Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Corn snake or ball python - I'm not really sure which one is easier to care for. They're pretty much the same size as adults, but can you tell me which one you think is easier to take for as a novice snake owner? Thanks.
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-hsuANsTerZ

If you ask this question in the python forum you would get python as an answer.No matter which you choose make sure you find a healthy eating snake.You need to do some research on both species then decide yourself...Good luck....Paul.

I have both and one thing I have to say right away is that they are nowhere near the same size as adults. BP's are much, MUCH thicker, girthier animals then corns. The length may be similar, (I would say that a large adult corn would be longer then a large adult ball), but the width and, more importantly, the weight are drastically different. A BP is a much heavier snake. Juvenile balls can eat the same size prey as adult corns, and will eventually take on much larger prey then a corn could ever dream of.

As for which is an easier snake to take care of, and / or which is a better beginner snake ... I would say a corn. They eat with much more predictable regularity, need less specific humidity requirements to promote a healthy shed, and are a more active (and, for some keepers,) therefore a more "exciting" snake to own. BP's do very little. As well, there are many more corn snake morphs available for reasonable prices, so you could pretty much get any color / pattern that you want, whereas unless you want to break the bank, the only BP's that most pet owners buy are normals.

Both are great snakes, relatively easy to maintain.

Good luck with your research.

Joel
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3.6.3 Leopard Geckos (1.4.3 Albino)
~~25 Leo eggs cookin'~~
1.1 Ball Pythons
1.0 African Fat Tail Gecko
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake
1.0 Blair's Phase Gray Banded Kingsnake

I'd have to say the corn snake is generally easier. They don't have the higher humidity requirements of a ball python, plus feeding problems are less common. That's just a fact. Not to say that either are very demanding, but I think a ball python is more demanding than a corn snake.

While they are around the same length as adults, the python is much 'thicker', so an adult ball python will weigh many times more than an adult corn snake, and in general, need a larger cage.
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-audri
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-hsuANsTerZ