Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi All, I've recently developed an interested in Bull Snakes. I've been a boa and a corn snake breeder for a few years. I'm mostly curious on their behavior. I've read several care sheets but I'd like a general opiniono on people's experiences. For example, are the docile. Is it better for me to start off with a hatchling?

Thanks a lot for any opinions.

FH

Wow! You posted roughly forever ago and I see nobody's answered.

Here's my two cents.

I love bullsnakes -- my favorite snake, bar none. They are unbeatable, unbelievable, awesome animals.

That said, these animals require a certain attitude on the part of their keeper. They have attitude, themselves, after all.

Yes, bullsnakes are quite docile as adults. It is always better to get a snake as a hatchling, in my opinion, as it means that by the time the animal is grown, you know it inside and out, and it knows (and hopefully trusts) you completely. Hatchlings however tend to be nervous or aggressive, and also LOVE to eat, leading to the occasional bitten finger. Oh, and lots and lots of hissing, fake striking, and tail-rattling.

With lots of love and handling, this smooths out, and they quickly become remarkably tame. I had a bull -- my first snake ever -- who would nap on the bed with me for hours at a time and not crawl away, and who would preferentially crawl onto me when I opened her cage.

So -- get a baby and love the heck out of it. You'll soon have a gentle giant that will still scare the bejeezus out of the neighbors, even while sitting like a kitty in your lap (well, most kitties aren't that well-behaved, actually).

--Naamah