Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have recently decided to go into keeping snakes. obviously i dont want to start too big so i am just wondering if i can ask honest people(i.e not salespersons who sell you stuff you dont even need) to tell me what equipment i would need, what snakes would be best to start off with and any other general info about the snakes or caring for them or anything would be greatly appreciated. thanks for your time.

Welcome to a fun and interesting hobby! There's SO much to choose from that folks will tend to suggest their personal favorites in many cases. But I would have to say that corn snakes and/or other North American Ratsnakes are great first snakes. Check out both the corn and the ratsnake forums for more on both.
For a "cage" ...you can choose an aquarium or tupperware/sterilite/rubbermaid container. A glass aquarium makes it easier to look at your snake, although you can see pretty well through the opaque plastic boxes. I have snakes in both glass and plastic. The plastic are super easy to handle and clean. They are cheaper than glass aquaria also. Especially when you start needing/wanting bigger cages.
Aspen makes a good substrate, although some use newspaper, mulch, or pine. Do NOT use cedar as snake are allergic to the cedar oils
You need a water dish and a couple of places for your snake to hide. For baby snakes, something as simple as a toilet paper roll, perhaps cut in half lengthwise, is fine. You want something big enough for them to get completely under, yet small enough for them to feel secure. A heat source will be more or less important, depending upon your homes temps and the type of snake you start with. I use under tank heaters on one side so that my snakes have a warm side and a cool side. In the summer I unplug them since I don't use AC at my house.
Most of all...learn as much as you can about the species you select so that you can provide for its needs. Good luck. Ask lots of questions. Browse the forum(s) for answers also.
Let us know what you decide on. Oh...If you live near a city that tends to host reptile shows, this is a great place to "shop" for snakes and frozen rodents. Most of your really good starter snakes will be rodent eaters, and frozen/thawed is the way to go. Again...good luck, and enjoy! Duffy
ps...Buy a captive bred and born snake. There are lots of them out there at very reasonable prices. D

I agree with all the above. I would also suggest starting with Cornsnakes, although I started with Ball Pythons. I currently use rubbermaid tubs, after starting with aquariums. I found the aquariums were too hard to properly heat and maintain humidity levels in, and I think my snakies like the rubbermaids better. They give more of a sense of security. I have my cornsnake in a rubbermaid, with aspen as a substrate, a waterdish, a coconut shell hide (which he NEVER uses!), and a heat pad. He loves to hide in the aspen, and usually stays away from the warm end.
Make sure you have at least two thermometers, one for each end of the cage. Keep reading at Kingsnake, including the archives, for great info! Snakes are addicting, which is another reason I converted to rubbermaids.....not enough aquariums!
Good Luck!
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"I am a cop, and you will respect my authoritae!"-Cartman

Llist of things you NEED:
Tupperware container with snap-lock lid.
A piece of newspaper.
A bowl of water.
A heat pad on one corner.
There are other things that you might want but tyhat is all you need to keep most North american colubrids.
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International Snakes Meetup