Our son wants a snake, he has been on about it for a while now, we have not kept a snake before & are looking for some impartial advice.

He will be 9 years old in May so thats when we plan on doing this unless anyone gives me a good reason against it ?

We have 3 fish tanks, a rabbit & cat so are fine with looking after critters & cleaning up poo etc

Local pet shop recommended a corn snake but they were obviously trying to sell us one too, is this a good 'starter' snake ?
We were told they are hardy, easy to keep, dont tend to bite, dosile & grow up to 1.5m long, all sounds ok so far.

Also any recommendations for vivariums & what other equipment we need would help.

Cheers - Andy

My daughters had snakes as pets since she was 21, she's 30 now and got 2 royal pythons, Ive got to say they really surprised me that they are such good pets, very little trouble and they do get to know thier owners.
A corn snake is what she started with and I think they have to be the most popular starter snake, you may get the odd bite until the snake gets to know you and its keepers but after that its a rarity even with the larger snakes but it happens so quickly you hardly notice.
I'd take the pet shop owners advice re a viv but try and find a local breeder who can advise you more and give you better advice and a better deal.
Cheers,
Bob

[Edited on 14/3/13 by splitrivet]

Find out how much it's going to cost you to run a Vivarium, as I'm told by friends with reptiles that they can cost alot in Leccy and can have a side effect of making your rooms hot. They tend to smell horrible, I think it's vivariums rather than the animals themselves but you probably wouldn't notice it if you got used to it.

We "inherited" two snakes, a Corn and a King. Both grow to the size you mention, the King is a little more nippy if he confuses you for his dinner. Food wise 1 med size mouse a week, clean out every so often and some fresh wood chips. Very easy to keep as they just need their water topped up, and can go for 2 weeks if you go on holiday and have no one to feed them (one went 6 weeks without feeding, his choice I will add). We have a heat mate and a downlighter, the vivs have a mesh top and we do not notice any smell. They are good pets but they do live a long while, are best when handled on a regular basis.

[Edited on 14/3/13 by zetec]

I must admit to having a huge problem with keeping things like imported pet animals that could be supplied by the wild life smuggling trade - a huge number of these are taken out of the natural environment and smuggled with great cruelty and high mortality rate.

If you go for the snake at least get something from your own country and that you know for sure is bred in captivity.

Both daughters have a corn snake. They don't get on (snakes, not daughters) so are in separate vivs

Anyway, they just have a heatmat each, started in small tanks with kit roll as bedding, now in chipboard vivs off the bay. Bits of gutter offcuts as "homes" and a few sticks.
Top the water bowl up once a week, feed every week (sometimes the girls forget, I reckon longest feed gap has been a month) but they are easy pets for holidays etc.
They smell as the crap is pongy, but clean it out and sorted.

I recommend them.

Downside is they have a long lifespan. We will probably "inherit" them when the kids leave and start out on their own.


EDIT
re viv, they both started out in a plastic fish tank, about 18" long with a clip-on lid (VERY important, they WILL get out if they have a chance)
Moved up to a bigger version, now in these
Vivexotic Reptile Vivarium Medium Beech | eBay

well, similar anyway.
One snake is sleepy and docile, the other seems to have addh and is always on the move. When small they are quite tricky to keep hold of, once up to 2' a lot easier. And don't buy a "special" version, get the cheapest type as they are not overbred to look "nice"

[Edited on 14/3/13 by cliftyhanger]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ivan
I must admit to having a huge problem with keeping things like imported pet animals that could be supplied by the wild life smuggling trade - a huge number of these are taken out of the natural environment and smuggled with great cruelty and high mortality rate.

If you go for the snake at least get something from your own country and that you know for sure is bred in captivity.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ivan
I must admit to having a huge problem with keeping things like imported pet animals that could be supplied by the wild life smuggling trade - a huge number of these are taken out of the natural environment and smuggled with great cruelty and high mortality rate.

If you go for the snake at least get something from your own country and that you know for sure is bred in captivity.

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quote:

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Originally posted by Ivan
I must admit to having a huge problem with keeping things like imported pet animals that could be supplied by the wild life smuggling trade - a huge number of these are taken out of the natural environment and smuggled with great cruelty and high mortality rate.

If you go for the snake at least get something from your own country and that you know for sure is bred in captivity.

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Don't worry about the cost of running the viv it's not alot, I dont keep snakes but do have alot of reptiles (they have there own bedroom lol) and hardly noticed an impact on the leccy bill.

Recently got a bearded dragon for my son. Whilst talking to the shop owner we asked about snakes. No pressure of a sale and he also recommended a corn snake, as several others have done on here.
I would get a snake for myself, but the beardie will do for now.
Many dealers also breed their own snakes, I know mine does.

I am sure snakes make great pets, but taking them for walks can be a real drag.... sorry.

quote:

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I must admit to having a huge problem with keeping things like imported pet animals that could be supplied by the wild life smuggling trade - a huge number of these are taken out of the natural environment and smuggled with great cruelty and high mortality rate.

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