Reptile Forum, Reptile Classifieds - CaptiveBred

[mccabec]

I am having trouble deciding between a crested gecko or a snake, probably a corn or king snake. can you tell me what the pros and cons of keeping these snakes are.
thanks,
chris.

[mccabec]

or suggest any other good beginner snakes.
thanks,
chris.

[Lady Python]

I'm very pro snakes and as I don't keep lizards (yet) I can't really tell you which to get.

However, as I keep several Cornsnakes and a Cali Kingsnake (among others), I can tell you that these are excellent snakes for the beginner.

Cornsnakes and Kingsnakes are both happy living in boxes with holes punched like this (this is my Pueblan Milksnake's home)



and my rescue Cornsnake in his



I use a heatmat under the box attached to a Living Earth thermostat white paper towel for substrate, have a couple of hides, some bark, a little log and some greenery and most important, a bowl of fresh water. I use a temp gun to monitor temperatures and also a hydrogometer to make sure the humidity doesn't go too high or too low. This lovely Cornsnake had been neglected when I got him and was living in absolute squalor with an unguarded lightbulb. The result was at some time in the past, he'd been quite badly burned and has some serious scarring down one side. We've had him several months now and as you can see, he's a happy chappy now.

Cornsnakes eat small/medium mice and are usually very good eaters. I call mine reptilian dustbins!!! They also tend to be very friendly snakes and are easily handled. The same applies to Kingsnakes. Our female Cali Kingsnake is in a wooden viv with glass doors. She has a guarded ceramic heat source but everything else is the same as for the Cornsnake. They are also very friendly snakes and easy to handle. My Cali will follow me from one end of the viv to the other. She's in a 3ft viv which should be adequate for her entire lifespan (which I hope is a very long time).

Here she is being as cheeky as ever. You can see the difference between
the two set-ups.



This is her ceramic heat bulb enclosed in a mesh guard to prevent her getting burned on the heatsource. These guards are soooo important. The ceramic heatbulb is also attached to a thermostat.



Temps are 84 deg F at warm end, dropping to 70 deg F at cool end. Snakes will move between the warm and cool end and sometimes curl up in the middle as it suits them.

The box I've got my Cornsnake in is called "Really Useful Boxes" (yes, that is their trade name) and can be easily bought at Staples and PC World. The size I've got are 64 litres which cost £12.99. Another plus to them is they are very easy to keep clean. They also withstand high degrees of temperature which makes them ideal in conjunction with heat mats.

Hope this helps you to make up your mind.
_________________
3 Royal Pythons - Byron, Bobby & Rosie
3 Boas - Zig, Zag & Sevvy
1 BRB - Sunny
1 Milksnake - Ringo
2 Cali Kingsnakes - Nigel & Sally
7 Cornsnakes - Kai, Ryoko, Kiyone, Charlie, Onyx, Jake & Barney
1 Pinesnake X Bullsnake - Joe

RIP Sammy Snake

[mccabec]

thanks for taking the time to post a really informative reply.
Im tempted to get a corn, but then there's those cute little cresties.
I think ill go to the reptile shop thats 15 mins away tommorow as i've already finished school for christmas.
thanks,
chris.