Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am currently an owner of several corn snakes. I would like to move up a little (so to speak. I am very intrested in Pine snakes in particular but have not ruled Gopher's or Bull's out. I'm not into Boids. I was hopeing for some suggestions on what snake to move to next. Suggestions on variety locality and temperment would be appreciated. Would would be a good "next snake" Snow Pines and Bulls sure look atractive. Ideas?

I've got a Southern Pine from Nokturnel Tom- awesome snakes! (Pituophis melanoleucus mugitus)

She does rattle her tail on occasion, but hasn't ever hissed like the southerns are known for. A couple other cool things about them is that they're a real nice size as hatchlings, they grow fast and grow up to real nice sized adults.

http://www.kingsnake.com/pituophis/p_m_mugitus.html

//Todd

To start things off right you need to tell us what you're capable of. Pits can be intimidating, and many are best suited in large cages. If your space is limited, we need to know what size cage you hope to have for the snake as an adult. I mentioned intimidating, now that does NOT mean they will be nasty captives, but the behavior of Pits is a lot different than Corns. The bluff is often just that, and of course some times it is not...and you may get bit. I do think if you'd like a new pet that Pits are a great choice, their behavior is appreciated by most keepers as they're interesitng captives and many are very hardy too. I would say for a smaller sized animal San Diego or Pacific Gophers are a good choice. For a larger one,,,,well that is basically most of the rest of them, and many are great. You should find a fair degree of honesty among true Pit enthusiasts. Many of us are not only about a sale, we want to make sure our snakes find thier way into suitable homes. Pits are not as mass produced as other snakes, and they're not for everyone. Any good breeder will tell you about the temperment of whatever they happen to have on hand, along with the info you'll need to keep the snake happy and thriving. You should talk to a few people before buying, and I recomend staying away from most pet shops. Talk with some breeders and find someone willing to share thier knowledge well after the sale, and be sure to explain this will be your first Pit. I am glad to see these snakes are not shunned half as much as they were years back. Out of 14 Pits I have here now only one is nuts and bites a lot, all the rest are easy to handle and and easy to care for. Definitely try one, I bet you like it. Tom Stevens

My first Pit was a Northern Pine. The first snakes that I got really into were Corn Snakes, like you. Once I got my first Pit, I was quickly hooked and can say that the Pits quickly became my most favorite group of snakes and still are. Many have said that Northern Pines and Bullsnakes are the most docile Pits. Both of my Northern Pines are very docile. Pits are considered by many as one step up from Corns and Cal Kings. As long as you have a strong liking for the Pits, you should be just fine with one.

Hope this info helps

my two cents-i have kept all pines(except the mexican deppei species),and a couple different gophers....all my gophers(only 3 specimens,mind you) were very nice pets indeed...of my pines-my personal faves-some are just as easy,some have been pretty difficult....the two best ones i've had/have were blacks and northerns...the ruthveni and floridas/'southerns' i've had would be too much of a handful for a beginner.this may well be just due to individual temperment,as it of course varies.and though i never kept bulls,i was actually gonna suggest those as a good first pit....a huge factor is that pits seem to thrive under a wider temperature gradient(i.e. less heat tolerant,they like a place to stay cool,say low to mid 70's) than say,corns or kings,etc...they like low humidiity....and they are frickin' pigs!do not feed them as much as they will eat per feeding.you will almost certainly get regurgitaion issues(not fun,lol)...they have fast metabolism-feed them properly sized(on the smaller side) food items,and they'll often pass it the next day or so....so i like to give them smaller,but more frequent,meals than for my kings/milks/etc...even the nasty ones i have,i can't part with-i admire a colubrid with a little personality,lol.besides they usually mellow after a year or two...hope this helped,keep us posted.
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"with head raised regally,and gazing at me with lidless eyes,he seemed to question with flicks of his long forked tongue my right to trespass on his territory" Carl Kauffeld

The info provided by the people before me are all giving great advice and you should look into these things when considering a pit. Pits are great snakes but each snake has their own personality. This is what attracts most people who own them. I have small gophers that are around 3.5 ft to a southern pine that is every bit of 6.5 feet. One thing is for sure, they all have enormous appetites. Most of the bulls that I have are quite handleable (except one) but the pines tend to be more laid back, that is in my case anyhow. Many young pits will be somewhat defensive but they almost always grow out of this. Ask the breeder for tips and advice too.

Scott Robinson

I think that your idea of possibly owning a pine or other pit is a great one!

I kept kings, milks, and corns for a long time but pits drastically changed my hobby.

Their temperment can vary and although they are known for being hissy with some individuals, I have never experienced such calm snakes that have been such a joy to handle. My faves are northern pines. The ones I have love to be handled, even for hours, and that goes for my bulls as well.

They are larger than the other colubrids, but do tolerate cooler temps. I keep mine anywhere from 76-80.

As far as what kind is the best to have, I of course would say any but look at as much as you can and see what strikes ya! I would say have at least one of each ( bull, pine, and gopher )in your collection! Then just watch the pit amount grow! You can't have just one!

Keep us posted with what you decide to get!!!

Take care!

Billy
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Genesis 1:1

that may be the whitest-headed northern i've ever seen.....awesome.
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"with head raised regally,and gazing at me with lidless eyes,he seemed to question with flicks of his long forked tongue my right to trespass on his territory" Carl Kauffeld

!
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Genesis 1:1

I prefer the gophersnakes myself, simply because they are not the giants of the Pituophis world, which makes housing a little easier, cleaning a little easier, etc. That said, every San Diego gophersnake I've had has been a model captive. I like Sonoran gophersnakes too, especially the albinos. All have been real pleasures.