What type of snake is best for me?

[mrspicynacho]

Hi,
I'm new to this forum and new to snake ownership.
That said, I'm not entirely new to herpetology, I've owned geckos before and I have a decent amount of experience with handling snakes.

So, I'm probably posting this in the wrong place, but:
What type (breed?) of snake would you recommend for me?
These are my requirements:
-less than 5 ft long full grown (male)
-not too aggressive, won't be handled too much but I want something I can be comfortable holding
-under $100 (not including shipping if I purchase it online)
-can tolerate high heat (90+ degrees sometimes in the summer) and low humidity

Okay, those are my basic requirements for it, but appearance is also a large factor for me. I think most people would recommend a corn snake for someone like me, but there's just something about corns that I'm just not a big fan of. With all of the morphs out there, none of them are particularly attractive to me. I also don't like the appearance of ball pythons, how their head is significantly smaller than the girth of the body. I like kings and boas the best, but they each have some considerable drawbacks, like the "aggression" of kings and the size and price of some boas.

What do you guys think? My 2 favorite options at the moment are a Mexican black kingsnake or some sort of dwarf boa. I also love Colombian rainbow boas, but I wouldn't get one due to their humidity requiremenrs.

Thanks in advancd

[AndrewM1217]

My spotted python is a great first snake for me. They don't have high humidity requirements, and mine is pretty active but also easy to handle and has never tried to bite, with the exception of the very first time I held him. Adults reach like 4 feet max and have a great look to them

[Marshallarts]

Well I was going to say ball python, but then you said you didn't like them. I also am not a fan of corns, too fast and little although they are awfully cute . I've heard great things about the Mexican blacks, def something to look into. Ever considered a woma python? They are relatively new to the snake world, but becoming more popular. I'm not sure on price, but they are really similar to ball pythons but a very unique appearance. Not bulky and thick like a ball. That's what I can think of in the moment, I will be back with more options;)

[toddnbecka]

Seems to me a sand or rosy boa would also fit your criteria nicely.
The MBK is the next one on my want list, haven't seen any at the shows I've been to though.
A woma python would go for way over $100.

[reptiledude987]

Mbk's are greatbut may get up to 6'as adults. Ive had several kings in my time and have never had aggression issues. This is my mbk Lando at approximately 2 years.

[Pareeeee]

I'm curious why you will be allowing the temperatures to fluctuate into the high 90s? Almost all snakes require reliable, consistent temperatures, and high 90s is not good for many snake species.

[mrspicynacho]

My spotted python is a great first snake for me. They don't have high humidity requirements, and mine is pretty active but also easy to handle and has never tried to bite, with the exception of the very first time I held him. Adults reach like 4 feet max and have a great look to them

Spotted Python definitely looks like a viable option for me. I love the look of the granite ones especially. I'll look into it and will create a new thread if I end up getting one; I may wait until summer for the next reptile show here so that I don't have to spend $40 shipping that can go to other things for the snake

[mrspicynacho]

I'm curious why you will be allowing the temperatures to fluctuate into the high 90s? Almost all snakes require reliable, consistent temperatures, and high 90s is not good for many snake species.

I live on the 2nd story in southern Arizona. The AC is almost always on, but when it's off in the summer when I'm not home it can get pretty damn hot in here.

[Cmwells90]

I live on the 2nd story in southern Arizona. The AC is almost always on, but when it's off in the summer when I'm not home it can get pretty damn hot in here.

I also live in a very hot part of the world, Las Vegas. So I know your struggle with the heat, I can tell you this, most snakes will NEED you to keep the AC on all day through the heat. Last year it got 111 when my AC went out. If I didn't stay home to keep my snake room cold then they likely would have died while I was at work. If you're looking to get a snake, i'm not sure of a species that would be able to survive those high temps all day during the summer months.

[PsychoSnake]

I would recommend a Rosy Boa. They stay small (my longest is a yard stick), thrive in arid climates, can tolerate high heat, are inexpensive ($80-$150 in my experience), and there is a subspecies native to southwest Arizona. I would try and keep their hotspot at or below 95 degrees though and provide a water bowl big enough for them to soak.

They are usually super docile. Some have an intense feeding response though. They are active in the morning and evening, and unlike sand boas, they are above the substrate most of the time so you see them more often. Coastals are girthier while the other subspecies stay slimmer. There are not many morphs available, but there are anerys, two kinds of albino, two types of snows, hypos, and hypers. There are many pattern/color variations of different localities too.

[Marshallarts]

A bit of a different animal, but ever considered a Uromastyx? Generally they get 10-14 inches, handleable and calm, where I'm from they cost anywhere from 120-500$(depending on type) and can handle temps of 140 f. Plus they are the coolest reptiles I've ever seen. They look like dinosaurs. I held one the other day, definitely getting one soon. Just a thought.

[Minkness]

My vote would be for an MBK and I haven't really heard of them being agressive and certainly haven't seen it in my girl. Also, I understand that they are small for kings and stay around 4-5 feet, 6 feet is rare. Dunno about the 90s temps though. I don't have that issue.

[metalcopper]

Irian Jaya Carpet Python. They do fine with lower humidity, don't get too big, you may be able to find one for your price range, and they're super cool!

[mrspicynacho]

My vote would be for an MBK and I haven't really heard of them being agressive and certainly haven't seen it in my girl. Also, I understand that they are small for kings and stay around 4-5 feet, 6 feet is rare. Dunno about the 90s temps though. I don't have that issue.

Well, the reason I put aggression in quotes is because it isn't really aggression per se, it's more of their instinct to want to eat anything that moves.

[mrspicynacho]

I think the two best options for me would be either an MBK or a spotted python.

They get approximately the same size, so I'll ask this question for both of them:
Why do people insist that having too large of an enclosure for a baby snake is bad? I don't understand the concept of this. I'm thinking of getting a 36x18x16" (~45 gallon) tank for whichever snake I get; would this be a problem for a baby snake?

[Cmwells90]

I think the two best options for me would be either an MBK or a spotted python.

They get approximately the same size, so I'll ask this question for both of them:
Why do people insist that having too large of an enclosure for a baby snake is bad? I don't understand the concept of this. I'm thinking of getting a 36x18x16" (~45 gallon) tank for whichever snake I get; would this be a problem for a baby snake?

because with a large open space they find it hard to hide, which can cause them a lot of stress. If you cover it with LOTS of foliage and hides you'll be fine.

[pet_snake_78]

I would agree you're going to need to keep the AC on. Sure things bask in the wild, but they also retreat to cooler areas, too. When you have a 100F apartment and they are trapped in a cage, there's nowhere for them to go and escape it. Basically owning any animal is going to require paying a little extra attention to temperatures, even a dog, cat, or goldfish. I think it's awesome that your considering your conditions as part of your purchase though. Likely it will be less frustrating to get something that's better adapted to your temperature and humidity than force things the other way around. At the same time, I would not purchase until you find something you really, really want. Best to go to some expos and such and not buy anything even though you really think you want it. Likely you will change your mind 3-4 times over the next few months and shopping is half the fun!

[Kuamata]

Based on what you said about the A/C, it seems no snake will be compatible with your unreliable temperatures and occasional high heat. Knowing this can happen and getting one anyways is extremely irresponsible, and will most likely result in a death that was preventable. I get that you're excited to get your first, but maybe you should wait until you're in a more stable living situation... Anyone that knows AZ knows it can get near 100F or above, and it's only worse in an unair-conditioned home, apartment, etc, where air can not freely flow to at least take some edge off.

[AndrewM1217]

I live on the 2nd story in southern Arizona. The AC is almost always on, but when it's off in the summer when I'm not home it can get pretty damn hot in here.

I too live in Southern Arizona! During the winter my spotted python does great without any special accommodations regarding the air conditioning. His temps stay just fine, but I have yet to experience the summer since I first got my snake, so I'm sure I'll face some challenges keeping it cool. If you want to leave your AC off on summer days to save money, consider at least getting a decent size floor fan. The tower fan I use always keeps the room surprisingly cool, but as I mentioned, I have yet to go through a summer with my snake so I am unsure of whether or not this would be enough to work.

[pet_snake_78]

Considering I am in the Northeast and my snake room gets too hot in the summer, I am 100% sure you will have issues in the summer without AC. I have to move some of my snakes into the basement for the hottest month or so here.

[marvelfreak]

I would thing if you turn your heat source so off and had a fan on something like a Rosy or MBK or Spotted python would do just fine.