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I was told by a friend that ratsnakes would be a good starter snake and was just wondering if that was true. If so, which kind of rat snake would be best. If not, which snake or maybe even not a snake at all would be best for beginners.

Thanks,
JM

Get one from a good breeder that's already feeding reliably on fuzzy mice. That'll be one of the easiest and most attractive snake you can start with. American ratsnakes are good eaters but they get bigger and sometimes have a bit of attitude that could put off a beginner. Other ratsnakes will be more specialized and a little more work to maintain. But after you've worked with the corn snake you can make up your mind if you need a greater challenge.
Regards
John

do you think you could recommend a good breeder that you know of, or any where i could gind one?

thanks
JM

MY first suggestion is to find out if a reptile show comes to your area (click on Events, above). There you will find variety and value not available in pet stores. If none come your way, there are many great breeders out there...You may want to post a question regarding breeders in YOUR area, and find out if you can "pick one out" yourself. Most breeders will ship to you, but the cost of shipping may well be more than the snake itself.

By the way...Most, if not all, of the North American Ratsnakes (that includes corns, of course) make GREAT first snakes. So depending on the size and color you like, you have MANY great choices. Enjoy. Duffy

Corns would be an option, however I am not partial to them. What size would you be looking for as an adult? A black rat snake will get upwards of 6-7 feet, and need at least a 40 gallon tank - however they are one of the best north american rat snakes IMO.

Everglades are a nice pretty orange/reddish color they dont usually grow 5 feet or so. Texas rat snakes are the same size, but they can have an attitude as babies which may scare off a beginner (unless you've been handling snakes prior). I love their personality, however.

I wouldn't go with an Asian rat snake - they are very agressive and ned a lot of handling to calm down as upwards of 9 foot adults.

I'd go to the classifieds and just look at whats out there, then find one you like and research it - google searches and ask questions. it's always good to get basic information from google or something then we can give you personal experience wit hthe snake. that's probably the best way i can think of.
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-Chris

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

A fool doesn't learn. A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others. Which one are you?

My Website
N. American Rat/Corn snake care sheet I wrote
Information on substrates

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Black Rat (Frankie)
0.1 Texas Bairdi (Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)
1.0 Green Tree Python (Monty)

>>I was told by a friend that ratsnakes would be a good starter snake and was just wondering if that was true. If so, which kind of rat snake would be best. If not, which snake or maybe even not a snake at all would be best for beginners.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>JM

The two most widely kept species in the world are corn snakes, Pantherophis guttatus, and the common kingsnake, Lampropeltis getula, especially the California kingsnake. There are many, many, different variations on those two themes. There's many other ratsnakes and kingsnakes that make good pets too. Check out the Corn Snake Forum for photos of different corn morphs.

I'm partial to Great Plains Ratsnakes myself, a subspecies of P. guttatus. I'd get some advice on which kinds to get before purchasing anything though. Think about what your requirements are.

All that said, I'd make a comment about Asian ratsnakes, as did the previous poster (cartoon?) Not all Asians are large. As a matter of fact, very few get nine ft. (that's funny). My largest snakes, the Chinese beauty, get about five ft. Three of my species only get around three ft., Elaphe dione, E. bimaculata, and Zamenis situla. The Mandarin Ratsnake is inbetween those sizes. Some of the Asian ratsnakes make excellent pets, sometimes better than American ratsnakes. The Dione's or Steppes ratsnake makes the best pet, if you want one that's easy to handle and easy to care for.

I'm making this post because I'm interested also in what makes the best pet. There are many things to consider before deciding which to go with. For instance, I try to keep my snakes to smaller sizes. I keep almost all my snakes in ten gallon tanks, or with some babies, even smaller containers. The taeniura need larger cages. Many beginners are interested in the temperment of the various species/or forms. That's one reason I start with corns/Cal. kings. Also, many hobbyists are champions of various colors and patterns. There's lots of different answers for the best pet question...LOL.

TC

My Brazos Island Ratsnake, Pantherophis guttatus meahllmorum....

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Ratsnake Haven: Calico and hypo Chinese beauty snakes, Mandarin ratsnakes, Chinese twin-spotted ratsnakes, South Korean Dione's ratsnake, leopard snakes, Great Plains ratsnakes, and corn snakes

I would highly recommend going with one that is at least 6 months old/18-2-" long and an established feeder. Hatchling corns (or hatchlings of any snake - ask crtoon83)) can be fussy feeders sometimes and dealing with one of those could put a beginner off of snakes entirely. I have kept all kinds of snakes over the years from tiny deKay's and earth snakes to giant retics, but corns will always have a special place for me. Good luck with your decision and as all the others have recommended, do as much research as you can before you make your choice. Billy

>>I was told by a friend that ratsnakes would be a good starter snake and was just wondering if that was true. If so, which kind of rat snake would be best. If not, which snake or maybe even not a snake at all would be best for beginners.
>>
>>Thanks,
>>JM

>>I would highly recommend going with one that is at least 6 months old/18-2-" long and an established feeder. Hatchling corns (or hatchlings of any snake - ask crtoon83)) can be fussy feeders sometimes and dealing with one of those could put a beginner off of snakes entirely. I have kept all kinds of snakes over the years from tiny deKay's and earth snakes to giant retics, but corns will always have a special place for me. Good luck with your decision and as all the others have recommended, do as much research as you can before you make your choice. Billy
>>
>>>>I was told by a friend that ratsnakes would be a good starter snake and was just wondering if that was true. If so, which kind of rat snake would be best. If not, which snake or maybe even not a snake at all would be best for beginners.
>>>>
>>>>Thanks,
>>>>JM
>>

I sat down and tried to rank some common snakes based on their appropriateness for beginners based on a suite of criteria. Here's what I came up with -

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Chris Harrison

Great table that you put together Chris.

I was reading the posts and the only thing that I want to add is that a snake that is feeding on frozen/thawed mice is a real plus for someone just starting out.