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Want a second snake: Corn or BP?

C

compasslogic

New member
I've heard people call corns a gateway snake that starts the addiction, and I think that happened to me. Sure enough about half a year after getting my first snake ever, a little amel corn, I now really want a second snake. But I can't decide if I want a second corn snake or a ball python.

I've been stalking this forum for months and feel like I have a good handle on corn snakes, but I know much less about BPs. I like the things I have heard though, like that they will just sit and chill out with you, and not continue to slither all over like a corn. I also like that they are more popular, apparently? So that way if I wanted to sell my pet later on, would it be easier to sell a decent-morph ball python than a corn? I only ask in case I don't want to keep the snake for 30 years. 30 years is just a really long time.

Also, I've heard that there is more money in BPs. As in they are more expensive to buy, and therefore if you breed you make more selling baby bps than you would corns. Is this true? I don't know if I will ever be able to breed, but I would still like to know in case I ever get the opportunity.

Any other differences you can tell me about? I like how corns just need under-tank heat mats, and do not need heat lamps. I've read that bp's need both (because they need it hotter) and that they need a higher humidity? I really don't like the look of lamps and find that to be an annoyance. I'd much rather stick with mats. And I live in south FL where it is always humid, so I've never worried about humidity with my corn. He's shed 3 times with me so far and they have all been perfect. Would I need to actually actively control humidity for a bp? Are they really that different?

I really want direct comparisons between these two types of snakes, and I figured this forum might be a good place to get that! Any information is appreciated :)
 
I have both. And I personally can't pick a favorite. They're both so sweet. So, I'll give you some pros and cons for ball pythons.
For ball pythons, my pros would be that theyre super slow moving and sweet. Mine has never struck and is very calm. They also get nice and fat, but aren't super huge. I wouldn't recommend buying an animal that you aren't prepared to keep for its entire life, but just in case, they do sell for more and seem to be more popular at the moment.
The only cons I can think of are that some people want a snake that moves more, and they don't always take frozen/thawed. And you are correct, they also require a bit more heat and humidity. I use a heat pad on mine with a lower wattage bulb on top to provide the right gradient, but a lot of people don't seem to use lights at all. I must mine twice a day and he does fine, and I imagine humidity in Florida wouldn't be very hard to keep up.
Personally, I'd go for a ball python because I'd want something different and they are definitely worth owning at least once.


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I've had 2 Red tail Boas, a Ball python, and a Corn snake over the years,

I can say the corn snake has been the easiest, the 2 red tail boas were also great. One of them lived 22 years. (But they do get big).

And personally, I'll never have another Ball Python. They are beautiful to look at, but they sometimes stop eating for no apparent reason. They are more of a hassle to care for that either a Corn snake or Boa.
 
What about a Florida King? I really love those!! A much different personality than a cornsnake, but pretty much the same care requirements.

My boyfriend has a ball python. He's a PITA. He ate live for many years, despite Rich trying EVERYTHING to get him to switch. Then the worrying November to February or March feeding strike. Annually. One day Rich offered Sammy a FT chick, just for fun, and Sammy, it turns out, loves FT chicks. So that's what he eats now. He's a pleasant snake, enjoyable to hold, he's very chill. This includes in his viv, where he displays typical BP behaviour- same as one would do in the wild. Sit in a hide (burrow/rock cave) all the time.

I have a Ball Python guide down in my personal forum on this site. You might want to read through it.
 
My only non-corn is a black milksnake. Very cool snake! Extremely docile temperament (even as a baby, he was much calmer and sweeter than my corns of the same age). And they look awesome when they're tricolor babies, and then they change to a nice glossy black. Their care requirements are about the same as corns. They get a little bigger, up to 6 or 7 feet sometimes, and they like it a little bit cooler.
 
I have corns, royals, and a boa constrictor. I honestly think the boa is easier to take care of than the ball pythons. They are generally very docile but don't just sit there like some ball pythons, so they are kind of between corns and ball pythons in terms of activity level. They're more tolerant of temp/humidity issues and tend to not have feeding problems. For both of my ball pythons, it can sometimes be a struggle to get them to eat frozen-thawed. They sometimes fast which can be distressing, or they'll constrict the prey item but then just leave it there and refuse to eat it when it is offered again. Mine are healthy and generally take their food, but they have their annoying moments. The boa, on the other hand, has never given me a problem. The only issue is size, but I bought an adult-sized enclosure for my boa before I purchased him, and kept him in a tub setup until he was ready to be transferred. He is a total sweetheart so I have never been intimidated by him. I did train him anyways with a paper towel roll to know when it is handling vs feeding time, since any snake can have a case of mistaken identity.
 
I have a ball python as second breed of snake and I love her.. i knew about the pita of getting them to eat F/T so I boil and use the soap trick and she switched with very little effort. However, when it comes to curling up and be calm and sit still forget about it.. my ball python has the mentality of a corn snake.. she is a tad chiller but runs around like a mad woman, right now she is in my hoodie and on my shoulder.. she is also always out and about in her cage roaming etc.. and she's still a baby.. I think someone forgot to tell her she is a bp.. but yeah this is most likely gonna be my only BP though but after this experience I might get a second one one day..
 
I also really like our Honduran milksnake. Super easy to care for, a little bit bigger than the corns, decently calm from the get go, had a little bit of baby flightiness but not bad at all. Very calm now. Completely different feel and way of moving than either a corn or a BP, although probably a bit closer to the corn in movement.
 
Tavia said:
I also really like our Honduran milksnake. Super easy to care for, a little bit bigger than the corns, decently calm from the get go, had a little bit of baby flightiness but not bad at all. Very calm now. Completely different feel and way of moving than either a corn or a BP, although probably a bit closer to the corn in movement.
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I'll second this one too :)

BP would be low on my list...
 
How about a Mexican Black Kingsnake?
I love mine!
 

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Nanci said:
I really want a boa constrictor...
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Back when I bred boas there were none of the morphs that there is now. I've been tempted so many times to jump back in to them but after having kept them for so many years I don't miss thawing out large rats and cleaning up huge poops LOL

MysticExotics said:
How about a Mexican Black Kingsnake?
I love mine!
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I love yours too !!!!!!!

More good choices over a BP :grin01:
 
Tavia said:
I also really like our Honduran milksnake. Super easy to care for, a little bit bigger than the corns, decently calm from the get go, had a little bit of baby flightiness but not bad at all. Very calm now. Completely different feel and way of moving than either a corn or a BP, although probably a bit closer to the corn in movement.
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I actually think these guys are the coolest looking snakes of any species I've seen. They're just so neon.
 
I don't know. To my eye corn and rat snakes are the quintessential snake. Perfectly proportioned and beautifully patterned, each has it's own personality. I like round eye pupils in a snake also. Just gives a more personable quality to them. If my next snake isn't a corn it will most definitely be a yellow or Everglades rat. So many colors and morphs of corn to choose from you can never get tired of "one" type of snake with a corn. I had a Haitian Boa many years ago and it was a good snake but it never had the kind of personality that I could relate to. My corn actually has a really cute personality. Shy but friendly and I actually think he kinda likes me. Yeah. You don't need no ball, corns are the bestest!
 
By the way, you're on a corn snake forum so most people are a little biased haha. I'd check out a BP forum too to get another perspective. You really can't go wrong with either.

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claire.chapman11 said:
By the way, you're on a corn snake forum so most people are a little biased haha. I'd check out a BP forum too to get another perspective. You really can't go wrong with either.

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So true ;)
Definitely a bit biased here BUT some of use have kept BP's for decades and know what a troublesome species they can be. This question was discussed recently in another thread..
 
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