smallest snake in length for a beginner keeper

[andyjs]

the only types of snakes there are venomous and constrictors. so you are limiting your options to legless lizards. Look into glass lizards- they are very small comparatively and eat insects. Also sand and rosy boas are great and way better than ball pythons for beginners.

Haha, I was going to say that. Snakes are either venomous or constrictors, otherwise they wouldn't be able to kill prey

- how nippy are they ? does it hurt ?

Many young snakes can be nippy until they get used to you, but luckily it usually doesn't hurt. Small corns don't even have large enough mouths to really clamp down on any skin so they basically just bounce off when they strike at you. I've also been bitten by 2-3' balls a couple times and the reaction of the people who saw me get bitten was much worse than the actual bite (they usually gasp or scream and make me jump haha). They rarely actually hold on when they bite and it usually just leaves a couple little pin prick holes in your skin and might draw a tiny, tiny bit of blood if any

 

[CAaddict]

i understand that they need a form of attack but i thought they'd have sumink else like bite them till they bleed out or sumthing lol

 

[Blue Crab of PAIN!!!!]

Any type of "ground boa" like Rosy, Sand, and Rubber boas.
With Sand and Rubber boas anyway, don't expect to see them at any time besides night. With Rubber boas at least you can bother them during the day and they don't appear to get aggravated at all. Mine doesn't anyway. Honestly, I can't think of any snake that can possibly be LESS offensive than a rubber boa. Blind Snakes maybe.

Male rubber boas get anywhere from 1.5-2 feet long. VERY hard to find, I had to open up a "wanted" ad in Faunaclassifieds. Rosy Boas and Sand boas are, on the other hand, very easy to find.

 

[Toby_H]

Oh My God I love Rubber Boas... I have a young pair... Their defense mechanism is to sit still and wiggle their tail. They are nest robbers so they are not even designed for striking. They easily win the "least threatening snake" award

 

[jason longboard]

sounds like a few people just need to get bit and get it over with, they will laugh at how it was more like someone jumping out of the closet and scaring you rather than feeling it. Your pussy cat is going to hurt 10 times worse. Dont be a pussy cat. Until your talking about big blood pythons and up, then chill back on the bite fear factor. Someday you will laugh at yourselves I promise.

 

[Sylvias]

HAH!!! This^

 

[andyjs]

Haha, yep. The first time I got bit by a 2 ft. ball, I saw it was about happen and wouldn't even have jumped a bit if the girl standing next to me didn't lose it and scream. I couldn't even feel the teeth, just the snake's head lightly glancing off my hand. It left maybe 10 little pin prick droplets of blood on the back of my hand and that was the worst of it