Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am giving a speech in a few weeks on why corns are a better starter snake than ball pythons. Now, the only snake I've ever owned is a corn, I just like them better, lol. But that's not going to convince my audience. Could someone help me out? List the negatives of owning ball pythons vs. the positives of owning corns. Thanks in advance!
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http://www.freewebs.com/realagenda

Ball pythons are a tropical snake from Africa. They require far more care regarding humidity and temperatures.

Corn Snakes are American snakes, they do not require as much care regarding temperatures and humidity.

a corn snake will grow and thrive in a home that is comfortable to most humans, in other words, if your house is 75 degrees, the snake will not die.

If an adult corn escapes, it will have no ecological impact, and will most likely live out it's days just fine.

If your ball python escapes, it will most likely die, unless you live in southern Florida.

I'm sure there are a hundred other reasons....

regards,
Wayne A. Harvey
our critters

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1.0.0 Ball Python - Python regius "Cane" Rescue
1.2.9 Storeria dekayi Casper, Xena, Athena, & Kids
0.0.2 Thamnophis marcianus - Checkered Garters "spot" & "Zig"
0.0.1 Thamnophis sirtalis - eastern Garter - Princess
1.0.0 Thamnophis pickeringi - Puget Sound Garter "Sky" (adult, Sky blue)
0.0.1 Nerodia sipedon - Water Snake - "Aqua"
0.1.10 Storeria occipitomaculata - Red Belly snakes
0.0.1 Amelanistic Corn Snake "CY" Juvinile CB
0.1.0. Pueblan Milk snake "Oreo" adult CB
1.0.0. ASIAN GREEN SNAKE 3' WC Cyclophiops major
0.0.1. Savannah Monitor "CHOMPER"
0.1.0. Green Anole "Crystal" WC
1.0.0. K9 "ACE" Black Cockapoo
0.2.0. Feline"Felix"(R.I.P. 4/27/08) "Kaja" & "Silver"
0.1.0. calico RAT
2.4.?? Mice - Feeder farm - Crickets / fish
More herps than I could ever list out back on the land.

ball pythons often develop strange eating habits as they mature. I've seen some that will suddenly stop eating white rodents. Some will not eat brown. Some will only eat white rats with a brown stripe or even worse, I heard of one that eats white rats with black feet. Nothing else.

Also, corns are easier for younger keepers to handle.
And I've seen corns for sale for $7 before. And the different morphs are amazing.
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1.0.0 Great Plains Ratsnake
1.0.0 Corn, Lavender Aztec het for Amel
0.1.0 Black Ratsnake
0.0.1 Texas Rat (tame)
1.0.0 Broad Banded Water Snake, Hypo
1.0.0 Black Bassador Retriever
2.1.0 Godchildren, 1 Evil, 2 possible hets

I really love my corn snake, and my seven other different snakes!
But not one of the others even comes close to my Ball python!
Oh it's true they can be picky eaters, but well worth it!
Out of all the snakes I kept over the years they have been the best socially.
Boneiface

i've had both in the past,but there are 2 main advantages for picking a corn over a ball:
1.perfectly healthy,parasite free, wild-caught balls(and f-1's,sometimes)are notorious for going off feed for no reason,and sometimes won't eat again for over a year(how many healthy corns have ever done that,honestly?),and
2.lets face it,balls are short & dumpy,and some are ridiculously over-priced,normal-looking snakes("fire","vanilla",etc.i.m.o.,just people trying to make an easy buck by selling some poor sucker a $20 snake for $500 or $600.at least most corn morphs look distinct)
now,before you guys start bashing me for not falling head over heels for those dinky little(barely)pythons,pied-balls are pretty sweet.
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1.1 cb spotted turtles (parker(f),stinky(m))
0.0.2 wc baby stinkpots (dinky)
1.1 wc eastern mud turtles(george & jane)
1.1 cb eastern painted turtles (fred & ethel)
0.0.1 mississippi map(lil' dummy)
0.0.1 cb ally snapper(gamera)
1.0 cb albino corn(rusty)
0.0.1 wc halloween crab
0.1 irritating cat (sassy )
2.0 cb children (sidney,13 & kaelan,4)
0.1 wc wife (danae,age withheld due to fears for personal safety)

Can't have it both ways, while its true they go off feed most winters and some have been known To stop eating for up to a year.
didn't you say short an dumpy as in ( fat an healthy )?
Look at all the money your will save on rats and mice!
I have never seen a corn, thats healthy quit eating, But I have seen corns try to eat them selfs ( wow that smart )!
All kiding put aside, I have and love both ( just my bp alittle more)! Boneiface

no,i mean short and dumpy.i'm not trying to be mean,and i mean it as nicely as possible.it could be worse,though(they could have a blood's attitude).all in all,if i had to pick between a corn and a ball,i'd beat the system and get a nice coastal carpet.but,that's just me...
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1.1 cb spotted turtles (parker(f),stinky(m))
0.0.1 cb baby red cheek mud (unnamed as of yet)
0.0.1 cb baby chiapas musk (chomper)
0.0.3 wc baby stinkpots (inky,blinky,&dot)
1.1 wc eastern mud turtles (george & jane)
1.0 cb eastern painted turtle (fred)
0.0.1 mississippi map (lil' dummy)
0.0.1 cb ally snapper (gamera)
1.0 cb albino corn (rusty)
0.0.1 wc halloween crab
0.1 irritating cat (sassy )
2.0 cb children (sidney,13 & kaelan,5)
0.1 wc wife (danae,age withheld due to fears for personal safety)

OK since we headed down this road....

I have both, and cannot chose a favorite, the corn is striking orange and white, growing nicely and easy to handle.

The BP has handsome "Normal" markings, the heat pits, shape of his head and slender neck / fat waist profile are all very interesting.

Since I breed my own rodents, they both cost the same to feed.

BP do look a little odd, like they need another half to finish them, like they were chopped in half and healed

I would never drop the big bucks on a strange color morph, but that is all a matter of preference...

Regards,
Wayne A. Harvey

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1.0.0 Ball Python - Python regius "Cane" Rescue
0.0.1 N.E. MilkSnake WC "Carmello" adult
1.2.3 Storeria dekayi Casper, Xena, Athena, & Kids (30 plus released!)
0.0.2 Thamnophis marcianus - Checkered Garters "spot" & "Zig"
2.1.0 Thamnophis sirtalis - eastern Garters
0.0.1 Thamnophis sirtalis - Orange stripes
1.0.0 Thamnophis pickeringi - Puget Sound Garter "Sky" (adult, Sky blue)
0.0.1 Nerodia sipedon - Water Snake - "Aqua" adult WC
0.1.0 Storeria occipitomaculata - Red Belly snake (Her children were raised & released)
0.0.1 Amelanistic Corn Snake "CY" Juvinile CB
1.0.0. Pueblan Milk snake "Oreo" adult CB
1.0.0. ASIAN GREEN SNAKE 3' WC Cyclophiops major"Limon"
0.0.1. Savannah Monitor "CHOMPER" Growing fast!
0.1.0. Green Anole "Crystal" WC
1.0.0. K9 "ACE" Black Cockapoo
0.2.0. Feline"Felix"(R.I.P. 4/27/08) "Kaja" & "Silver"
2.1.0. calico RATS
2.4.?? Mice - Feeder farm - Crickets / fish
More herps than I could ever list out back on the land.