Snakes can be fascinating and unique pets to raise. But beginners often don’t know which kind of snakes work well for inexperienced snake owners. Here are a few suggestions for good beginner snakes:
The Corn Snake as a Beginner Pet Snake
A small, hardy snake, the corn snake is a popular choice for beginners. Because of their size and ability to survive in many different conditions, this snake is a good choice for first-time snake owners, since any slight mistakes are unlikely to seriously harm the pet.
Ball Pythons for New Snake Owners
These snakes tend to be relaxed and calm. Ball pythons can grow up to five feet long, but their growth is over a long period, allowing the owner to become familiar with the snake as it grows. Ball pythons eat live mice and rats and kill them by strangulation, so prospective owners shouldn't be squeamish about feeding their new pet.
Starting with a Milk Snake
Milk Snakes are another small variety of snake often kept by beginners. The biggest drawback to milk snakes is their propensity for slipping out of their cage undetected. A secure cage is an essential item for new milk snake owners.
A King Snake as a First Snake
New snake owners might want to consider a king snake as their first snake. These snakes are easy to care for, hardy and nonaggressive. King snakes eat rodents, but they aren't as picky as some other snakes and will often accept pre-killed or previously frozen food. They also come in a wide variety of colors.
Popular Garter Snakes as a Starter Snake
Garter Snakes are small snakes popular with beginners. They eat earthworms, fish, eggs or small mice. Captive bred garter snakes tend to be comfortable with being handled and they usually don't grow beyond 3 feet.
The Rat Snake is Good for Beginners
Another popular beginner choice, rat snakes are medium-large (5-8 foot) snakes that are generally calm and docile. Like pythons, they are constrictor snakes, so feeding requirements should be taken into consideration before buying a rat snake. They also breed easily in captivity, making it easy to grow a snake family.
The Underappreciated Gopher Snake
These large snakes are often overlooked by people considering a first snake, but they have the advantage of being fairly active compared to many other types of beginner snakes. They like to burrow, so having proper bedding in their enclosure is a must.
No one type of snake is perfect for everyone. Whatever kind of snake a new pet owner chooses, careful consideration should be given to the housing and feeding requirements of the new pet.
All snakes are carnivorous (meat eaters), but some species accept pre-killed food more easily than others.
Other things potential new snake owners should think about are the eventual size of the snake and the amount of interaction they want with their pet. Looking at a few of the different types of beginner snakes can help future owners determine which species will work best for them.
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