So according to you, you want them small (5' or less), diurnal since you want them active, and hardy...
Hmmm...
Hmmm...
I want to get a snake...
- Thread starter Nabbig2
- Start date
I would recommend a corn snake! I have always been interested in snakes and bought a corn snake about a year ago and I have no doubt I made the right decision. In comparison to many snake species they are extremely easy to care for and are very docile. Go check out cornsnakes.net to see all the different color variations before just buying one at a local pet store.
Yes, I'm thinking of corn snake I guess. So what do I feed them? Crickets and feeder mice? Also, what kind of tank would I need?
Gopher snakes are good for beginners, and most of them only reach about 5'. They will practically eat anything that got meat on them (no insect). As far as handling go, they are more like ratsnakes and cornsnakes than boids or other colubrids. They are fairly active during the day as well and extremely hardy as far as temperature and humidity go. The only downside to them that most beginners get turned off by the defensive hissing and tail rattling when they first get them, especially if they are WC.
Gopher snake pros:
- garbage disposal
- North American (easy husbandry since you live in Cali)
- Different than the norm
- Handleable
- Kneel-scaled (some people like them since they look like rattlers)
- Rarely, if ever, actually bite
Gopher snake cons
- Kneel-scaled (some people prefer smooth-scale over kneel-scale)
- Some hiss loudly if disturbed
- WCs are known to do closed-mouth strikes
Gopher snake pros:
- garbage disposal
- North American (easy husbandry since you live in Cali)
- Different than the norm
- Handleable
- Kneel-scaled (some people like them since they look like rattlers)
- Rarely, if ever, actually bite
Gopher snake cons
- Kneel-scaled (some people prefer smooth-scale over kneel-scale)
- Some hiss loudly if disturbed
- WCs are known to do closed-mouth strikes
Oh yes, they have those at the museum to, I will be trained on them in a few weeks. Gopher snakes look cool too, I'll see if there are any available. But, what is a WC? And what is a closed mouth strike?
One last question, what size of a tank does a gopher snake need?
One last question, what size of a tank does a gopher snake need?
CB = Captive-bred
CH = Captive-hatched (come from wild parents or the eggs are collected from the wild)
WC = Wild-caught.
Morph = Colour variation via artifical collection
Well, general rule of thumb:
3/4 the length of the snake for the length of the enclosure
1/3 the length of the snake for the width of the enclosure
There are MANY species of gopher snakes and all of them vary in colour andsize with their own morphs, so it would be better for me to give you a basic rule.
A closed mouth strike is when a snake strike at you without opening its mouth. Sometimes these leave you with bruises if they hit hard enough. It doesn't hurt, but it does throw people off guard since they think all strikes are open-mouth.
CH = Captive-hatched (come from wild parents or the eggs are collected from the wild)
WC = Wild-caught.
Morph = Colour variation via artifical collection
Well, general rule of thumb:
3/4 the length of the snake for the length of the enclosure
1/3 the length of the snake for the width of the enclosure
There are MANY species of gopher snakes and all of them vary in colour andsize with their own morphs, so it would be better for me to give you a basic rule.
A closed mouth strike is when a snake strike at you without opening its mouth. Sometimes these leave you with bruises if they hit hard enough. It doesn't hurt, but it does throw people off guard since they think all strikes are open-mouth.
What's this about not like BOAS!!
OMG you like Colubrides aka FISH BAIT, What kind of person are you? Only crazy people keep or would want colubrides?, or people that know what makes the best Largemouth Bass Bait.
Err huh Oops.... I forgot, I have a few:
OMG you like Colubrides aka FISH BAIT, What kind of person are you? Only crazy people keep or would want colubrides?, or people that know what makes the best Largemouth Bass Bait.
Err huh Oops.... I forgot, I have a few:
Hey, Tequila, check out some of those south-of-the-border cribos if you are not a colubrid fan; their length and girth are INSANE! 
A friend of mine in Ontario got a TX/OK locale Bullsnake that is just as thick any Boa constrictor. I think there is a couple of pictures floating around on KingSnake.
A friend of mine in Ontario got a TX/OK locale Bullsnake that is just as thick any Boa constrictor. I think there is a couple of pictures floating around on KingSnake.My mom's got a Western hognose. He's a pissy little bugger, but all his strikes are close-mouthed. Pretty cool but also kind of a hands-off snake. Even if he doesn't actually bite, the whole display is kind of a sign that being handled stresses him out a lot.
