certain situations," Langan said. "Once a snake clamps down like that, they're extremely strong. It would have been very difficult for one person to remove that snake."

Langan added that, as far as he knows, this is the first fatality from a pet snake in Nebraska.

While the Humane Society of the United States claims that at least 13 people have been killed by pet pythons in the U.S. since 1980, this may be the first time anyone has been slain by a pet boa constrictor, said Beth Preiss, the society's captive wildlife regulation expert.

The ownerless-boa will stay in the Nebraska Humane Society's care until it can be placed in a zoo or sanctuary.

With News Wire Services

**********************

I'm not saying don't get one; I'm saying a cute little baby will grow up into a big, powerful snake. Snakes like large boas and pythons, and sulcata tortoises, seem like good pets as babies, but unless you are willing to plan the next 20 years or more of your life around a large reptile, it's not fair taking on an animal you will eventually have to rehome.

Here's a cool article about handling large snakes safely:

http://www.anapsid.org/handling.html

 

[mugenjin]

Wow , an 8 footer managed to kill someone , even with someone else there ?

Size for me is a problem for me if

1- I can't handle it alone as an adult safely.
2- A 20 gal long tank won't last 2 years for a hatchling.
3- Would require a viv larger than 55 gal as an adult.

Any of these disqualify the coastal carpet ?

And since my corn seems to be quite active , I don't mind a more lethargic snake but if it just sits on my lap , never moving , that does seem a bit on the boring side.

I'll def. look more into the IJ and Children's python or Hog Island Boa.

So far I'm leaning towards the coastal despite it's size. The jaguar morph is really something else. The look of the snake isn't a major factor for me though.

 

[mugenjin]

Looks like the jaguar morph is also available for Jaya's.

Unless these are very expensive i'm sold on the Irian Jaya's. I don't want to be spending over 500$ at most.

 

[A10Airknight]

What about a Nicaraguan Boa?

They are a subspecies of Boa Constrictors, look basically the same (more of a circular back pattern and the red tends to not be quite as vibrant), have similar care, and grow to a max of 5 feet. I love mine.

They have a reputation for being Nippy and bitey, but if you talk to the breeder you get the animal from it should not be much of an issue.

 

[Nanci]

Nic boas are really cool!! And doesn't Becky have some for sale? Cute little babies!!

 

[mugenjin]

Alright , so I've eliminated the RTB , ball python doesn't seem likely considering I can get a similarly sized snake with a similar temperament but more active.

Children's pythons seem a bit on the small side and I do want to get used to handling and getting bitten by a larger snake.

I'd be willing to make some sacrifices for a jaguar morph since I don't think anything looks as nice but not my #1 priority.

Seems like a lot of the lesser knows species of boa and python actually are ideal "intermediate" snakes, just so many to choose from. I'll take a look at the nicaraguan boa.

Also seems like so many of the striking morphs are also the most expensive. Frustrating to see something that catches your eye only to find out it's way too expensive.

 

[A10Airknight]

The striking morphs for Nicaraguan Boas are also way too expensive, but the normals are relatively cheap (I picked mine up for $40 at a show) and beautiful too.

Nanci, Becky did have several for sale, but Im pretty sure she sold them all. She does have a few for sale that have hets, but I think those are going as a group.

If you want to see what a Nic looks like, below is a link with pictures of my little girl.

http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=99938

 

[mugenjin]

The Nic and Hog Island boa's both look nice too. I'm liking these along with the IJ.

 

[Teddy Roosevelt]

I know that they aren't any of the ones you mentioned, but you should look into Rosy Boas! They stay smaller than most corns (length wise) but they've got interesting personalities and they're quite slow (though by no means lumps).

 

[MysticExotics]

At some point, down the road, I want to add carpet pythons to my collection.
I will likely get an IJ (Irian Jaya), partially, because they are the smaller of the carpets.
However, they can get good sized..
Here's a girl that is about 15yrs old...(they are new friends of mine, that have a 16yr old male, that is a bit bigger as well).

They also have a Bredl's python, that I am in love with! She's a beautiful young girl, very sweet dispo. (She fell asleep in my arms, while we were standing outside).

 

[mugenjin]

I know that they aren't any of the ones you mentioned, but you should look into Rosy Boas! They stay smaller than most corns (length wise) but they've got interesting personalities and they're quite slow (though by no means lumps).

Don't really like their look to be honest. They seem to resemble fat milksnakes and I was looking for something with more of a classic boa or python look.

Was looking at hog island boa's and all seemed to have 2 distinct patterns on their bodies , with the tail end always different. Is that a characteristic of HI boa's ? I think I prefer a uniform pattern.

 

[srsb]

My 2 cents:

~Yes, Dumerils can get very large.

~And, 55 gallon tanks are not great for terrestrial snakes. They are "big" tanks, but comparatively small floor space. They are quite narrow, but have a lot of wasted space up top. A 75 gallon tank will give you much more floor space. Or even a 30 or 40 gallon breeder tank offers more usable space for a terrestrial snake than a 55 gallon tank.

 

[srsb]

My 2 cents:

~Yes, Dumerils can get very large.

~And, 55 gallon tanks are not great for terrestrial snakes. They are "big" tanks, but comparatively small floor space. They are quite narrow, but have a lot of wasted space up top. A 75 gallon tank will give you much more floor space. Or even a 30 or 40 gallon breeder tank offers more usable space for a terrestrial snake than a 55 gallon tank.