Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello...

My knowledge about snakes is still in its infancy, but I have always wanted a snake and I am now looking to get one (now that I am moving out of my mother's house)...

I have been looking at different snakes that I would like to get and here are a couple of things that concern me...

I Want A Snake That:

1.) Will not kill me & is usually calm. (Nipping at me is bad.)

2.) Sounds cool. Certain names sound really cool, some sound wimpy. "Ball Python" sounds cooler than "Milk Snake."

3.) Is colorful. Ball Pythons are a bit camouflage-y and brown, while King Snakes & Milk Snakes are very colorful.

4.) Is large! 5 Feet is OK, but 8 Feet would be better.

5.) Is Calm, Colorful, & Huge!

Thank you!!!
Dan from Long Island
"Piano Man Fan.com" - Billy Joel Fan-Site

You could get a bloodred corn snake and name it satan.

My knowledge is in its infancy as well, but I guess I'd vote for a bullsnake or a taiwan beauty ratsnake.
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0.1.1 Corn Snakes
1.0 Western hognose
0.0.1 Ball Python

Tell me more about the:

Bullsnake & Taiwan Beauty Ratsnake

How large to they get? What colors do they come in? Are they viscious?

Thanks!
Dan
DAN BOD.com

Get a burmese python as long as you keep it well feed it will have an excellent disposition. A baby will grow to 6- 8 feet its first year and top of 10-18 feet within three years.

Aren't those guys nasty?

I never had a snake before and I would really like to stay away from a snake that'll nip or bite me. Is this snake gentle?

Thank you,
Dan
DAN BOD.com

OK, I just saw some pics of those and they can get massive.

I think that 8 feet or 9 feet is my limit...

What snakes are colorful, gentle, and can get that large (or close to it)?

Thanks!!!
Dan
"Piano Man Fan.com" - Billy Joel Fan-Site

It's going to depend on the personality of the individual snake and how happy you keep it. I've heard great things about burms' dispositions, but they're also a huge responsibility--especially for a first snake.
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0.1.1 Corn Snakes
1.0 Western hognose
0.0.1 Ball Python

I'd hate to give you incorrect info- check out the forums for those specific species and they can answer any question you might have.
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0.1.1 Corn Snakes
1.0 Western hognose
0.0.1 Ball Python

I think that I'd go for either:

Ball Python
Kingsnake
Ratsnake
Cornsnake

Which of these are the most colorful, most gentle, and (most of all) how large can they each get?

Thanks so much!
Dan
DAN BOD.com

A cornsnake is a type of ratsnake (I think "ratsnake" sounds cool, actually). Corns come in a great variety of colors...check out some of the pics on the corn forum. Corns tend to be calm if they are handled regularly from the start, as do many of the other North American Ratsnakes. Corns will start to max out at just over 5 feet, while some of the other rats will easily reach 6. Check out Everglades rats, yellow rats and texas rats. All good beginner snakes. Duffy

Thanks man! I am certainly going to check those out...
"Piano Man Fan.com" - Billy Joel Fan-Site

A good Okeetee corn snake gets my vote. The colors burn! OTOH, a good albino Sinoran gopher snake is a bright yellow color and is good tempered if worked with from a hatchling. They also can get over 6 feet long with a record of close to eight feet. But all bets are off if you try to handfeed a gopher snake. They are VERY enthusiastic feeders and have been known to miss the mouse and hit the feeder's hand.

If you want to try one of the boa species, you might look into the Brazilian rainbow boa. Or if you really want mass, perhaps a blood python. The blood's disposition can be uncertain, though.

Paul Hollander

The Orange Texas Rat Snake looks awesome and it can hit about 3.5 to 6 feet. That means it'll be at least 5 feet...

Are these gentle?
"Piano Man Fan.com" - Billy Joel Fan-Site

Are Texas Rat Snakes "fiesty" or "snappy"?
"Piano Man Fan.com" - Billy Joel Fan-Site

The Texas Rat snake is considered by many to be one of the most aggressive North American Rat snakes. I think if you want a rat snake that is colorful you should look at the Corn snake. With so many colorful corns available and at good prices its hard to beat a corn snake.

Price is not really a factor. I would pay more than $50 for something great - even 5 times more.

What are some of the largest corn snakes and how big do they get? Under 5 feet is too small...

Thank you!
Dan
"Piano Man Fan.com" - Billy Joel Fan-Site

Male corn snakes get around 5 ft. with some reaching the 6 ft mark.
Females max out at around 4 ft.
Corns are about the best first snake for most people. Now if your looking for something that gets big. I like Boa constrictors. They don't get to big like a Burmese python. Boas can be just about the perfect big snake pet. If handled often and raised from a juvenile they have a docile disposition and I believe are very beautiful.

Cool...

How big can boas get?

What are some nice colorful ones?

Dan

There are many different boa constrictors. The most available is the common boa constrictor or Colombian red tail. The males average around 6 to 7 ft. Females grow to 7 to 8 ft. with sometimes reaching
10 ft.
Check out the boa forum here on kingsnake. There is always alot of photos and some good info.

Are they as docile as cornsnakes? Do they nip?

There are true boa's which can still be quite large but not nearly as big as a burmese python, and there are other boa species that are smaller. The rainbow boa for instance is smaller, colorful, and good tempered but can be a tricky feeder. If you are concerned about temperment, then you should pick your snake out in person. Even though you make some generalizations, like cornsnakes have good disposition, or blood pythons are evil, there is enough variation out there for you to get an evil cornsnake or gentle blood python.

I suppose that is true, also. I wanted to get a Cornsnake, but now I am learning that they are fidgitty and hard to watch TV with, because they squirm a lot. If I can get a baby that doesn't move so much, that would be great. I held a Cornsnake the other day and she was crawling all over me. I can see how that might get annoying after awhile.

You're right, a Brazilian Rainbow Boa can be very beautiful. I like those red ones.

They can get very large however. Are they calm if raised from birth?

Thank you tremendously!
Dan

If its your first snake why the hell do you want a big one??

>>If its your first snake why the hell do you want a big one??

Eh, different tastes I guess. 5-8 feet isn't too atrociously big for a first snake. On one hand, it's nice (and practical) to have an elegant little one handed snake, but the heftier 2 handed types have a nice presence to them.

Me, I'm going for an AZ or Baja mountain king that hardly hits 3 ft. Anything larger and my mother will start running around screaming that the Midgard Serpent is on the loose... And my father will start grumbling about 5 ft strangle snakes... Yeesh...

Now if he was going for a Burmese or a Retic, yeah, that would be a horrendous idea. But your average 5-8 foot snake is handleable by one person and not a noticeable threat to life and limb.
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That's was the name of my first Burmese python. I agree owning a larger snake is a completely different experience and having owned ribbon snakes or other small colubrids doesn't help you keep the bigger species and visa versa, they're different and differnt needs. Its like saying keeping anoles first will make you a better iguana keeper, it just doesn't work that way.

They're certainly colorful, generally laid back, and get to a pretty hefty size.
Dont ask about the the price though, hehehe
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Tom
TCJ Herps
"The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes"

How much?

.
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$1000 is too much.

I like vibrant, orange snakes that are gentle and grow over 5 feet, any ideas?

Thanks to everyone for all their help!!!

Dan

I say go with a rainbow boa, but not a baby. Babies can be tricky to rear if you're a first timer, so get one with a little size on it. They're red/orange, and can get about 7 feet or so. Regular handling promotes a laid back temperment.

Are you getting ANY closer to making a decision yet?
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Tom
TCJ Herps
"The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes"

Pricewise you're looking at about maybe $150 to $200 for a yearling.
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Tom
TCJ Herps
"The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes"

Around $1000 or more for a good one. I saw one at a show once that only had one eye for like $600.
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Tom
TCJ Herps
"The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes"

Well, here are my suggestions.

1. Male Oketee corn snake. Orange with red/brown stripes on head and red/brown saddles lined with black on back. A male will reach 5 feet or even up to six. Gentle tempered and hardy.

2. Jungle Carpet python. Can get 5-7 feet and has a beautiful vivid black and yellow coloration. Only catch, is the babies are homicidal maniacs. They mellow with age though.

3. and what I think may be best for your criteria... a Black Rat snake. Very gentle tempered, hardy and calm, grow up to 8 ft. If you get them from a good breeder, you may be able to find one that's pitch black. Not colorful in the traditional sense of the word, but very striking appearance. Also come in different color morphs. I'm gonna get me a leucistic one of these days...

4. As a side thought, I'll put these two together. Blue beauty snake, which grows to 9 feet, and are slate blue with stripes. The only catch, is they can be very high strung and skittish. And Red tail boas may be a possibility. I recommend a male because he'll hit 5-8 ft as opposed to the females 7-10. They have softer tones, tan, grey and reddish brown but are quite pretty. Calm natures too. If you decide on a boa, please adopt! Gots of boas need good homes.

Overall, I think #3, the Black Rat Snake would be your best bet, but whatever you choose, good luck!

P.S. if you care to go for a little snake, AZ mountain Kings hardly hit 3 ft, but they have vivid red, white and black coloration (they mimic coral snakes), Kenyan sand boas just hit 2 ft, they have orange bodies with round brown spots all over, and some garter snakes have very attractive stripey patterns.
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Thanks for that awesome reply. Greatly appreciated!

Are those Black Rat Snakes available in other colors that reach the same length and are calm? How much do they run?

Do the Jungle Carpet Pythons come in colors closer to Orange? I love orange snakes... Are they gentle?

THANKS!
Dan
"Piano Man Fan.com" - Billy Joel Fan-Site

>>Thanks for that awesome reply. Greatly appreciated!

My pleasure!

>>Are those Black Rat Snakes available in other colors that reach the same length and are calm? How much do they run?

Well, I don't know what all the specific morphs look like. The regular black rat snake runs $25-50 but fancy morphs like the stunning leucistic (pure white with black or grey eyes) can be $200 or so. Leucistic is the most pricey morph as far as I know. The morphs I remember of that species usually run colorwise from black to grey to white though there may be others I've forgotten.

Morphs are essentially the same as normal snakes of the same species. The only thing that differs is the price and color.

>>Do the Jungle Carpet Pythons come in colors closer to Orange? I love orange snakes... Are they gentle?

Unfortunately, when you get out of yellow carpet pythons, you tend to start getting into yellowish brown and then brown. They are gentle once they get used to handling. Until then, the babies can be nippy terrors. (it's sort of funny seeing a 10 inch hatchling attack everything in sight, but yeah...)

If you're fond of orange snakes, the Male Okeetee corn may be your best bet. They're very orange (with white underbellies checkered with black) and quite handsome. They run from $25 to $75 but are usually under fifty.

Brazilian Rainbow Boas are also pretty orange. They have yellow spots circled with black, and as a bonus, have some pretty iridescence on their scales. Females of this species grow larger than the males. About 6 ft or so. I've heard varying reports on their temperments. They aren't saints, but I haven't heard horror stories either. They can run $100 to $250 or so.

Two minor things, purchasing the animal is one of the cheapest parts of caring for a pet, so don't let a slightly formidable price slow you down. And as a general rule, it's ideal for the cage be at least 3/4ths as long as the snake's body. Which can get up to 4 or 6 feet of cage length.
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I have a jungle carpet python. He is @ 3 years old and 6 foot long. They are not as thick as a boa so take up less room. Mine is docile with handling. JCP's are yellow/black so don't know if you'd want one of them. I just wanted to let you know how mine was. He is eating f/t large rats. There is a great site about carpet pythons called www.acreptiles.com. This is my JCP...

When I say orange, I mean that I like orange snakes with black. A nice sharp orange. You know what I mean? Very bright. Not sure if the Oketee is the best.

What is the likelihood of a boa being mean, if I raise it from birth?

Dan

I also have a tangerine dream honduran milk snake. He is orange with black bands. I've read they can reach to 5-6 foot. Mine is about 3 foot, and 1 1/2 years old. The down side to milk snakes is they are flighty as babies and hide most of the time. Mine has never tried to bite me though.

That's really pretty. Not sure about the small size. I read the longest average is 4 feet.

Well, you're not gonna get a large amount of bright "crayola" orange on a boa, so which do you want? Lots of orange, or a boa? An Okeetee Corn will have waaaay more orange than a boa will.
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Tom
TCJ Herps
"The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes"

I like Orange and Black, not just orange. But the cool looking cornsnakes only get to like 4 feet...

Well, Im tapped. I have no more info to pass along.
Post some pix when you decide what you're gonna get.
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Tom
TCJ Herps
"The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes"

I just don't know exactly what I like.

Orange Texas Rat Snakes look cool, but I am getting the impression they can be mean.

On a side note, if I care for a snake (any snake) from a baby, will most be calm and gentle?

the post that had the subject with "Well.............." it's about getting a rainbow boa. Check it out. since you hadnt responded to it, I think you might have missed it. It's the best and last advice I'll give.
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Tom
TCJ Herps
"The more people I meet, the more I like my snakes"

Thanks... I just saw your post now, for the first time.

I was really hoping to get a baby and raise it (nearly) from birth.

I am getting closer to a decision.

Cornsnakes seem gentle, but they may not grow as large as my liking, while the Texas Ratsnake seems like it'll get to a nice size, but I not sure about its temperment.

(I really appreciate all of your help. You are very knowledgeable.)

Thank you,
Dan

Not all TX ratsnakes are aggressive; I know a seller here in central Ohio who has the calmest TX rats I've ever seen. Personally, I really like the little guys.

Truthfully, my recommendation would be to find a reptile show or sale in your area and check out some of the snakes IN PERSON. Believe me, it will give you a much better idea of what you like and don't like, and you'll be able to handle the animals to get an idea of their size and girth (i.e., the difference between a 5-foot blood python and a 5-foot ratsnake). There's only so much research you can do online, and it's hard to visualize snake lengths without seeing them firsthand.

Kingsnake has a great "Events" page that can show you events coming up in your area:

http://www.kingsnake.com/events.html

I strongly encourage you to attend any upcoming shows in your city!

Anyway, that aside, I would vouch for a Brazilian rainbow boa, although not without reservations. They are not the easiest snake to keep (due to their humidity requirements), but I think that if you can master the humidity, they might work out well for you. They max out at 5-6 feet for males, and 6-7 feet for females, and are more slender than the boa constrictors.

As Drosera mentioned, they can be a little nippy, but it's nothing to worry about at all - I've been tagged by an adult male Brazilian rainbow, and I didn't even realize he had actually bitten me until I saw a few pinpricks of blood. Honestly, getting bitten by my cat hurts a LOT worse. Snake bites aren't as bad as the media would like us to believe.

In any case, with regular gentle handling, a rainbow boa would probably calm down nicely - although not "bite-proof". To answer your question, most snakes will grow up to be trustworthy adults if handled properly from hatchling size. But some will go through a nippy phase as babies, like the rainbow boa. Research is the key here.

Anyway, I hope I didn't sound too overbearing or anything; I'm a newbie in this myself! But I remember when I was here asking the same questions over a year ago, and without the help of other users I wouldn't have learned so much about these great animals. Good luck in your search!
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3.3 Pygmy corydoras (C. pygmaeus)
2.0 Endlers' Livebearers (P. sp. Endlers)

Thanks for your help as well. One day, I will be able to help others.

Thanks for the tip about the Events page. I am going to do that. I've only been to one store lately, where I handled an Albino Cornsnake.

The Okeetee Cornsnake looks very vibrant and colorful. I am leaning toward a vibrant Cornsnake like the Okeetee Cornsnake or the Texas Ratsnake. How big will each of those get?

If you feed a snake more frequently (every 7 days, rather than every 10 days), will it grow to an even larger size than if only fed every 10 days?

Thank you,
Dan
DAN BOD.com

>>I like Orange and Black, not just orange. But the cool looking cornsnakes only get to like 4 feet...

Well, as far as I know, there's no difference in the size of corn snake morphs. The cool ones and the less interesting ones all attain the same size. Unless there's some kind of giant corn I don't know about...

Okeetee Corns have bold black rings around their brown saddles dividing them fron the orange. Maybe I forgot to mention that. For photos put "Okeetee Cornsnake" in on a search engine. As well as any other snake you've heard of that sparks your curiosity.

Can't help with the size issue I'm afraid. A male cornsnake will grow larger than a female. He may hit 4.5 or pass 5 ft but I can't assure you of that. But even 4 ft is a nice 2-hand-handling snake.

Yes, if raised from youngsters and handled often and kindly, most of the snakes we're mentioning in this thread will grow to be pretty sweet adults. If you want a good introduction site to herpetology, go to www.anapsid.org It's a pretty good site. Few pictures, but it covers a lot of stuff.
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WOW, that sounds really great.

Now I am leaning toward a Cornsnake or Texas Rat Snake. Which of the two are more vibrant? (How are Kingsnakes, in comparison to the two I mentioned above?) And, which would be more tame, if I raised both from near birth?

(Thanks again for your expertise!)

Dan

Orange, docile, and over 5 feet long are a hard set of criteria to fill. Orange, over five feet, and nasty would be easier.

I think Okeetee corns look terrific! But they are a tad small.

Another possibility is the Everglades rat snake. They are another subspecies of the black rat snake and Texas rat snake. Everglades rats are sort of a dark orange color and get to be as big as a Texas rat. As far as I know, Everglades rats are closer to the most docile rat snakes than to the least docile rat snakes. BTW, an Everglades rat does not develop it's adult color and pattern until it's a year or two old.

Start with a snake between birth/hatching and a year old and handle it for 5-15 minutes daily (skipping the day after feeding). That will give you the most docile snake possible. BUT, even the most docile snakes get excited at feeding time. That is the most likely time to get bitten.

Heavy feeding shortens the time required for the snake to get to adult size but does not greatly increase maximum length reached. Heavy feeding does cause obesity.

Paul Hollander

Thanks for the tips on feeding.

I'm not into the Everglades Ratsnake.

The Okeetee is pretty, how big will it get?

Thanks,
Dan

Record corn snake length is 72 inches. Odds are against you getting one that big. Otherwise length depends on nutrition(feed well but not to great excess), sex (males get bigger than females), genetics (big parents usually mean the babies can get big), and patience (hatchlings take a couple of years just to get to 3 feet). Good luck.

Paul Hollander

Blood pythons
scrub pythons
carpet pythons
albino labyrinth burmese pythons
albino burmese pythons
pastel boa
rainbow boa
black pines
surinam redtails

Can you be more specific in what you want....in my opninon an 8ft burmese could quite easily kill a person, boa's can grow to 10ft..i have seen a few...i am sure they could kill. Bloods have a bad retutation for being nasty and biters..i have yet to see one that fits that description. scrubs are beautiful snakes but also have a bad reputation..non justified in my opinion.
The best thing to do is to get yourself a hatchling of whatever you decided and take the proper care of it and you should have yourself a handleable snake. But keep in mind that there are plenty of people out there who have been bitten for no apparent reason by there "tame as a kitten never hurt anything" snake. Some people have died from them
Good luck on the hunt

>>go for an easten kingsnake... they get about 7 feet. they are pretty much harmless snakes.. just be sure to handle it alot when it is young.
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Be excellent to each other...and Party on dude!

Not into that Eastern Kingsnake. But great "Bill & Ted" reference...

Can Ball Pythons be morphed to be Orange or do they mostly come in brown?

And, with Cornsnakes, Kingsnakes, Carpet Pythons, do they fade as they get older or get more bold in color?

I like the Orange Cornsnakes. The Okeetee (Abbott) has a bit too much black (stripes are too bold) for my liking. Which Cornsnakes have the most vibrant orange, without being too pinkish? I have looked at pictures for hours and I can't really decide or tell.

I like that Carpet Python, but I'm not sure how orange they stay. Please help with any ideas...

Thank you for helping,
Dan

If you don't like the black of an okeetee go for an Amel corsnake. I think you need to just keep researching instead of letting somebody else tell you what is cool. You should go for something you like and can care for, not something that will impress your friends.

Here is my Amel--they do get brighter with each shed

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0.0.1 Amel Motley Corn (Cosmo '03)
0.1 Baird's Ratsnake (Sugaree '04)
1.0 White Oaks Grey Rat (Tennesse Jed '04)
0.1 IJ Carpet Python (Cassidy '04)
1.1 Shepherd mix (Dylan 5yrs, Porter 10 months)

I keep looking at the pictures of Cornsnakes on the www.Cornsnake.net site and I just can't make up my mind...

Then, I learned about the Jungle Carpet Python and those look really cool also. I just don't know anymore.

Thank you,
Dan

I just picked this girl up, she is a carpet python also, but she is a west paupan rather than a jungle. She is very feisty though, strikes anytime I get close to her, but once she's out she is OK.

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0.0.1 Amel Motley Corn (Cosmo '03)
0.1 Baird's Ratsnake (Sugaree '04)
1.0 White Oaks Grey Rat (Tennesse Jed '04)
0.1 IJ Carpet Python (Cassidy '04)
1.1 Shepherd mix (Dylan 5yrs, Porter 10 months)

She is cute... Are they (Carpet Pythons) all like that (fiesty)? If she tries to bite you when you put your hand in, how do you get her out without being bitten?

She is really beautiful. How big will she get? Has she always been orange like that? Will that color get more orange or will it fade?

Thanks,
Dan

are you interested in a fashion accessory or a pet? Frankly you remind me of going clothes shopping with my girlfriend.

mci has a point. Though I must on principle resent and object to the implication that we ladies can't make up our minds when shopping.
That said, keep this in mind.

I have never seen an ugly snake!

A mud brown cornsnake with a kink in its tail is still a work of art! The alien grace these creatures radiate has captivated humankind since the dawn of time. Not always in a good way, but they have.
Each snake is an individual so if you get a baby and hold it to some awesome ideal and it grows up to be a dusky copper color instead of bright orange, you'll be disappointed. That's unfair to you and it's unfair to the snake. Snakes are more than just color.
A cornsnake can live for 20 plus years and a Jungle Carpet Python even longer. You're talking about a long term committment! Step back, and sleep on it for a while. Go to herp shows, zoos and haunt pet stores. Get a familiarity for the different species. The snake you want will wait till you're ready.
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Blood Python.

Can't get a cooler name then BLOOD PYTHON
tops off at 7-8 ft.
8 inches in diameter.
big, nice, and badass

What's their behavior like?

Oh My God Dan!!!
Do you realize how many times people have answered the same questions that you've already asked in the above posts? Do you own research for goodness sakes! Everyone here has been MORE then patient with you but you just don't seem to understand what they are trying to tell you! If you want an orange snake, then put in "orange snakes" in the Google search engine and do your own work to figure out what their personalities are like and such...
Or do you love all the attention you're getting on the forum?
Get a life and figure out what you want for a snake yourself!
I, for one, don't want to read this anymore!

Take a chill, Dove. I am uncertain of many things and I am indecisive. Recall back to when you were a beginner.

Relax, get off my case!

It's a big decision, it's not like buying a TV.

Dan

Dan
When I was a beginner, I did all my research for MONTHS before I decided on which snake I wanted to get! I poured over books, asked people questions and TOOK NOTES on which snakes would best suit ME! I didn't ask the same questions over and over on a message board. WE CAN'T MAKE UP YOUR MIND FOR YOU! Do the work yourself and enjoy which ever snake you decide to get.

I think you just like the attention you're getting on the forum because my post was answered within MINUTES by you!
Go back to the begining of this thread and read it through. It will re-answer the same questions you're asking now (again)!

Dove,
Get a life. You answered my post within minutes. Perhaps you are looking for friends, I am looking for info.

As a beginner, you asked people questions, for months. I am in my first week.

Now, leave me alone, unless you are looking for attention from me.

Dan

>>Dove, >>Get a life. You answered my post within minutes.

There's quite a difference between going on a fourm for half an hour or an hour to check things and continuously waiting for replies. (I could be mistaken here, you two could've just logged on in the same half hour window.)

>>As a beginner, you asked people questions, for months. I am in my first week.

First week? Welcome! Enjoy the journey as that's what it is. Research, read, talk, explore. But not even a toddler continuously asks, "is the sky blue? is the sky blue? etc..." Instead they chew on the one answer they recieve and check with the sky and their cardboard colors book to confirm that it is.

Most of the people here are happy to help newcomers and appreciate your prompt replies, (evidenced by how large this thread has grown) but they have already answered you to the best of their ability. Multiple times! Reread the whole damn bloated thread, write down the species recommended to you and use good old fashioned book research and checking in stores to narrow it down to your preferred species!

We wish you well, but gahhhh, this thread has gotten too redundant.
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Still searching for 1.0 WC human

Thanks Drosera-

I get so sick of people wanting everyone else to do the research (that they should be doing THEMSELVES) before they buy a snake.
How else will they learn if they don't walk the journey by themselves?

Dan- You will absorb so much more buy doing the research on your own....

I'm sorry if we sounded harsh. I am glad that you are seeking information. So many don't when they start out.

The thing is, if you rely totally on asking others for information, you'll be vulnerable to bad advice. You need to gather your own knowledge and trust your common sense. That way you'll be able to know if someone you ask something, is
A. repeating common knowledge,
B. repeating common errors,
C. Giving first hand knowledge, or
D. Shooting bull that could hurt you and your pet.

You can see why B and D are to be watched for at all costs.

If you want to gather a good base of knowledge, here are some sources that helped me. www.anapsid.org is a marvelous and extensive site. I go there so often I should pay them rent.
The Barrons series of reptile books are quite solid. The info is 10 years old or so, but still adequate. Petsmart carries a series called The Advanced Vivarium Systems which seems pretty solid. And Lenny Flank wrote a few nice books that starting out, I pored over for hours. And avoid the tfh series. Treat yourself to a Barnes & Noble trip, or at least hit the library. Your snake will thank you.

Hope this helps, and good luck.
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0.2 chickens (Falcon & Condor)
0.2 dog mutts (half ownership, only mine when they misbehave, Lucy & Amy)
0.1 Halflinger horse (Crissy)
0.0 Arizona Mountain Kingsnake (coming soon)
1.1 parents
Still searching for 1.0 WC human

Burmese pythons are very nice snakes, I have had 2 normals and 2 albinos and all were very nice.

I think a Redtail Boa would be perfect for what you want. they are very calm and get around 8ft.
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my reptiles: Nile Monitor, Reticulated Python, Het for Albino Reticulated Python, Yellow Ananconda, 2 Columbian Redtail Boas, 2 Ball Pythons, and a Striped California Kingsnake

You need to realise that snakes live for a long time. THEY ARE A LIFETIME COMMITMENT! It shouldn't matter to you what the specie name is. It shouldn't matter how cool it is, or if you can show it off to your frieds.

Yes, you should worry about temperament and size. But not if your only concerns involve the wow factor.

Grow up. Don't buy a snake until you care less about what the snake says about you, and more about what you can do for a snake.

And, btw, yes these forums are a wealth of knowledge. But that doesn't mean you should ask millions of questions that are easy to find answers to. If you want colour/price/length information, on any information regarding just about anything - SEARCH THE NET or search the forums. You will find that your questions have already been answered.

It really angers me to find people who want pets simply because they think they are cool. Because it is those pets that end up being neglected and dying.

I am in Australia, and even the most common of snakes are $300AU (which is $250US). You need to develop a better appreciation and do a hell of a lot more of your OWN research before making a purchase. Poor bloody snake.

OK, I just wanted something cool in the beginning, if it was possible to meet all my criteria. I didn't know what was out there. So, if I could get a big, colorful, PYTHON, I would get that, rather than a big, colorful, MILKSNAKE. I like the pythons' heads better.

Anyway, I asked a lot of questions because the things I have read online and in my book are not consistent and I have gotten various answers to very straightforward questions.

Also, thanks for replying, 10 weeks later to my post.
DAN BOD.com

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Thanks,
Dan from Long Island