Rosy Boa vs Garter Snake?

[A10Airknight]

I just had an interesting question at work from a woman who is looking to do hands on programs using native california snakes at Cal Academy. She was looking to use King Snake, Gopher Snake, and Garter Snake (didnt specify specific species).

For a hands on program like this, I was going to recommend going with a Rosy Boa over a Garter. What are your thoughts?

 

[beeluvzsnakes]

i would go with the garter snake over a rosy boa. im not fan of rosy boas. ot of all three i would definitly choose the cal king snake.

 

[gelshark]

Garters in my experience seem to have jumpier movements than I like for a good hands on activity, although their feel is a lot different than say a corn snake.

 

[Irish Eyes (Mrs.Z)]

Bee, just curious--why don't you like rosy boas? I have one, and it's a sweetheart. Doesn't run away or get tweeky about being handled, either (unlike any garter snake I've ever known, for example .

I don't know what I'd recommend. I guess it depends on what your friend wants to do with it, exactly. My kingsnakes of various kinds are all spastic at times, and I even rehomed one because he wouldn't stop musking every time we had to handle him. But they're beautiful, and they get big enough to have that "cool" factor in their favor .

Around here, at least, garter snakes are common. They look cool in a naturalistic environment, since they seem to like a lot of water around. But I've never met one that was calm, at least by my definition.

Rosies? I don't know. Mine is slow moving, calm, pretty, and doesn't musk, strike or bite. Might not be exciting enough for certain age groups, I'm thinking. But it won't get too big, and its pretty orange stripes are almost mesmerizing .

 

[beeluvzsnakes]

my dislike for rosy boas is simply personal preferance. i perfer snakes that hav thinner necks and more defined heads. lol. ive never owned one but everyone has certain traits that they gravitate too in a snake. i also prefer the color variety that corns have.

 

[Nanci]

I have a rosy boa. I love her. Let's see, which snake would be better for a hands on program? Flighty, musky, fast garter snake, or big fat slug of a rosy boa.

I took my rosy boa to work a couple weeks ago. Someone I was working with had a life-long deathly fear of snakes. She was even having nightmares about them from working a rotation with me.

Look at her now! She asked to get Noah out three additional times after the first meeting! She's made me promise to bring Noah again in February, as well as additional snakes, when she does a rotation with me in February!

 

[Hypancistrus]

Definitely. Garters are musky and flighty, while a well-tamed Rosy isn't.

 

[ZoologyGirl]

I agree with what most of the others have stated....for a hands on program I'd go with a rosy over a garter.

 

[Nanci]

I think there is a lot to be said about Rosys, also, in terms of conservation.

 

[ShenziSixaxis]

Unless you want a flighty snake that has more specialized food needs, Rosy.

 

[tyflier]

Native California snakes, for a California school... What age are the kids?

Depending on where the academy is located, I would try to find/use local wildlife. There are garters in California that aren't found anywhere else, and that might be more interesting than a slug of a rosy boa. There are also some great hands-on opportunities with any of the 3 gophersnake species and the 2 kingsnake species native to California.

When I hear the word "academy", I picture one of two things...a college-level institution or a "knuckle-head high" for kids with behavioral problems. Either one might be a candidate for a more active snake such as a king or a Pacific Gopher...

 

[atmox]

Native California snakes, for a California school... What age are the kids?

Depending on where the academy is located, I would try to find/use local wildlife. There are garters in California that aren't found anywhere else, and that might be more interesting than a slug of a rosy boa. There are also some great hands-on opportunities with any of the 3 gophersnake species and the 2 kingsnake species native to California.

When I hear the word "academy", I picture one of two things...a college-level institution or a "knuckle-head high" for kids with behavioral problems. Either one might be a candidate for a more active snake such as a king or a Pacific Gopher...

I don't think anyone would choose to hold a flighty snake for the first time over a calm snake.

 

[Jessicat]

:-offtopic

I have a rosy boa. I love her.

Nanci, did Noah turn out to be a female?!

 

[HeavenHell]

Unless you want a flighty snake that has more specialized food needs

Actually I had Garters when I was a kid. I fed the babies nightcrawlers and the adults minnows. Both were easily obtained from a local bait store.

 

[tyflier]

I don't think anyone would choose to hold a flighty snake for the first time over a calm snake.

Holding the snake isn't the main point when I give a demonstration at a school, unless it is for very young kids. For teenagers and college students, I use local animals that are more for identification, natural history, and presentation purposes. If they want to hold it, they are welcome to. I also usually have a few different species.

That's why I started out asking what age the kids were, and went on to explain what the term "academy" implied to me. If I am wrong in my presumption about the word "academy" so be it...bring the rosy.

 

[Dreamsnake]

When I lived in Independence, CA I was under direct orders not to pick up a single snake I found, so I only know the snake population from books, but I think a calm snake is better than a stinker.

 

[Nanci]

Well, I'm not saying I hate garter snakes! I grew up catching and releasing every garter snake I saw, which was hundreds of them. Maybe that's why most other snake musk, barring Cali Kings, doesn't phase me, and neither do bites from corns!!

Jess, Noah is now presumed female. If she has spurs, I can't find them!!

I think one thing that has always intrigued me about rosy boas is that they, and the rubber boa- another cool snake, are the only boas native to North America. They seem foreign and weird to me. Garter snakes are _everywhere_. What snake-loving kid, anywhere from Florida to Canada, California to the east coast, can't go hunt them? Sure there are a ton of interesting subspecies. But a boa- that is a snake that is mysterious. Tropical. What is it doing in the desert, in the mountains? Rubber boas are active in light snow?? What odd and intriguing snakes.

 

[A10Airknight]

Native California snakes, for a California school... What age are the kids?

When I hear the word "academy", I picture one of two things...a college-level institution or a "knuckle-head high" for kids with behavioral problems. Either one might be a candidate for a more active snake such as a king or a Pacific Gopher...

Im not actually sure, although Ive known some high school academies that are for top high school students as well. I do know that the individual plans on using Kingsnakes and Gophers as well, so the students will have access to seeing those animals.

Thank you to everyone who has given input!

 

[tyflier]

When I lived in Independence, CA I was under direct orders not to pick up a single snake I found, so I only know the snake population from books, but I think a calm snake is better than a stinker.

That's odd...there is nothing in Independance that is super dangerous. There are Panamints and Mojave Sidewinders, but nothing else that will hurt you. And neither of those species have ever recorded a fatal bite, though a bite would require medicl treatment...

 

[ShenziSixaxis]

Actually I had Garters when I was a kid. I fed the babies nightcrawlers and the adults minnows. Both were easily obtained from a local bait store.

Perhaps, but those aren't exactly easy to buy in bulk and freeze (at least, in my head it's saying freezing slimy and wet things would be hard to deal with).