fist python/boa

[snakegal12345]

my parents want nothin bigger than 7-8 foot python and i have experience with lizards. I was thinkin about a gtp or a etb but if not ill have a ball python i have lots of room and i was wonering what i should get. I've been to crystal gardens in Victoria and they got a gtp and ive asked them about there husbandry requirements and thats what i want

[ohh_kristina]

if you have no snake experience I would not recommend an arboreal, especially an ETB or GTP. They are very delicate and even though they aren't extremely hard to take care of, they are not for beginners IMO. Ball pythons are really great. I have two rescues and they are two of my favorite snakes in my collection. If you want something high end, save up and get a BP morph.
A Jungle or Irian Jaya carpet python is also a good choice. Whatever you decide, do A LOT of research.

[snakegal12345]

k ill read up jungle carpet python i heard theyre pretty cool

[crazyboy]

ahh double post..lol

yea gtp and etb are supposidly very delicate and aren't for beginers.

Carpets and balls are both good beginer snakes.

have you overlooked kenyan sand boas and osy boas or are they to small?

How about the colurbrid family. There are nice snakes in there and most are greatbeginers snakes

[cpt_retic]

A 5' columbian boa was my first snake. I got him when he was 5 years old , he has to be the tamest snake I have ever had.
I regret getting rid of him but a friend has him now so i can still see him. males don't get that big ,lol
good luck on deciding , but a $1000 gtp is a little pricy for a first snake.

[TheRedDragon]

In my experience, Corn Snakes are among the best for starter snakes in the colubrid family. I don't really recommend BPs as a starter due to their tendency to have feeding problems, even if they are real sweethearts. If you want to start with a boid, I really recommend a Rosie Boa if you want something smaller, or a BCI if you want something that gets larger.

[maiden_canada]

yeah if you insist on a python or boa you could go with a irian jaya carpet or a jungle, ball python, hog island boa, blood python, childrens python, spotted python umm prolly some other common ones i forgot but don't get a ETB or GTP, they really arent a beginner snake and you'll likely get the crap bitten out of you, have you seen their TEETH?

[ohh_kristina]

Originally posted by maiden_canada
yeah if you insist on a python or boa you could go with a irian jaya carpet or a jungle, ball python, hog island boa, blood python,

I would not recommend a blood python to a beginner. They have certain humidity requirements and can get very large. The girth on a full grown female can resemble that of a pretty big burmese python. They would make a good second boid, but not a first.

[foman]

Yeah bloods are not for beginners, they get huge. ETB or GTP not a good choice either,but the others mentioned would be fair choices.
LOL (Blood python)Maiden are you trying to get her eatin.

[burmer]

A childrens or spotted is a good choice.

[SerpentLust]

I'm with Burmer....if you REALLY don't care about a larger size, go with Spotted or Childrens, you won't regret it :D

Jenn

[maiden_canada]

hey guys! think if she gets a baby blood, its 15'' or so, in 2 years it might be 5feet or so, and she will have grown alot since then also haha! jk i guess i made a mistake, i've never seen a pic of a HUGE blood, maybe 5-6foot max. even a ball can get 5 feet, although i do know bloods are very meaty/heavy. you should try an IJ or JCP i think. but make sure you get it from a breeder not a petstore, all the petstores in victoria are terrible. in june or july jeff favelle and don patterson will likely have some available

[C.m.pyrrhus]

I am one as well that does not recommend BP as a first boid due to feeding problems that they are known for. I always recommend a Rosy Boa as a first boid (prolly the best starter boid hands down), or even Boa constrictors. At their size they are great snakes and rarely have as many problems as BP's. Rubber boas are great as well, but not all that popular in the herp world as others. IMO boas tend to be better in terms of starter boids.

As for pythons, Childrens and Spotteds are good choices. They stay smallish and tend to be well tempered and take well to feeding on a regular basis.

[jason h]

I think a jungle would make a good choice the have arboreal tendences and are an excellant display animal, thsy can be a little nippy as yougsters but they will grow out of that when handled.

[Invictus]

My vote is for a male common boa, simply because they are usually docile right from the get-go. Getting a nippy baby can be very discouraging to handling, but if you don't handle an nippy baby carpet python, you end up with a nippy adult.

Additionally, common boas do not have overly complex husbandry requirements - they can do well in a semi-arboreal environment, but they don't require it. They do well with higher humidity, but because they range from rainforests to deserts in the wild, they again don't require it. Although not as forgiving as a corn snake, they are nowhere near as high maintenance as some people think. I say boa constrictor all the way!

[lordkovacs]

i was in your position a while back... i chose to get a corn to start with. my corn is probably my favourite snake. he eats like a pig, takes so little time to take take care of, and if very docile. however, you have probably already heard that advice a million times. my next choice after my corns were my irian jaya carpets which are awesome too. both my ij's are extremely calm , though were very tricky to get to eat rats (which is necessary, esp. as they get bigger!). I would recommend a corn as a starter, and for something more striking, an IJ. just my 2cents...
cheers...good luck!
mike

[ballpython101]

can some 1 explain to me the #'s ( .5, 1.0, 3.5) by the snale name or the snake that the owners have ?? i want to know wat dat means.........

[JD@reptiles]

male.female.unknown

[JeffT]

for example 1.5.3 =

1 male 5 females 3 unknown sex


Well I dont think owning one leopard gecko is a whooole bunch of experience but w/e, The two snakes that you want there are difficult species to care for and not only delicate, but dangerous, both as adults can have fangs ( lack of better term) that can reach nearly an inch long or more and can rip you up good. You cant handle them unless you have snake hooks, or at least ive never seen anyone do it without.

A good starter is a cornsnake, they get around 4 feet and are good for someone starting out. Good luck with it

Jeff

[maiden_canada]

they are TEETH!!! not fangs, fangs inject venom into you, teeth do not.

[emroul]

I didn't have a problem with a ball python being my first snake. They do great, and I learn from them everyday. Maybe I just got lucky, but I think if you are certain to buy ONLY captive bred specimens who are well established hatchlings or even adults, there shouldn't be a problem. Like I said, maybe I just got lucky with the 8 I have eating like they have been starved for decades! :)

Just my $0.02- I would say go for a ball python, or any other species mentioned... AFTER LOTS AND LOTS OF RESEARCH!!!

Jennifer

[Simon]

I don't know
but from my opinion I'd say not a GTP or a ETB is good for a beginner.

A lot of people say ball pythons are good but some do get tricky with eating. I had a hatchling that was CB from a very reputable breeder but she wouldn't eat too much. Only once half a year. It doesn't just stress the snake out it also stresses the keeper. So that is why I would not really recommand ball pythons for beginners.

I'd say
rosy boa, sand boa, and corns are the best starter snakes!

They're great and have a lot of variety to choose from~

[jim mcallister]

do all the research you possibly can, visit as many snakes as you can, wait a couple of months so you don't impulse buy, then buy the snake that is most appealling and easiest to care for :)