Reptile & Amphibian Forums

if you had to pick between getting a Ball Python, Spotted Python, Corn Snake, or Brazilian Rainbow Boa. which would you pick and why?

I have a huge decision to make and need a little help.

Mike

I would go with a corn/ratsnake. Since the names cornsnake and ratsnake are NEARLY interchangable, i'd get a ratsnake. I love all of mine, they are very active, they're not cannibalistic either. That way if you decide on getting two and let them crawl around your arm you dont need to wrory about getting bit by the second one from smelling the first and thinking you're food, lol. Pythons and boas love to lie around and do.....NOTHING! To me, they are boring. You will also need a much larger cage to take care of one, and need to feed it much larger food. Red tail boas are nice, but again, they're lazy. My ratsnakes all LOVE to climb...I have some climbing branches up in the tank and they are constantly on their branches climbing. Also you can get all kinds of color morphs in the ratsnake / cornsnake.
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

Battling ignorance one stupid person at a time.

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat(Lola)
1.0 Neonate Black Rat (het for Lic Stk's) (Frankie)
1.1 Texas Bairds ("Bill" and "The Bride aka Beatrix Kiddo"

Lola (Licorice Stick (White-sided) black rat)

Bill (Baby Bairdi)

Frankie (black rat)

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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

Battling ignorance one stupid person at a time.

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat(Lola)
1.0 Neonate Black Rat (het for Lic Stk's) (Frankie)
1.1 Texas Bairds ("Bill" and "The Bride aka Beatrix Kiddo"

I'd go with corns. They're very hardy, no special humidity, always eat, endless colors to choose from, stay a decent size, not too big, very docile. My second choice on the list would be the children's/spotted python. From what I hear they are wonderful animals, stay small, easy to care for, but I've never had one to offer personal experience.
IF your experienced with snakes get which ever one you really want. IF your decesion is based on from novice to more experienced, then I'd go with in order, 1.Cornsnake, 2.childrens/spotted python, 3.Ball python, and then 4.Rainbow boa being the one on the list with the most specialized care and upkeep. Here is a photo of one of my adult cornsnakes. This is an 02 Butter cornsnake, at around 39-40 inchs.Take care,

Steve

I'd get a BRB in a heartbeat!!! Good size, amazing color, pretty easy care, exotic, friendly.

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1.1.1 Blue tongue skinks- Sausage the IJ, Don the Indo, and Spunky Sabastian the Tanimbar
1.0.1 Green Tree Python- Floyd and Verdi
0.1 Western Hognose- Piggy
0.0.1 Sonoran Gopher snake- Toro
0.0.1 Ornate Uro- Spike
0.0.1 Egyptian Tortoise- Tank
0.1 Albino Leo Gecko- Sasha

Your BTS is either posing or isnt a very happy individual...

Corn Snakes and Ratsnakes are arguably the easiest snakes to keep, and come in a facinating variety of colors. In general they have interesting personalities, reach good size, and are docile.

Ball Pythons are also good snakes, but are not necessarely as active as a corn or ratsnake.

Spotted Pythons are somewhat inquisitive and active from what I've read, and also make good captives. Their care is a little different from the others, requiring a warmer more humid cage.

Brazilian Rainbow Boas are astoundingly pretty (to me) and are the most desired boa to alot of people. With proper caging they can be kept successfully, being: high humidity and high temperature. Some are "snappy" as hatchlings, but calm down with consistent handling.

With proper care it is possible to keep any of them, just make sure to fit the requirements.

Another snake that is little known and is very fun to keep are Fox Snakes... I've had mine for over a year and he is very active, intelligent, and easy to keep.

Jungle Carpet Pythons are also good captives that are beautiful snakes. Like the others, they are very smart and curious, but unlike others they normally sit out on a branch and make a great display animal.

Good luck
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Current Collection:
0.1 Antherystic Elaphe Guttata Guttata - Corn Snake
1.0 Elaphe Vulpina Gloydi - Eastern Fox Snake
0.1 Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta - Black Rat Snake
0.1 Leucistic Elaphe Obsoleta Linheimeri - Texas Ratsnake
1.1 Morelia Spilota Cheyni - Jungle Carpet Python

Yeah, you don't usually hear much about the fox snake. I had one and it was probably the tamest snake I had kept to up to that point. He was wild caught...just found him on the side of the road in my neighborhood and didn't put up a fight with being picked up and wasn't nervous in the least. He always ate, was always healthy, and always calm and sure of himself out of the cage.

He did break out of his cage, travel downstairs, break into another cage and eat a fat old mouse who was supposed to be fed to a corn snake years ago...but that's another story...

Probably one of the least known, easiest to keep, interesting species. Where do you live? Mine is WC also up by Lake Erie.

When my friend and I were out there we caught 4 of them, and absolutely (even the 5' male) none of them tried to bite us.

Very fun little fellas... nice to hear someone else who's had them
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Current Collection:
0.1 Antherystic Elaphe Guttata Guttata - Corn Snake
1.0 Elaphe Vulpina Gloydi - Eastern Fox Snake
0.1 Elaphe obsoleta obsoleta - Black Rat Snake
0.1 Leucistic Elaphe Obsoleta Linheimeri - Texas Ratsnake
1.1 Morelia Spilota Cheyni - Jungle Carpet Python

I caught mine in my neighborhood. I live in the northwestern suburbs of Chicago, near the Fox River (hehe) and Volo Bog.

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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python "Aragorn"
1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa "Gimli"
1.0 Saharan Sand Boa "Frodo"
0.1 Rough-Scale Sand Boa "Arwen"
1.0 San Felipe Rosy Boa "Legalos"
0.1 California Kingsnake "Gentoo"
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake "Indigo"
1.0 Snow Corn snake "Chile"

0.0.1 Crested Gecko
0.0.1 Irian Jaya BlueTongued Skink

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

on what you are looking for, and why you are looking for it. Spotted and children's pythons are easy to keep, and are less common in the hobby. My young adult childreni are far from lazy, as put forth in an earlier post. Given branches, they climb and cruise and are always on the look-out for a meal. Plus, they exhibit a beautiful irridescence when exposed to sunlight.

Captive bred ball pythons are great, and usually have sweet dispositions as well, and cute faces as an added bonus. Wild caught captives can be problematic feeders.

BRB's require more specific care requirements, and are less forgiving when they are not met. Do the research on the husbandry and decide if a BRB is for you. They are truly gorgeous animals.

Corn snakes are always interesting captives, plus are easy to breed should you be interested in that aspect of the hobby. I love working with my corns/rats as much as my boas and pythons. Each type of snake teaches me different aspects of herp keeping, and I am fascinated to learn about their habitats in the wild.

And sometimes you just need to "connect" with an animal. If you keep going back to a certain animal at a show, or type of animal in photos, ask yourself what the attraction is? This may be a deciding factor for you.

Best of luck with your choice!
althea

they are EXPENSIVE! I know a guy locally who has a pair of 'em...he said between the two he paid around $1100 for them I think. That would be a signifcant consideration in my decision making, lol.
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

Battling ignorance one stupid person at a time.

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat(Lola)
1.0 Neonate Black Rat (het for Lic Stk's) (Frankie)
1.1 Texas Bairds ("Bill" and "The Bride aka Beatrix Kiddo" )

Given only those choices, I would go with the cornsnake first, followed closely by the spotted python. Both species are easy to care for, calm natured and stay a reasonable size. Ball pythons are notoriously difficult feeders, even with so many being captive bred there are still a vast number of farm bred or wild caught imports. Balls are great snakes, don't get me wrong, but I'd never recommend them to someone just starting out no matter how docile and reasonably sized they are. The Brazilian rainbows require very specific care. Unless you're commited to making sure everything is perfect, they aren't a good choice though they're exceptionally beautiful snakes.

Raven