small/medium snake suggestions

[LisaLQ]

Looking for suggestions for a small to medium (eg up to 4-6ft) snake, with similar care needs to a corn, but something a little different (although still fairly easy to get hold of).

- mustn't get too big (no pythons/boids please - not my style)
- care similar to corn - nothing too complicated (I should have been born blonde)
- handleable/easy to tame
- bit different to the "norm" (eg. not another corn snake!)
- not too rare or super expensive (under £100 preferably)
- nothing poisonous!

I know the obvious choices are milks and kings, which I am looking into (I love "sock snakes" LOL), but I also love the looks of some rat snakes (Bairds are lovely) and trinkets. However it's the care needs and temperament that are most important, I dont want anything too tricky or super vicious!

Any local breeder suggestions or shop suggestions most welcome (am planning on a trip to Tpets and PawsForThought soon).

[pied pythons]

I'd have thought a royal python would fit the bill pretty well...but you're not interested in pythons? (As would BCI localities)...

Perhaps look into them before discounting them as 'not your style'.

What is it you don't like about pythons and boas?

[LisaLQ]

Sorry - I didn't mean to offend, I think they're lovely, they're just not "me".

[pied pythons]

Not offended at all....just ensuring you hadn't discounted them thinking they were all huge or untameable etc...as a royal or BCI locality would fit the bill perfectly.

Okay...how about house snakes?

King Snakes or Milk Snakes?

Some rat snake species such as Russian Rats, Japanese Ratsnakes etc..

Umm...finding this difficult, lol... A lot of ratsnake species can be hard to 'tame' as they're rather flighty, or can be nippy and unpredictable.

How about Western Hognose snakes?

All I can think of are boas & pythons, lol. Sand Boas, Carpet Pythons, Royals, Dwarf BCIs, Blood Pythons etc...

[neil08]

how about african house snakes, lamprophis capensis. there smashing sml snakes between 2 and 3 ft long, relatively cheap too, leaping lizards has some i just got a pair n there crackers.

[JinnyJin]

Go with a house snake.
Just got myself a couple and they are awesome.

[LisaLQ]

I understand completely, I think it's just I prefer slenderer snakes (although I appreciate even an adult corn can be quite chunky!). I love seeing other peoples pythons etc but they just dont do it for me, and as much as I'd love to have several snakes, I'm only allowed two (hubby has been very patient with my rat hobby taking over our home without another animal doing the same!), so I have to pick a favourite, if you get me.

Sorry for being confusing too - I think what I meant to ask was are there any I've missed out - eg. I know milks and kings are similar care need wise although I am going on what I've read online, and it's often conflicting. Eg. milk snake sizes, some sites say certain subspecies reach 6ft, others 3-4ft....

I think I know what the obvious choices are, just being new to snakes I was wondering if there was anything a little away from the "norm" which was underated and a bit different. Eg. KathyM's just picked up a lovely bairds, I'd never heard of them before - from what I gather they're a bit underated.

I love hognose looks wise, but I would not be able to talk hubby into something potentially venemous (I know they dont often bite and their bite is like a bee sting IIRC, but still, we have kids so I want it to be completely non-venemous).

I like house snakes and trinket snakes look wise too - but again, conflicting info online - some people saying their care needs are the same as corns, others saying they're very different.

So I thought I'd ask the experts (you guys!) if there's any others I should be considering.

Sorry for wittering on and confusing people, I appreciate you get asked these questions a lot - and I shall ask our local reptile shops instead if I'm being too "dim"...

Edited to add: thank you Neil and Jinny - can you point me towards a good care sheet for them please?

[pied pythons]

Bairds are nice...had a pair ourselves...

Quite easy to get hold of...not as abundant as corns or kings and milks...but they are around.

Mexican Bairds are nice, a bit harder to get hold of than the usual Texas Bairds...but they have solid grey heads...really stunning!

[C.Bruno]

kingsnakes,royals and hognoses are YOUR best bet!

[pied pythons]

Mexican Bairds males:








Japanese Ratsnake male: