Posted on 04/06/2005 10:37:10 AM PDT by Maceman
I know this is way off topic, but hope you all will indulge me. I have decided to honor my 6-year-old daughter's numerous requests to get a pet snake. (I obviously will be overseeing proper care and feeding until my daugher satisfies me that she can do it right.)
I have had many snakes as pets in my life from childhood to age 30 (25 years ago), including two red-tailed boas, a mean yellow rat snake, New Jersey pine snake, and assorted green, garter and milk snakes. One reason I stopped keeping my last boa was that I finally lost the heart to kill mice to feed it.
I really want to make the right choice here. Ideally I would like another red-tail, but they get way too big.
The qualities I am looking for are:
* Adult length no bigger than 5 ft or so (2-3 ft. would be ok too).
* Generally accepts pre-killed thawed rodents for feeding.
* Good disposition, friendly and handles well.
* Not a real fast moving, active animal.
* No unusually difficult environmental demands.
* Maximum cost (not including housing housing and paraphernalia) not to exceed $150. (Less would obviously be better).
I have been doing a lot of research on this lately, although all the species I am interested in are not available right now in local pet stores for me to handle.
I have considered a corn snake, which has a lot to recommend it, but I understand that they tend to be a little faster and more active than what I am looking for (not like a red-tail, which has the perfect level of activity for our needs).
Also considering a ball python, a children's python, and a rainbow boa.
I know that there are a lot of Freepers with expertise in a wide variety of areas, and I figure that must include a fair amount of herp lovers.
Anyone have any good, knowledgable, experienced advice on what would be a suitable choice? Wise cracks are always amusing and to be expected, but hopefully some of you will have something more useful to offer as well.
Thanks.
NEVER!! When I was growing up I had a friend that had a macaw. The damned thing would screech out bloody blue murder for no reason at all day and night. Sure it was amusing to hear come out with the occasional obsenity, but jeez, who would want to live with that?
I guess maybe you would. But not me. Besides, I don't like pet birds. They depress me because I can't think of anything worse than being able to fly and having to spend my life in a cage.
But I do appreciate your contribution to this thread.
I agree with you about birds. I have a cockatiel and a parakeet, and they're great.
The original poster didn't seem to like any of my more traditional suggestions, though!
I have 7 birds. check out my profile!
:-)
lol
Feed it minnows and small frogs when they are in season. Do NOT try to feed it baby toads. The minnows will go into the water of your terrarium and the frogs where ever. The snake will hunt them down. Use a removable water dish for the terrarium so that you can keep it clean.
There are no slow N American snakes 'cept for the hognose that likes to play dead. The temperature of the environment determines if they will be sloths or not. But, too cool and they may not eat or progress.
King Snakes are great, but they are fussy. Wild ones may kill themselves trying to escape a caged environment.
Rattlesnakes are best kept in a outdoor ground pit in West Texas.
I have a Red-Tail and a Ball.
The Ball is the most laid back snake I have ever been around.
But that being said, snakes take alot more effort than just getting an aquarium with a locking top.
Diet, enviornment and overall cleanliness are crucial to the health and well-being of the animal..
FYI, here is where you can learn about the Common Garter snake
Come to think of it, Grandpa wasn't too happy to find it in the mailbox on a hot summer day, either.
Jusr thought I'd let you know that weeks of in-depth research -- online searches, lots of time at herpetology message boards, visits to various pets shops, telephone conversations with herpetology experts -- resulted in my purchase three weeks ago of a captive yearling 2-ft long male ball python from a breeder in Maryland.
A great pet! Docile, pretty, shy, healthy, a good eater. My six-year-old loves him, and I am very happy with the result. I am holding him now as I type this. Even my wife has come to love watching him dance around his cage under the blacklight heating lamp in the evenings. A living lava lamp.
He has eaten twice and shed once since we got him.
Cost of snake: $50 + $50 Fed Ex overnight.
Cost of cage and equipment: $150-$200
Cost of food: 1 frozen mouse per week @$1.49 each.
Average adult size: 3-4 ft. Males are smaller than females, who average 4-5 ft.
Anyway, since you asked me to ping you if I get any answers, I thought you'd want to know how it all worked out.
Feel free to contact me with quesions, as I now have a LOT of answers.
Only downside is that lately I've been spending a lot more time at ball python message boards than at FR!!!
Try something warm and fuzzy, like a southern flying squirrel.
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