Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am looking to purchase my first snake. I'm looking for something that won't get too big and will have a fairly good temperment. Just wondering if anyone could help out with positives or negatives of a corn or king snake vs. a ball python, if corns and kings are more active, and any other suggestions/comments anyone may have. Thanks!

Corns and kings are more active, more likely to eat more consistently and generally easier to switch to frozen/thawed and don't get as thick around as Ball Pythons. Their care is easier as well - don't have to worry as much about high humidity and bad sheds aa with a Ball Python. Don't get me wrong - I love, love, love my Ball Python. He was my first snake. I was originally deciding between the same 3 species and settled on the Ball Python. Now I also have 2 kings and some sand boas. I'd recommend kings as a good first.

But regardless, I think the best you can do is research well, prepare the cage before buying your snake, get opinions on the setup, make sure you get captive bred from a reputable breeder and ask to see it eat first (especially with Ball Pythons).

Best of luck!
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I agree with Tigergenesis, that Kings or Corns are an easier-to-care-for first snake. However, it's also really important to think about what you really want in a snake. If you're not really going to enjoy keeping a corn, no point in buying it to see if you like keeping snakes, then getting the one you really wanted. Balls are harder to care for, but if that's what you're looking for in a snake, it might be better for you to concentrate your energy on the more difficult care for a ball, than to end up with 2 snakes, and you're not that interested in one of them.

Anyways, I'm not sure if this makes sense, but I think the most important thing is to find the animal you REALLY want, learn all you can about its care, then decide if you can provide that care. If you can, then at that point, buy the equipment needed, set it up, and then buy the animal.

Hope this helps...
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0.0.2 Uromastyx geyri (Saharan Uromastyx) - Dragon and Belle
1.1.0 Uromastyx dispar maliensis (Mali Uromastyx) - Spike and Lizzy
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1.0.0 Liasis mackloti savuensis (Savu python) - Bazzi
1.0.0 Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri (Variable (Thayer’s) Kingsnake) - Kavi
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Ontario, Canada

I couldn't agree more with this response. While it's definitley important to start with a snake you can care for, I think it's equally important to get what you want in the beginning. I started with two corn snakes because they were good beginner's snakes, but after a couple of months I thought they were very boring, and I ended up selling them. Their care was very easy as well. I think just about anybody with a brain and common sense can care for a corn snake. But is it what you really want?

Get the Kingsnake if that's what you want, or the Ball, or whatever. Just do your homework first, and have everything set up before you bring the snake home.

As for me, I've owned corns, a ball, and a couple sand boas, and now I'm almost ready to get what I REALLY want: A Borneo Short-tail python. I like thick snakes, snakes that don't squirm and race out of your hands while holding them. Anyway, I digress. Pick what you want, study it, ask yourself if you can realistically care for that animal, then go for it!

But have you ever thought about a gopher/bull/pine

they are in between kings and corns in temperment.
don't get much over 5 feet and are thicker then corns and kings
will just sit on you or move depends are they mood

Just thought I throw this in to the mix (not as many colors as corns)

What type of king are you looking in to

Thanks for all of the responses. The info is appreciated. Still checking into different kinds and haven't made a decision yet but for now it's between a ball python, bloodred cornsnake, california kingsnake or gray-banded kingsnake. Thanks again...