Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I need to know what the #1 specie is for pet snakes, can anyone tell me with any certainty include references so I can back this up for my speach class

The Corn snake Elaphe guttata and its many morphs would in my opinion be the most common snake kept as a pet.

s

The ball python imports have not been what they were several years ago. It may be in part due to the greater restrictions on that species as a result of the tick that some harbor. This tick is of great concern bevcause of its effect on our hoofed animals. The disease I'm refering to is heartwater disease. Also ball pythons lay very few eggs (4-7 avg) and corn snakes may lay (10-35eggs). Just go figure it's numbers and availability. The Corn snake is the most common snake in the pet trade. All one needs to do is visit snake forums across the U.S. and observe the number of posts on the corn snake forum as compared to the ball python forum. Also in the pet stores and expos I have attended the Corn snake out numbers ball pythons 10 to 1. If ball pythons were more common then corns we would see more of them in Daytona each August at the National Breeders Expo. We just don't!!!!!!!! Hope this clears this up.....Richard

a