Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all! I just freed up a 55 gallon tank, and I was looking into getting a snake. Im just not sure what species is right for me. I want something along the lines of a boa or ball python. I want something that will not outgrow this tank, and is easy to care for.
I have experience with bearded dragons and monitors, i am no stranger to reptiles, but never had a snake. Can someone help me make a decision?

Thanks, Jeff

Boas get to large for that size of tank

Yes, most boa constrictors will get too big for that tank. You can try Viper Boas as well as the other Pacific Boa species.

Ball Pythons are a good choice, but kind of boring.

How about a nice North American Rat Snake? Everglades, Yellow, Baird's, Deckert's, Trans Pecos - all beautiful animals that would do well in that tank as adults.

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Diego

Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
SNAKES
4.3.0 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.1.0 Everglades Rat Snakes
1.0.0 Baird's Rat Snake
1.2.0 Trans-Pecos Rat Snake
0.1.0 Amel Pacific Gopher Snake
1.0.0 Het Amel San Diego Gopher Snake
2.1.0 Sonoran Gopher Snake
0.1.0 Amel Sonoran Gopher Snake
1.0.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
2.1.0 Gray Banded Kingsnakes (1.1 River Road, 1.0 Non-Locale Specific)
0.2.0 California Kingsnakes
0.1.0 Thayeri Kingsnake
0.1.0 Florida Kingsnake
1.0.0 Boa Constrictor
0.1.0 Dumeril's Boa
1.1.0 Rosy Boas (Mexican & Mid Baja)
1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
0.1.0 Tangerine Honduran Milksnake
1.0.0 Honduran Milksnake
1.2.0 Ball Pythons
1.0.0 Woma Python
1.1.0 Cape York Spotted Pythons
1.1.0 Macklot's Pythons
1.0.0 Western Hognose
0.1.0 Blacktail Cribo

LIZARDS
1.0.0 Frilled Dragon
3.1.0 Bearded Dragons (2 Normal, 1 RedXGold, 1 Citrus)
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.3.0 Leopard Geckos
1.0.1 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
1.1.0 Chuckwalla
0.1.0 Banded Gecko

FROGS
2.2.0 Southern Bell Frogs
1.0.0 Green Tree Frogs
1.0.0 Bubbling Kassina
1.1.1 White's Tree Frogs

Those sound cool. Yes I did hear that ball pythons are boring, I REALLY will not like anything boring. I want something that gets pretty large and handleable. Can anyone specify more species? How are bull snakes, pine snakes, they seem to me like they can get too big for that tank. What about an arboreal species?

Now you're talking! I don't have Bulls or Pines, but I can vouch for Gopher Snakes. They are beautiful, interesting captives and they come in some pretty amazing color morphs.

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Diego

Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
SNAKES
4.3.0 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.1.0 Everglades Rat Snakes
1.0.0 Baird's Rat Snake
1.2.0 Trans-Pecos Rat Snake
0.1.0 Amel Pacific Gopher Snake
1.0.0 Het Amel San Diego Gopher Snake
2.1.0 Sonoran Gopher Snake
0.1.0 Amel Sonoran Gopher Snake
1.0.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
2.1.0 Gray Banded Kingsnakes (1.1 River Road, 1.0 Non-Locale Specific)
0.2.0 California Kingsnakes
0.1.0 Thayeri Kingsnake
0.1.0 Florida Kingsnake
1.0.0 Boa Constrictor
0.1.0 Dumeril's Boa
1.1.0 Rosy Boas (Mexican & Mid Baja)
1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
0.1.0 Tangerine Honduran Milksnake
1.0.0 Honduran Milksnake
1.2.0 Ball Pythons
1.0.0 Woma Python
1.1.0 Cape York Spotted Pythons
1.1.0 Macklot's Pythons
1.0.0 Western Hognose
0.1.0 Blacktail Cribo

LIZARDS
1.0.0 Frilled Dragon
3.1.0 Bearded Dragons (2 Normal, 1 RedXGold, 1 Citrus)
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.3.0 Leopard Geckos
1.0.1 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
1.1.0 Chuckwalla
0.1.0 Banded Gecko

FROGS
2.2.0 Southern Bell Frogs
1.0.0 Green Tree Frogs
1.0.0 Bubbling Kassina
1.1.1 White's Tree Frogs

The Pituophis are very nice, though some are quite shy and most youngsters are quite defensive, their defensive displays are a sight to behold!
I would go with a deppei or jani for a 55 gal, as such tend to be active and not all that shy.
Below are a couple photos of a P. d deppeiI recently parted with.

good luck,

Jeff
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Jeff Snodgres
University of Arkansas
snodgresjeffreys@uams.edu
501.603.1947

Antaresia childreni (Childrens Pythons) do well in that size cage, as do the slightly larger Antaresia maculosa (spotted pythons). All of the fun of a larger Australian python in a smaller package (the Antaresia complex are the smallest pythons in the world).

Depending upon sub-species, they max out between 3 and 5 feet. Mine avail themselves of the climbing branches in their enclosures, will eat while hanging upside down--quite active for pythons-- and are quite personable. They tend to be nippy hatchlings, but grow into friendly adults.

Their husbandry is straight forward, and they are forgiving when it isn't perfect right off. Plus, when exposed to sunlight, exhibit the iridescence reminicent of The Rainbow Serpent of the Dreamtime in Aboriginal creation stories.

Just a suggestion--
althea

I agree with the others that an adult boa will be a little crowded in a 55 gallon.

A pine/bull/gopher snake could be OK, although I think many subspecies get a little large for that size cage. It would be long enough, but is a tad narrow. I do like the mexican bullsnakes (P. deppei ssp.) but they are a little bit "temperamental" and probably not a great starting snake.

I think one of the North American Ratsnakes would be a great choice. They are a little arboreal, particularly the yellow and everglades ssp., get big enough to be interesting, are active, docile, easy to feed, cheap and colorful. You could probably keep a pair of adults in a 55 gallon tank.

Baird's ratsnake is another popular choice, but they tend to be more reclusive.

I don't know what makes ball pythons boring? They are beautiful snakes. They are shy, sure, but certainly not boring.

What about a pair of Spotted Pythons? Very hardy, docile, and easy to keep and breed.

If you really want something more arboreal, you might consider a jungle carpet python. They are delicate and occasionally snappy babies, but grow into trustworthy showpieces that coil up on a branch "on display".

There are more choices that we have time to discuss.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

how about a spotted or childrens python. They wont outgrow a 55 and are very nice snakes to keep.
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Jason

...let's not forget the obvious option - Corn Snakes. I keep my juvie females in a 70 gallon tall arboreal set up and I always have at least one basking on branches during the day. Makes a beautiful display.
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Diego

Diego & Tiffany's Zoo:
SNAKES
4.3.0 Corn Snakes (Different morphs)
1.1.0 Everglades Rat Snakes
1.0.0 Baird's Rat Snake
1.2.0 Trans-Pecos Rat Snake
0.1.0 Amel Pacific Gopher Snake
1.0.0 Het Amel San Diego Gopher Snake
2.1.0 Sonoran Gopher Snake
0.1.0 Amel Sonoran Gopher Snake
1.0.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake
2.1.0 Gray Banded Kingsnakes (1.1 River Road, 1.0 Non-Locale Specific)
0.2.0 California Kingsnakes
0.1.0 Thayeri Kingsnake
0.1.0 Florida Kingsnake
1.0.0 Boa Constrictor
0.1.0 Dumeril's Boa
1.1.0 Rosy Boas (Mexican & Mid Baja)
1.1.0 Kenyan Sand Boas
0.1.0 Indonesian Dwarf Pacific Boa
0.1.0 Tangerine Honduran Milksnake
1.0.0 Honduran Milksnake
1.2.0 Ball Pythons
1.0.0 Woma Python
1.1.0 Cape York Spotted Pythons
1.1.0 Macklot's Pythons
1.0.0 Western Hognose
0.1.0 Blacktail Cribo

LIZARDS
1.0.0 Frilled Dragon
3.1.0 Bearded Dragons (2 Normal, 1 RedXGold, 1 Citrus)
0.1.0 Eastern Collared Lizard
0.1.0 Merauke Blue Tongue Skink
1.3.0 Leopard Geckos
1.0.1 Yellow Niger Uromastyx
1.1.0 Chuckwalla
0.1.0 Banded Gecko

FROGS
2.2.0 Southern Bell Frogs
1.0.1 Green Tree Frogs
1.0.0 Bubbling Kassina
1.1.1 White's Tree Frogs
0.0.2 Gold Frogs

I also say corn snakes are a great first snake. Your tank could easly hold two adults. They are easy to care for, readly available, come in many atractive color paterns, and are easy to handle.

I am also a big fan of ball pythons. I have had one for 14 years and I love him to death. They are not the most active of snakes but are a sight to see when basking, roaming the cage, or feeding. My Nicky is most active at night when the lights are off, some ball pythons like to be nocturnal. And as for color, there are more color and pattern morphs than I can name. Most of the morphs are beautiful and some are take-your-breath-away stunning!

Ball pythons can be fussy thow, problem feeders are not uncommon.

Some thing not yet covered are hybrid snakes. There are a wide variety of colubrid hybrids out there. King, corn, rat, milk, gopher, and other snakes are hybridized. The resulting snakes can look fantastic. Jungle corns for example (king X corn) come in lots of different colors and patterns. They also get brighter as they get older.

You may want to check out the hybrid forum if you want more info on these snakes.

Happy hunting, and best wishes in finding the right snake(s) for you.

AR
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Love snakes, the morph the merrier.

1.0 normal ball python Nicodemus
0.2 albino banana kings Dora and Queen
1.0 albino banded king Ace
and more to come...

But amazon tree boas are mostly arboreal, very colorful and interesting snakes. But docile ones are a bit rare.

I'd shoot for a rat snake of some sort. You could keep any North American rat and most European and Asian rats. The taiwan beauty might get too big. I've heard that russian rat snakes can get pretty huge and are much more active during the daytime than most snakes. But don't rule out corn snakes. I keep mine in a 65 gallon cage and he loves it.

I'm also gonna shove antaresia pythons down your throat . They're great snakes. They have a little more spunk than most corn snakes. And longer teeth. I like them because they're something different.