Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My daughter ( 14 years old ) would like a snake.
I raise fish and snapping turtles. I know nothing about snakes.
She would like something she can hold and handle.

A friend recomended a corn snake as a good first snake because of the temperament and it doesn't get that big.

What do you guys think?
Good for someone with not a lot of experience?

Well, you're likely to get some biased answers - this is the corn snake forum... but I think that there is no better first snake than a corn. They are beautiful, almost never bite (I say almost because you never know, but if they do it doesn't hurt), are very mellow but active enough to be interesting, and very easy to care for - especially if you have dealt with fish and turtles (a lot more work than snakes). The main problem with corn snakes is that there are so many gorgeous morphs, you can't stop at one! Good luck and enjoy!
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1.0 Anery Corn
1.1 Anery Motley Corn
1.0 Sunglow Motley Corn
0.1 Amel Stripe Corn
3.7 Leopard Geckos
3.1 Crested Geckos
1.0 Peacock Day Gecko
0.1 Gold Dust Day Gecko
1.1 Giant Day Geckos
4.2 Cats

Thanks ...that helps. And it does get confusing.
She likes the blackish ones. I think from the classified listings...looks like the anery.

There are so many breeders listed . I have had pretty good luck with buying off the turtle forum.

I suppose you are always taking a chance buying on-line.
Are they all pretty much the same.?

I would recommend doing alot of homework before purchasing any snake. Reptile shows/sales are great places to get a snake. You can talk to breeders and other folks.
Like the other post said...you can't stop at one! I bought my first corn at Petco but I didn't know where else to get one and we don't have shows here that often.
What ever you choose...enjoy. Snakes are great pets.

Jungle carpet python
2 corns
honduran milk
sonoran gopher
2 anoles
2 dogs
4 cats.

but as with any purchase online you do have to be careful. Some of the breeders I have dealt with, that are a pleasure to work with, and have extremely nice snakes are South Mountain Reptiles (link at the top of this forum), Joe Pierce or Snakes Alive, Mike H, and Home Grown Herps, just to name a few. I have never personally dealt with Kathy Love from CornUtopia, but she is one of the most well known breeders with some gorgeous snakes. If you are going to purchase online, it would definately be worth your while to check into anyone you decide to purchase from before sending money.

Like the previous poster said, you may want to check into some reptile shows/sales in your area. You would get to hold and see the snake before purchasing. You will also save on the shipping costs, which sometimes are rather costly.

Whatever you decide, good luck and welcome to the wonderful, but addicting world of corn snakes!!!!
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Paula
19 Corns,6 Ratsnakes, 1 Ball Python, 2 Hognose
Snake Addict
www.tlcreptiles.net

Am I correct in thinking "anery" is the one that is primarily black patterned?
She likes that right now.

check out South Mountain Reptiles for a good list of different types of snakes along with pictures of each. Their link is at the top of this forum
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1.0 Anery Corn
1.1 Anery Motley Corn
1.0 Sunglow Motley Corn
0.1 Amel Stripe Corn
3.7 Leopard Geckos
3.1 Crested Geckos
1.0 Peacock Day Gecko
0.1 Gold Dust Day Gecko
1.1 Giant Day Geckos
4.2 Cats

>>Am I correct in thinking "anery" is the one that is primarily black patterned?
>>She likes that right now.

yep you are correct.
The anery also sometimes called the black albino is the one.
But they can, and a lot do, get some yellow along their necks as they mature and there are also varying degrees of black on anerys. Some may have almost black saddles and light backgrounds and some may have fairly light saddles even brown to tan saddles.
It helps to know what the parents look like.
As mentioned earlier. Kathy Love at CornUtopia and Don Soderberg at South Mountain Reptiles are two great breeders.
Both have links at the top of the corn snake forum main page.
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Corn snakes and rat snakes..No one can have just one.
"resistance is futile"
Jimmy (draybar)

You are correct in that. Charcoals can also be somewhat darker colored also.

Here is a pic of one of my anery hatchlings and the mother.

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Paula
19 Corns,6 Ratsnakes, 1 Ball Python, 2 Hognose
Snake Addict
www.tlcreptiles.net

How long has she been wanting a snake? Do you think this could just be a "fad" so to speak..where in a few months she will get sick of cleaning the cage and handling it every day and such? If they arent handled quite a bit, they do tend to forget who you are, thats when they get nippy...they're scared. I tend to do that myself, being only 21 (well i'll be 21 in about 56 days...close enough!) so what I did was held off for about 4 months and I was just as determined as ever to get one so i did..kept it for a month or so...then over the period of 2 more months i got 4 more. lol.

But yeah make sure you are willing to accept the responsibility of taking care of the snake if she loses interest. these can live upwards if not more than 20 years.
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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 (Jose and Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)

First let me say that I don't have a corn snake although will probably be getting one soon! Our family got into the snake "thing' about 2 years ago. We started off with a Ball Python that was given to us by a school teacher so we could see what it was like to have a snake. This snake is nocturnal and really doesn't do much except roll up into a ball and hide! He was gentle and easy to handle but ultimately we felt he wasn't the right type of snake for our family, 2 animal crazy parents, 3 kids (8, 6, and 4) 2 cats (oops now 3 cats) and one rabbit!

We then got into garter snakes and we love them. We have 4 red sided garters and 2 baby eastern black necks! They are incredibly hardy and easy to take care of. We feel perfectly comfortable having the kids handle them (not the babies since we are afraid they will get away!). They are active during daylight hours and we have converted all of them to frozen thawed rodents with ease.

I can't tell you which is a better first snake but I can say that garters are too often overlooked. They are beautiful great first snakes and kid friendly. There are several excellent garter snake sites including Alan Francis in England and Scott Felzer ( a reputable) breeder.

Joanna

eh I have heard too many things about garters...a lot of people dont want to have to really hold onto a snake...they would rather have one they could drape over their neck and walk around with or something...lol. plus they go off feed quite a bit for no reason at all...i remembere someone posting a thread asking why nobody reccomended garters and there was a long list of very valid reasons...but i'm thinking of getting one now as well.
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

My Website
Rat/Corn snake care sheet I wrote

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Neonate Black Rat (het for Lic Stk's) (Frankie)
1.1 Texas Bairds (Jose and Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)

We have a 3 foot red sided female who you could easily drape around your neck!

The only time our snakes have gone off feed is when they get cooler becuase of seasonal variation and "want" to brumate but we have not cooled the cage to brumate. My caveat to this is that we have witnessed matings even without brumating and are waiting to see if they are fruitful! From what I have been told from some sources they have not brumated their garters and have had plenty of clutches! The snakes who have gone off feeding have done so for very limited times and have been none the worse for wear. We have our snakes on rodent diets and if they are kept on fish diets they can develop thiamine deficiencies which can cause them to not eat have neurological problems and even die!

Joanna