Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was talking with my mom about getting a Corn Snake I was doing pretty good until she asked how long they lived and I said 20 years. And she said that I can't have one now cause if I'am 13 by the time the snake dies i will be 23 and I don't know if I would want a snake when I'am 20. So do all snakes live to be 20?

Most snakes live between 10-20 years. Most pythons live to 20-30 years. Maybe you should look at something with a shorter life span, some type of lizard or a guinea pig or somethign like that.

I've heard of kingsnakes living 30 years, and it wouldn't be unreasonable to expect a corn to live that long. I personally own a 13 year old black rat (close corn relative) who shows no signs of slowing down. I think garters and the like might have shorter lifespans but just about any reptile you get now should still be alive when you want to go off to college. Lizards usually live 5-10 years (give or take). Turtles... um... well, turtles don't age and your grandkids would be worrying about what to do with them.
Heck, even guinea pigs can last 7 years.

Honestly, whats the point in getting something if you don't want it to live too long? I sure wouldn't want a pet that died in 3 years....5 years. Im VERY glad my snake will hit its 30's . I had a common goldfish live 9 years, he was turning white and you could see his brain, but he lived 9 years dangit! Youll end up getting something, loving it to death, and when it dies in 2 or 3 years, youll be so broken hearted. Get a hampster....they don't usually live over 4 years, and well....ok, so they aren't all that interesting, but they don't live long anyways. You kinda sound like someone that just sees a snake as a cool pet and not something your really interested in, which is why we see so many burm accidents, atleast this is a cornsnake, hopefully(if you do get one) it will spark your herp interest Just THINK before you buy, it helps in the long run. And even when youve thought you made a good decision, think that one over too. It happens, just don't buy something and not want it when it gets old with you.
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"Crazy.....like a FOX!!" -Homer Simpson

>>I was talking with my mom about getting a Corn Snake I was doing pretty good until she asked how long they lived and I said 20 years. And she said that I can't have one now cause if I'am 13 by the time the snake dies i will be 23 and I don't know if I would want a snake when I'am 20. So do all snakes live to be 20?

My two eldest is a 15 year-old (okeetee corn) and a 12 year-old (emory rat). Had an amel corn that passed away at age 11 due to illness otherwise he'd still be with me. I had an eastern fox snake that passed away at roughly age 11, but I had no absolute estimate on his real age so he could have been much older. Now I also have a copperhead at work that is pushing somewhere between 22-24 years of age. We will have had him for 19 years come this August and he was not quite full grown when found so I estimate his age at that time to be around 3-5 years. I'm hoping he makes it over 31 (which I think is the current record).

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Wyvern

If they live for twenty years and your 13 wouln't that make you around 33 when it finally croaks?