Top 5 Pet Snakes for the Beginning Collector

Find out which snake is the best pet for a beginner

Thinking of getting a pet snake? For many people, snakes are scary, but for others they are among the most interesting creatures on earth. They are usually pet snake gatherers. Many people would like to have a pet snake, but they often don’t know which species of snakes will be the best for them. There are a number of things to consider when trying to decide what type of snake would be the best to have as your first pet.

Things to consider before choosing a pet snake are how much space is available to keep them, if you plan to handle them, are you scrupulous about their feeding habits, plan to have more than one, etc. There are many more but you get the idea.

Here are what we consider 5 of the best pet snakes for the beginning collector. They are not in any particular order. These 5 are not the only snakes that will make good pets and everyone will not agree with them, but this will give you a boost to do your own research and decide which snake will be the best for you.

Corn snake

The corn snake is recognized as one of the best pet snakes for beginners. They are relatively small, 3 to 5 feet long, and very hardy. They are not picky eaters and will eat frozen mice, which makes feeding them a breeze. The enclosures to house them do not have to be very elaborate or large. The fact that they are tough and tolerate mistakes and rough handling makes them a good pet for someone who may not know much about snake care.

Ball pythons

This type of snake is generally docile and friendly. They don’t grow very large, so they are a good choice for a small area. Female ball pythons average 3 to 5 feet long and males average 2 to 3 feet. They are easy to care for and don’t mind being handled. Ball pythons generally feed on mice or rats and kill their prey by narrowing and suffocating them, but it is better to feed them frozen food rather than live. Soon, owners who are squeamish about feeding ball pythons to live animals will appreciate this.

Milk snakes

These snakes are especially good for beginners, as they only grow 2 to 3 feet. A 10-20 gallon container with a secure wire lid (they are escape artists) is big enough for them. Just make sure there are places for them to hide as they are quite shy. Feeding milk snakes is easy as they don’t require special foods. While they like live food, it’s best to feed them frozen mice. Milk snakes are easily startled and will basically defecate on you until they are comfortable with you handling them.

Serpent king

A king snake is one of the best pet snakes for collectors due to its many different colors and patterns. They are docile and easy to care for. They grow between 2 and 4 feet, so they can live in a smaller cage than many snakes. In the wild, king snakes eat almost any living thing that is smaller than they are. They are famous for eating poisonous snakes. These snakes are very easy to care for, hardy and not aggressive towards humans. King snakes are not picky eaters and will easily eat frozen mice or rats.

Rat snakes

Although not as well known as some of the other snakes, the rat snake also makes a good pet snake to start with. They usually grow 3 to 5 feet long. They are sturdy and don’t mind being handled by even children. Although they are constrictors and prefer live food, it is best to feed them frozen mice or rats to minimize the danger of being bitten by the edible animal. They hibernate in the wild during the winter and may stop eating during this time of year. In spring they will return to normal. Over time, they may drop out of this cycle. They reproduce without difficulty in confinement, which makes it easy to raise a family of snakes.

Regardless of the type of snake a beginning pet owner chooses, cautious consideration will be vital regarding housing and feeding the new pet snake. Doing a lot of research on the different types of snakes and which ones are best for beginners can help prospective owners decide which type of snake will be the best pet for them. While the snakes listed above are all docile, fairly tough, and manageable, there may be some lesser-known traits that would make you choose one over the other. Talking to the owners of the snakes you are considering is a good idea. Snakes live a long time, therefore you will need to choose your pet carefully so that both of you will be happy in the many years that you will be together.