Reptile & Amphibian Forums

THIS IS A MESSAGE FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO GET A SNAKE AND IT IS THEIR FIRST TIME. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE PYTHONS ETC.

Good Snakes- Garter Snakes, Brown Snakes, Water Snakes, Corn Snakes, Ribbon Snakes, Kingsnakes and Milk Snakes

Bad Snakes- Ringneck Snakes, Racers, Rat Snakes, Green Snakes and Queen Snakes

Snakes That Like To Be In/Around Water Most Of The Time- Ribbon Snakes, Water Snakes, Garter Snakes and Queen Snakes

Snakes That Just Like Moist Environments- Ringneck Snakes, Milk Snakes, Kingsnakes, Racers, Brown Snakes & Green Snakes

Snakes That Get Big- Corn Snakes, Kingsnakes, Racers and Rat Snakes

Snakes That Mostly Stay Under A Foot Long- Ringneck Snakes, Garter Snakes, Ribbon Snakes and Queen Snakes

Snakes That Eat Worms- Ringneck Snakes, Garter Snakes, Milk Snakes and Brown Snakes

Snakes That Eat Other Snakes- Ringneck Snakes, Milk Snakes, Kingsnakes, Racers and Rat Snakes

Snakes That Eat Fish- Ribbon Snakes, Water Snakes, Queen Snakes, Milk Snakes and Garter Snakes

Snakes That Eat Insects ETC.- Green Snakes, Ringneck Snakes, Brown Snakes and Milk Snakes

Snakes That Eat Mice- Milk Snakes, Kingsnakes, Racers, Rat Snakes and Garter Snakes

Snakes That Eat Various Amphibians- Ringneck Snakes, Water Snakes, Racers, Rat Snakes, Garter Snakes, Ribbon Snakes, Kingsnakes, Milk Snakes and Corn Snakes

ANY QUESTIONS FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME
Link

but subjective and somewhat inaccurate.

A couple of questions and observations:

1. What qualifies a snake as a bad snake or a good snake?

2. What makes a rat snake a bad snake?

3. What makes a Brown Snake a good snake?

4. None of the snakes listed as "under a foot long" actually stay under a foot long. You may find Ringneck Snakes under a foot long, but they certainly grow larger than that when fully adult (not much larger, but larger). The rest actually grow a good bit longer than a foot.

5. Is all of this your opinion, or is it documented (other than in this thread) fact? What is the purpose of your post?

6. Why did you leave out Boas and Pythons? A very large percentage of the people buying snakes for the first time start out with a Boa Constrictor or a Ball Python or Sand Boa. I'm sure they would like to know which of the boas and pythons are good snakes and which are bad.

I'm sorry for all that, I just went on my experience, I know Ringnecks get over a foot I had one that was two, email me.
Helmz614@aol.com
Michael

Honestly rat snakes and kings make great pets, even WC ones. Brown snakes in my experience are horrible pets for the most part. Racers make fine pets and though they are skittish they eat heartily. Personally, I think you should post a disclaimer that this is just your opinion as many of the snakes you listed as good snakes don't always eat in captivity or make fairly poor captives. Someone might get the wrong idea about some of these species. I have never had a problem with kings or rats in captivity but have had my fair share with the small insectivores (especially browns).
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Andy Maddox
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Burgundy baby, With your blue eyed soul, You play the hits and I'm on that roll, Capricorn sister, Freddie Mercury, Jupiter Child cry

I simply can't allow you to put Ratsnakes in the "bad snake"
category. First of all, they make excellent beginner snakes IMHO. Secondly, corn snakes (which you listed as "good" ARE
ratsnakes. And many or the "other" ratsnakes, especially the North American ones, are VERY similar to corns in terms of care and behavior. They get a little bigger is all.
My first snake was an albino black ratsnake. She was (and still is) a wonderful and easy to care for animal. That goes for my other black rat, my "greenish" rat, my Texas rats (that's right!)
AND my corns.
By the way...what, in your opinion, caused you to put them in the "bad" category??? Size? The fact that they CAN be nippy when babies??? Just wondering. Duffy

LOL what's that about the Texas rats. I find them to be quite entertaining as they try to grab my hand and tear it up! Actually I have had quite a few texas rats that never tried to bite after day one. They eat a ton too. I would put them above a lot of other snakes on that list. Andy
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Andy Maddox
Houston Herp Key
The Reptizone

Burgundy baby, With your blue eyed soul, You play the hits and I'm on that roll, Capricorn sister, Freddie Mercury, Jupiter Child cry

I disagree with a lot of this. Ratsnakes have made excellent pets for me. So have other ones you've got listed as bad snakes. And I've also had some bad that's on your good snake list. So my point is: Just for a moment- compare owning snakes with owning cars. If you've had one bad Chevy, that don't make them all bad. If you've had one bad Ford, that also doesn't make all Fords bad.If you look hard enough, you'll find a bad model here & there out of every make.
Cricket

But I've YET to own a "good" ford

You are certainly on the right track, but much of the information you are posting is incorrect.
Just for reference, I base my opinions on 30 years of keeping and breeding snakes (as well as reading lots of stuff). I have kept many dozens of snakes species over those years.

Good Snakes- Garter Snakes, Brown Snakes, Water Snakes, Corn Snakes, Ribbon Snakes, Kingsnakes and Milk Snakes

Brownsnakes, Watersnakes, Ribbonsnakes, and Milksnakes are hardly good snakes for a first snake. Brownsnakes are too fragile, Watersnakes, Ribbonsnakes, and Milksnakes are high strung for a starter snake.

Bad Snakes- Ringneck Snakes, Racers, Rat Snakes, Green Snakes and Queen Snakes

Ratsnakes make great first snakes. They are hardy, easy to feed, and inexpensive.

Snakes That Like To Be In/Around Water Most Of The Time- Ribbon Snakes, Water Snakes, Garter Snakes and Queen Snakes

OK, this one is true, but not necessarily relevant to their captive husbandry. And why are Queensnakes on this list? What about Crayfish Snakes, Mudsnakes, Rainbowsnakes, Swampsnakes, etc. None of those are good pets, but neither are Queensnakes.

Snakes That Just Like Moist Environments- Ringneck Snakes, Milk Snakes, Kingsnakes, Racers, Brown Snakes & Green Snakes

Keeping snakes in moist environments is an invitation to trouble. And I have two kingsnakes and two milksnakes which were collected in the desert, not near water.

Snakes That Get Big- Corn Snakes, Kingsnakes, Racers and Rat Snakes

Shouldn't you have a threshold for "big". Some kingsnakes rarely exceed 30 inches. Is that big?

Snakes That Mostly Stay Under A Foot Long- Ringneck Snakes, Garter Snakes, Ribbon Snakes and Queen Snakes

Not one of these species stays under a foot, although the average ringneck does. The other three species exceed two feet and even more!

Snakes That Eat Worms- Ringneck Snakes, Garter Snakes, Milk Snakes and Brown Snakes

I defy you to get any subspecies of milksnake to eat a worm!

Snakes That Eat Other Snakes- Ringneck Snakes, Milk Snakes, Kingsnakes, Racers and Rat Snakes

Most milksnakes and ratsnakes do not eat other snakes.

Snakes That Eat Fish- Ribbon Snakes, Water Snakes, Queen Snakes, Milk Snakes and Garter Snakes

Now you have a milksnake that eats fish?! Also, I don't believe Queensnakes will eat fish. Like the other Regina, they are crayfish eaters.

Snakes That Eat Insects ETC.- Green Snakes, Ringneck Snakes, Brown Snakes and Milk Snakes

Again, milksnakes don't eat insects either.

Snakes That Eat Mice- Milk Snakes, Kingsnakes, Racers, Rat Snakes and Garter Snakes

Finally, this is correct information!

Snakes That Eat Various Amphibians- Ringneck Snakes, Water Snakes, Racers, Rat Snakes, Garter Snakes, Ribbon Snakes, Kingsnakes, Milk Snakes and Corn Snakes

I don't know of any kingsnakes or milksnakes that will eat amphibians.

I have long thought about putting together a how to choose a snake website. There is certainly a need for it!
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Chris Harrison

...he was beginning to realize he was the creature of a god that appreciated the discomfort of his worshippers - W. Somerset Maugham

Is there a reason you excluded Pituophis? They're awesome and our "first snake" experience has been wonderful.

Judy
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1.0 red cape gopher (Caesar)

>>THIS IS A MESSAGE FOR EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO GET A SNAKE AND IT IS THEIR FIRST TIME. THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE PYTHONS ETC.
>>
>>Good Snakes- Garter Snakes, Brown Snakes, Water Snakes, Corn Snakes, Ribbon Snakes, Kingsnakes and Milk Snakes
>>
>>Bad Snakes- Ringneck Snakes, Racers, Rat Snakes, Green Snakes and Queen Snakes
>>
>>Snakes That Like To Be In/Around Water Most Of The Time- Ribbon Snakes, Water Snakes, Garter Snakes and Queen Snakes
>>
>>Snakes That Just Like Moist Environments- Ringneck Snakes, Milk Snakes, Kingsnakes, Racers, Brown Snakes & Green Snakes
>>
>>Snakes That Get Big- Corn Snakes, Kingsnakes, Racers and Rat Snakes
>>
>>Snakes That Mostly Stay Under A Foot Long- Ringneck Snakes, Garter Snakes, Ribbon Snakes and Queen Snakes
>>
>>Snakes That Eat Worms- Ringneck Snakes, Garter Snakes, Milk Snakes and Brown Snakes
>>
>>Snakes That Eat Other Snakes- Ringneck Snakes, Milk Snakes, Kingsnakes, Racers and Rat Snakes
>>
>>Snakes That Eat Fish- Ribbon Snakes, Water Snakes, Queen Snakes, Milk Snakes and Garter Snakes
>>
>>Snakes That Eat Insects ETC.- Green Snakes, Ringneck Snakes, Brown Snakes and Milk Snakes
>>
>>Snakes That Eat Mice- Milk Snakes, Kingsnakes, Racers, Rat Snakes and Garter Snakes
>>
>>Snakes That Eat Various Amphibians- Ringneck Snakes, Water Snakes, Racers, Rat Snakes, Garter Snakes, Ribbon Snakes, Kingsnakes, Milk Snakes and Corn Snakes
>>
>>ANY QUESTIONS FEEL FREE TO EMAIL ME
>>Link
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Good luck and Happy Herping
Brian

I have been asked, many times, what kind of snake should I get for a first snake. (yes I work in a pet store). My first question is "how much room do you have for a cage?", The next is "How big of a snake are you comfortable with?"
My usual suggestions for people are Cornsnakes (well not since I moved to GA), Ball pythons, Sand Boas, other small boas and pythons. After we talk about size, housing, etc. I usually direct them to a book to read first.
I realize that your experience with some of those snakes would make you tell people to back away from them but you have to understand that each snake has it's own personality. I was sour on corns for awhile because the only one I really had contact with was a mean red one. Then my Friend in NY got a few others and I was turned around. She has some awesome friendly snakes. Likewise, as much as I love ball pythons, wanna know what have been bitten by the most? Ball pythons. I have the friendliest Honduran Milksnake in the world in the other room but at work, I have an evil little Pueblan.
I won't go over the inaccuracies that you posted except to say this...I dare you to come and offer my Milksnake a cricket, frog, or fish...

I'm sorry for all of this, I just went on my own experience with most of these snakes. Everything that I put I have witnessed. Most of the Ringnecks I've had were close to a foot and a half but alot of people say they don't get that big. I once had a baby Milk Snake that would only eat Green Frogs. All of the Rat Snakes and Kingsnakes I've had ate Shortheaded Garter Snakes that I offered them. So once again, I'm sorry, just going on my own experiences.
Michael Fedzen
Helmz614@aol.com

I was wondering just what kind of rat snake ate shortheaded garters for you.

And what water snakes have you worked with? The only ones I've had much experience with are diamondback water snakes and the local northern water snakes (Nerodia s. sipedon) that I've sometimes caught. And they would be more likely to make the demon snakes list than the good snakes list. I'd like to know of any species of water snake that could be classed as a good pet.

Paul Hollander

To answer your questions. Black Rat Snakes and Northern Water Snake babies.
Michael Fedzen

I’ve had very little experience maintaining water snakes in captivity. But two adults I caught have made superior pets. One was a northern, Nerodia sipedon sipedon, which I kept for ten years before it died of some kind of ovarian tumors. She ate primarily mice. The other is a midland water snake, Nerodia s. pleuralis which I caught last year at a fish farm. Her bass and trout days are over now, but at almost 1000 grams in weight, she seem to be doing well on mice and rats. Both of these snakes put up a spirited defense on initial capture, but dropped the attitude soon thereafter.

For those people who might want to keep a snake, but are unable to contemplate offering cute(?) little rodents as food, a fish-eater like a water snake might be a good choice.

According to you cornsnakes don't eat mice?!

How are you defining 'bad snake'? That's just snakist!