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Assisted Answer
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6/15/2009 2:36:00 PM
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anjeanettecorns28
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My opinon would definently be corn snakes. They are great first pet snakes, and wonderful because they are so docile in nature and calm and can easily be handled by children. I bought a corn snake for my 5 yr old niece last summer and she absolutely loves her. And Rose the corn snake does not mind being held by my over hyper active 5 yr old niece one bit. So my suggestion would be a corn snake for sure. They are also one of the easiest snakes to take care of as far as set ups go and feedings. Good luck!
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Member Comment
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6/15/2009 2:37:59 PM
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JohnJohn
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I second that. Corn snakes are like puppies.
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Member Comment
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6/15/2009 2:40:44 PM
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Member Comment
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6/15/2009 2:44:47 PM
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FyreFocks
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Red spitting cobras :)
Seriously, there are a variety of what can be deemed "child friendly" snakes. Other than corn snakes, you could try childrens or spotted pythons, or perhaps a garter snake. They come in a variety of colors as well.
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Member Comment
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6/15/2009 2:48:01 PM
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hana
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I also would go for a Corn as a first pet snake. But, you do have to watch a little because they aren't all sweet as pie. I've had a number of them that were just evil from nose to tail tip. Corns usually are calm and gentle, but that doesn't mean they all are.
On the other hand, my favorite thing about my BPs is how mellow they are. They're total couch potatoes compaired to the Corns. So it also depends on how active they want the snake to be. :)
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Member Comment
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6/15/2009 3:00:22 PM
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deathscythe801
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Kenyan sand boas would be my the best in my opinion. Not as quick as corns if the child should drop or lose the snake. And I have three adults and 5 neonates that i have never even seen attempting to bite. My five year old daughter loves them!
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Member Comment
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6/15/2009 3:30:52 PM
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FyreFocks
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Ive had 4 sand boas in my time as a keeper, 2 currently and 2 that passed a few years back, and all 4 of them will bite you just for looking at them.
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Member Comment
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6/15/2009 8:07:15 PM
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Geckofactor
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Rubber boas can't really bite and live forever or if you can find one that feeds well a calabar.
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Assisted Answer
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6/15/2009 10:07:57 PM
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dalvers63
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Corn snakes are good however when they're young, they are very fast and can startle a child. I still say that a yearling carpet python is good with anyone.
Depending on the age of the child I'd steer him away from younger snakes, since they tend to bite out of fear since they're small. If he has a herp society around, have him check there to see what they have available for adoption. You'll find older animals that are in good shape and quite a few of them have been handled extensively.
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Member Comment
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6/15/2009 10:15:28 PM
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natsamjosh
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I have to put in a plug for an Argentinian Rainbow boa. Like many other species, captive bred specimens can be tamed with regular handling. They also don't require high humidity or high temperatures, and they stay reasonably small (about 4' to 5').
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Member Comment
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6/15/2009 10:18:42 PM
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Triangle Reptiles
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Western hognose. Great "personalities", easy to care for, inexpensive.
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Author Comment
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6/15/2009 10:49:15 PM
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mojosreptiles
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thanks everyone for the feedback so far. his daughter is 5 years old. i think he had asked me about the hognose, but i didn't know much about it. as for corns, i think i suggested that to him, but i can't remember if he didn't want one of those or not.
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Member Comment
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6/15/2009 10:53:57 PM
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FyreFocks
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I originally dismissed the idea of suggesting a hognose due to their mild toxin, but babies are prone to playing dead during times of stress as opposed to biting. All my yearlings are past that stage and are quite pleasant to handle.
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Member Comment
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6/16/2009 12:42:34 PM
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GarbrechtRE
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I'm gonna say cornsnake, ball pythons are good but often times tricky feeders
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Member Comment
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6/16/2009 1:50:43 PM
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shellboa
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Ok I've got to second the sand boas, mine are sweet as heck and I only got bit because of food. Also, an adult king that is used to handling (the whole adopt an adult thing is a great idea) Rubber boas are really mellow and are easy to care for but don't appreciate a LOT of handling so?...as for a hog, if you can find one that is good tempered I'd go for it, they are awesome little boogers. I too have an evil corn. Also, if they have the room why not an RTB? one that is past say 6 months and no longer baby fear striking. If they buy from a knowledgeable breeder they could get one that stays smaller. I have to say you should definetly check out a local herp club, maybe some one there could let the kid check out some snakes and see what the kid could handle.
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Member Comment
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6/16/2009 2:46:29 PM
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Buzz
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1 or 2 year old corn snake. Large enough to be handled with easy. Slower than the yearlings. Ball pythons are not bad either. Pending on the climate corns do not require as much tempature regulation. They come in a wide range of colors and patterns.
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Member Comment
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6/16/2009 4:56:05 PM
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Assisted Answer
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6/16/2009 5:37:35 PM
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Floof
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Sand and Rosy boas are awesome... My little Kenyan Sand Boa is sweet as pie, and my 4 year old cousin's favorite to handle (as well as just about the only one I'll let her hold on her own...). Other than that, an adult corn would be a good start (I wouldn't suggest a hatchie to anything less than a really responsible 13+ year old who's been bitten by lots and lots of them.. Lol). Ditto to the spotted and children's pythons. Maybe a male dwarf BCI? I'd be worried about the average boa constrictor getting too big too fast for the little kid, though. Maybe take the kid to an expo and have her handle some different snakes and pick out one that she likes?
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Assisted Answer
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6/16/2009 7:08:10 PM
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magsj387
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I would start with the suggestions of Corn, King, Milk snake...any variety of colors easy going and so on and so forth...ball python would be my next but that's been ruled out...My biggest suggestion is that the child/parent should be educated and go from there. There are lots of possibilities and the more educated the better! Explain to them that, any and almost all of these guys can and possibly will bit as babies and that with time and handling that passes, I've seen corns with chondro attitudes.....and kenyens that are the nicest things to little buggers. Prepare them for the fact that no matter what you have inevitably you are going to get bit, but starting off small is going to be their best shot. My say would be one of the dwarf species of BCI cay caulkers???
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Member Comment
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6/16/2009 7:51:00 PM
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Aimee
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I'm with Deb. a carpet python is one you can't go wrong with. get one a year or more old, so it's had time to mellow out of it's baby-bitey phase. they're sweet and curious, and often active during the day.
corns are easy, I guess, and stay a bit smaller. however, they're a bit more inclined to be squirrely, I think, and that musking is gross.
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Member Comment
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6/16/2009 7:55:18 PM
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FyreFocks
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I think something that should weigh in on your decision would be ease of care for the animal, making most python and boa species not appropriate. Corn snakes and most other colubrids are very simple to house and care for, and they wont out grow the child.
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Member Comment
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6/16/2009 10:35:33 PM
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Cenobite
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Corn. Get it as a hatchling and you're good for prolly 15 years.
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Assisted Answer
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6/17/2009 11:11:42 AM
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vonnick52
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The "difficulty" of keeping most python and boas is way overrated. A decent cage that isn't made for fish will serve most of them very well.
If you get a boring snake, the youngun might lose interest quickly. Avoid a ball python....just on this site alone...there are at least 5 blogs/questions about ball pythons not eating. While there are exceptions, many BPs are fairly boring to handle, and as their name suggests, they ball up.
I've never been interested in corns or colubrids simply because everyone has them. Everyone probably has them for a reason though, and I'm sure they make good pets. They are inexpensive typically, and come in such a variety of colors I'd say it'd be good for a kid.
I would have her help pick it out by browsing the internet with her....narrow it down to a few species she likes...wait for the next reptile show...in the meantime setting up an appropriate cage. Take her to the show and handle a couple of each choice...then let her decide. It will result in her maintaining more responsibility and bonding with the animal most likely.
I am the oldest of 5 kids and I am the only guy....I remember watching my sisters' pile of "old" toys grow....and too often are snakes shoved in a corner and neglected after the initial buzz wears down.
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Member Comment
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6/17/2009 11:19:44 AM
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JohnJohn
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Nick,
That's a good point. The kid should get what they really like, in hopes of starting a long lasting hobby. Now that you mention it, it's probably true that a lot of those neglected snakes in need of rescue were probably bought with good intentions but then forgotten about as interest wained.
I guess the parents should keep that in mind. Just like a dog, or a cat, or any other pet, if the child loses interest, or doesn't take the responsibility for care, it's up to the parent to step in and make sure the animal is properly cared for.
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Member Comment
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6/17/2009 11:32:21 AM
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vonnick52
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Agreed, and it doesn't matter what kind of snake it is at that point....if no one ever pays attention to it....something will go wrong eventually.
If the kid loses interest...I don't think they should be off the hook so easy. If the parent just starts taking care of the commitment the child made, that's not going to send the right image. They have to learn responsibility sometime...and neglecting an animal is a pretty serious offense in my book.
Ooh, another idea....build your own cage with plywood....put contact paper on it and have the kid paint whatever she wants on the cage, in the cage, around the cage....whatever. The more involved she is in the process, the more likely it is that it'll result in a positive thing, rather than a negative.
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Member Comment
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6/17/2009 9:29:53 PM
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anjeanettecorns28
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I don't know anything about any other snakes, not really educated on how hard it is to care for them or how often they are to bite when scared/nervous. All I do know is that the corn snakes that I have all are very sweet and docile in nature and in my 3 yrs of keeping them I have not yet been bitten by any of them and neither has any of my nephew's or my niece who I bought one for last summer. Ofcourse, in my opinion no child under 12 or 13 yrs of age should be 100% responsible for taking care of their pets no matter what kind it is. Thats how to many animals get neglected and sick and end up in a shelter or put to sleep or worse die a horrible death. I've watched to many animal cop shows and I know it really does happen a lot. But anyhow, a corn snake is no exception and especially with a young child of 5yrs old. The adults in the house should be 100% responsible for the everyday care, and feedings of it. I am not the mother or father of my niece but since I bought the snake for her and her parents arn't snake people I take care of the needs of her snake. She just gets to hold it, and help me do the basics like feeding and cleaning the enclosure out like holding the trash bag while I dump the bedding in it. That sort of thing. I am always there and watching her carefully when she is holding her snake Rose. In my personal opinion Corn snakes are #1 for sure when it comes to ease of handling, requirments in the set ups and temp and humidity req. and fedding needs. They are beautiful , sleek and very interesting to watch as well...at least the four that I have are.
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Member Comment
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6/18/2009 12:19:36 AM
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xanaxez
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i would go with a carpet python lol. id say go with a childrens python to start the little guy out on. i am sure its happened but i have yet to read on any forum of a childrens python being nippy hardly or biting.
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Member Comment
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6/18/2009 5:05:50 AM
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Snakesrus
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OK so if this even relly relates any more I am a keeper of almost every snake mentioned past and present I have been struck by everyone of my snakes .... KINDA SUCKS but given me knowledge, it is not the snake it is how they are raised you must remove the snake from its habitat when you feed it to distinguish the difference between your hand comign in and food second is constantly handling it ( twice every week not every hour) I have had a red tail boa 10 ft long and it scared SO many ppl but for me he was my puppy I could pet his head thats how much confidence I had in him and I didnt have him his whole life just a year. now to flip the coin I have a 3 year old male cornsnake I cant look at without it rattling his tail and trying to tag me lol and my female sand boa boo is nice my male VERY mean so it is really coming down to looking for a asnake that fits that child let the child hold it if its comfortable with it then thats the one :) thats my 2 cents
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Member Comment
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6/18/2009 7:58:03 AM
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natsamjosh
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I agree with Snakesrus. Snakes have individual "personalities" and feeding responses, and getting bitten is just part of snake ownership. Another part of snake ownership is taming snakes that are defensive/frightened. It might be a stretch, but I think the argument could be made that a (small, non-venomous) somewhat nippy snake would be better for a new owner. This would allow them to gain experience taming snakes, and also get over the fear of getting bitten by a small, harmless snake. :)
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Member Comment
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6/18/2009 9:40:24 PM
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Geckofactor
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The snakes I mentioned physically can't bite which is why I suggested them I was thinking it was a rather young child but looking back there was no mention of age. A bite could completely spoil the whole liking snakes thing for some young kids but if it's an older kid then yeah I'd pick something both the father and daughter like since most times with kids and pets it's the parent that ends up doing the most actual care for the animal.
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Member Comment
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6/19/2009 7:11:20 PM
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Floof
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I think it was said that the child in question is 5 years old (which is why I made a suggestion or two based on my experience with a 4 year old). If the kid was much older than that, then a small, nippy snake would be a great suggestion...
That being said, I still think a Kenyan Sand Boa would be an excellent choice, with the only downfall being they hide a lot... And that your best bet is to have the girl handle some specimens of the "best choices" and have her choose.
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Accepted Answer
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6/23/2009 8:55:16 AM
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amarilrose
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Many people have made some good points and suggestions. Mo, I don't know your friend or his mindset, but from the presentations I have given with my animals I know it is all too prevalent that a parent thinks that a child should be the one responsible for the animal. All too often I see this mindset combined with the ideas that reptiles "don't need much/are easy-to-keep pets" or even that they are "not real animals" and somehow disposable (like it is perfectly acceptable if the child kills it by accident). I hope your friend doesn't think that way, but even when it seems like you're talking to somebody who "gets it," it would be smart to ask.
The big thing is that children are not miniature adults. No child should be expected to be an adult or to take on adult responsibilities -- which includes taking responsibility for another life of any from. Many children are responsible, but many more are not... and in truth, the same could probably be said of adults. Anyhow, for the success of the pet, and of the child "care taker," the parent must be the responsible person to oversee all care (cage set up, cleaning, feeding, water quality, and handling).
Anjeannette hit the nail on the head when she said, "[of] course, in my opinion no child under 12 or 13 yrs of age should be 100% responsible for taking care of their pets no matter what kind it is. Thats how to many animals get neglected and sick and end up in a shelter or put to sleep or worse die a horrible death. I've watched too many animal cop shows and I know it really does happen a lot. But anyhow, a corn snake is no exception and especially with a young child of 5yrs old. The adults in the house should be 100% responsible for the everyday care, and feedings of it. I am not the mother or father of my niece but since I bought the snake for her and her parents aren't snake people I take care of the needs of her snake. She just gets to hold it, and help me do the basics like feeding and cleaning the enclosure out like holding the trash bag while I dump the bedding in it. That sort of thing." I agree 100%.
After those concerns are covered, I like the ideas suggested about researching different species and their requirements, setting up an appropriate cage, then handling animals in person at a reptile show to make a final decision. For a 5-year-old I think nippy babies should be avoided. I often suggest adult or sub-adult cbb Corns and Kings as first reptile pets because of this, and also because at that size, it can be a lot easier to obtain food for them. They are also big enough to withstand and survive just about any mistakes that could be made with them from new keepers.
Best of luck Mo! You're getting a new herper hooked at a young age! :D
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Member Comment
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1/17/2011 6:01:07 AM
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abi21491
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