Wanting some opinions on second snake

So I am looking to get a second snake. I absolutely love my little Sunshine. I thought about getting a second corn snake, still considering that. I don't really like the wide girths on a lot of snakes. But I fell in love with these types:

Sand Boa
Rosy Boa (I can't find much info on these.)
Hognose
Carpet Python
Green Tree Python (Most favorite, but I know I'm not ready for these, yet.)
Rhino Ratsnake (Not sure. I can't find much info on these.)


So are any of these a good second snake? Anyone have any experience with any of these? Any other recommendations on a second snake? Much help appreciated.

I always recommend taking a look at the black milksnake (Lampropeltis triangulum gaigeae)

They can get pretty long, but don't get a super big girth. And their care is very easy.

I looked them up. Very beautiful as an adult. I always wondered is there any problems keeping a kingsnake and a milksnake in the same room as other snakes?

The first two wouldn't be bad choices, the third I'd do more research on...Hognose Snakes are venomous, and altho not dangerous in itself the venom can cause an allergic reaction, which is dangerous...Irian Jaya carpets are smaller than other carpets...The feeding responses of carpets can be...disconcerting...to folks not expecting or prepared to deal with....Green Tree Pythons are not a good choice for someone new to snakes...Kathy Love would be a great start for info as far as keeping Rhino Rats...

Of your 6 listed I have one, a 10 year old carpet python...He's 7', and a total sweetheart...until he smells food in the air, and will lash out at anything he sees moving near his cage...we have to trick him into thinking the food is coming from one side of the cage while we slip it in the other...It's something to see for sure...




and they, like any other snake...will bite you if you are not careful

I'm not sure, but I wouldn't think so. I keep my cornsnakes in the same room as my milksnakes in the same room as my green tree python in the same room as my geckos.

As far as your original list, I only have experience with the green tree python. They were the 3rd snake species I kept. Attitude aside, they take a lot of work and dedication to care for, but can be done. It is my most care intensive reptile I have, and the most sensitive to environmental changes. As far as attitude, I got lucky and have a rather docile one, but she/he gets very aggressive at feeding time. Only been bit once (so far lol).

The black milksnake, by the way, is my least care-intensive species of reptile I have. Perhaps why I love them so much :laugh:

I was planing on getting a black milk snake as a 2nd fell in love with sheldon tho. But I still plan on getting one so I would suggest that. there is a biiiiiiiig thread here some where on them

I will defiantly research more as I go along. I just have a hard time choosing. I like the looks and the personalities I have read on all of these species.

Chris, I am really interested in Carpets. But I was worried about length and girth of the animal. Do they have large girths like a Ball python?

I have a Rosy Boa. Noah the BOA!!! I love her. She is _so_ different from the corns. Like a big, fat, slow slug. Very gentle and reliable. The care is nearly the same. She comes out and climbs and stuff.

I have heard that sand boas stay buried a great deal of the time.

Hoggies are quirky. You might run into one that does a feeding strike. i wouldn't worry about a bite. First of all, they are only going to head-butt you if they are striking defensively. The only way you'll get envenomated is if you allow a hunger bite to continue for many minutes.

Your first 3 were/are all on my list of snake species I might one day like to have.
It really depends on what temperament you prefer in your next snake.
Everyone I've listened to that has Sand Boas seem to really like them and recommend
them to other people. I've only held one baby for about 20 minutes and it was quite calm and slow moving but it also attempted to borrow into my hands the whole time I was holding it. From what I've heard, they are almost never seen in their cages, so if you want a decent display snake a Sand Boa isn't a good choice.

Hoggies have the mildly hot thing to think about, you apparently will probably never be bit in just the right way to get envenomated but if you are going to own one I think its something you need to be sure you could handle having it happen to you. I wasn't sure about that myself, which is why I don't have one right now but they are still on my possible list.
They can also be picky eaters, so you'll want to be sure the one you get is eating well.

I absolutely love my male Rosy, he is the calmest, least head shy snake I have. He is usually content to curl up on an arm and chill for a few hours. He is inquisitive and his tongue is always going but you can sit down and watch TV or do something else while holding him, he doesn't take almost all of your attention like my other snakes.
The female doesn't really like to be held and is always going hand over hand but she isn't aggressive. She is about 12 and was used for breeding by a fairly big hobbyist, so I don't think she was handled much. The male was someone's prized single snake pet and I think he got handled a lot.

I don't know too much about the other ones on your list. I also like the GTPs but don't think I'm quite ready for one either.

My vote goes with the Carpet Python. Like Chris said, the IJ's are the smallest & the Coastals are generally the largest. I have mostly IJ's, one Jungle & have a future Coastal & another Jungle baby to add, down the road.
The personality on the Carpets is awesome! If I had to pick just one snake species, it would be the Carpets. Don't get me wrong, I love my Corns, no question, but if you get a chance to interact with Carpets, you will see what I mean.

chris68 said:

The first two wouldn't be bad choices, the third I'd do more research on...Hognose Snakes are venomous, and altho not dangerous in itself the venom can cause an allergic reaction, which is dangerous...Irian Jaya carpets are smaller than other carpets...The feeding responses of carpets can be...disconcerting...to folks not expecting or prepared to deal with....Green Tree Pythons are not a good choice for someone new to snakes...Kathy Love would be a great start for info as far as keeping Rhino Rats...

Of your 6 listed I have one, a 10 year old carpet python...He's 7', and a total sweetheart...until he smells food in the air, and will lash out at anything he sees moving near his cage...we have to trick him into thinking the food is coming from one side of the cage while we slip it in the other...It's something to see for sure...

and they, like any other snake...will bite you if you are not careful

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Gorgeous boy you have there, Chris! Where did you get him?

So no to the Hognose and I know I am not ready for a Green Tree Python. I still can't find much info on the Rhino Rat. I am defiantly looking at the Carpet Python, Rosy Boa, and Sand Boa. I will be going to a reptile show very soon, hopefully I will see some there. And I am defiantly going to research on the three defiant species.

Has anyone heard of a Irian Jaya Jaguar Carpet Python?

I would get the Rosy. I really want one, they seem like the sweetest things.

I am really liking the Carpet Pythons. I have read they are nippy as babies. That is fine. I have also read that they really Semi-Arboreal is this true?

Yes, they do prefer things to be semi-arboreal. Not ALL are nippy, you can find some that are docile but like mentioned, they tend to be super aggressive feeders.

I vote carpet python. I think they're amazingly beautiful, and aren't as chubby as most other pythons.

Holding a carpet is like hold a very large corn, in that they (at least ours lol) loves to move...He's a big handful of constant motion, loves to crawl over everything and everyone...The one bite, as most bites are, was my fault...

Heather we got him at a show in Havre de Grace MD from a jobber who had bought out a collection in Ohio...Supposedly produced by Don Hamper...

VickyChaiTea said:

they tend to be super aggressive feeders.

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That's fine. I think I can handle that if I can handle a 2,000 lb animal I have to feed.

VickyChaiTea said:

I think they're amazingly beautiful, and aren't as chubby as most other pythons.

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I agree.

Chris, sorry didn't see you post. But how did you get him off of you when he bit you? Or did he let go?

Looking at the Jungle Carpet Pythons and the Mexican Rosy Boas. I love both of these.

I have Mexican Rosy Boas! They are my favorite locale for sure. But there are a lot of gorgeous Rosy localities and some neat morphs to choose from.