Best Snakes for Beginners

Some people fear them, while others admire them.
They make great pets too. Everyone can find the about Best Snakes for Beginners here, from people who have never had a snake before to snake lovers.

You are probably reading this because you want to get a snake as a pet or aren’t sure if it’s good for your kids discover about more best Snakes for beginners

You’ve come to the right place. This guide will tell you everything you need to know about the best snakes to keep as pets. You will also learn the most important things you need to know to have a snake as a pet.

Pet ownership comes in a lot of different forms.

To make things easier for yourself, you should get a snake that isn’t too hard to take care of at first. You should also know how to make sure the snake you choose has the right environment.

Could you keep a snake as a pet?

Yes! Of course, snakes are great pets, and there are lots of snakes that are easy for new owners to take care of.

Still, having a pet snake comes with a lot of different issues. Even though snakes can be great pets, make sure you know everything you need to know before you get one.

For starters, they don’t eat like other pets do. You will need to be ready to feed the snake a live or frozen mouse once or twice a week.

Also, snakes need to be cared for and maintained in a certain way. You can read on to find out more about Best Snakes for Beginners about how to take care of each of our best snakes for beginners.

At XYZ Reptiles, you can get your next pet snake shipped right to your door.

Easy, and lots of choices.

If you’re new to owning snakes as pets, here are a few things to keep in mind about Best Snakes for Beginners:

• Snakes kept as pets are cold-blooded and need heat sources most of the time.
• Snakes are great pets because they are friendly, comforting, and social.
• Having a snake as a pet is a lot easier than having a dog or other animal. 
• They don’t need much care and are simple to take care of.
• The right way to make a pet snake terrarium is like making a work of art. It will make any       room look great.
• When it comes to pet snakes, you can pick from a lot of different breeds, morphs, and cool patterns.
• One can be found that fits your personality.
• Kids who are interested in animals will love having snakes as pets.

 Most of the time, they’re a good way to start learning more about biology, ecology, and nature.

• Snakes are great pets because they are friendly, comforting, and social.
• Having a snake as a pet is a lot easier than having a dog or other animal. 
• They don’t need much care and are simple to take care of.
• The right way to make a pet snake terrarium is like making a work of art. It will make any room look great.
• When it comes to pet snakes, you can pick from a lot of different breeds, morphs, and cool patterns.
•  One can be found that fits your personality.
• Kids who are interested in animals will love having snakes as pets.
•  Most of the time, they’re a good way to start learning more about biology, ecology, and nature.

Best Beginner Snake #1: The Corn Snake

Many people believe that corn snakes are the most popular and friendly snakes to keep as pets.

To begin, they are easy for many people to get, don’t cost too much, and are simple to keep up. That’s exactly why this breed is one of the best snakes for people who are just starting out with pets.

Also, they are one of the nicest and calmest snakes you can get as a pet. Most of the time, corn snakes are safe around most people and easy to handle. They do bite sometimes, but it’s not a big deal.

Fun Fact!

Corn Snakes, or Pantherophis guttatus, are from North America and are in the same family as Rat Snakes.

In the wild, Corn Snakes like grassy and wooded areas. The midwest and southeast are where you can find the most of them.

Read our full guide on how to take care of a corn snake. Link  

Find out everything you need to know to take care of a Corn Snake.

Corn Snake Fun fact!

Corn Snakes kept as pets can look very different in terms of shape, colour and size. One bad thing about getting a Corn Snake is that the sizes can vary a lot.

When fully grown, they are usually about 40 inches long. Still, they’ve been known to get as long as 50 or even 60 inches.

Because they come in so many sizes, you should ask the breeder where you buy it how big they think it will get. The price of a Corn Snake isn’t too high; it usually costs around $20 to $40 USD.

Remember that doesn’t cover the cost of food, a terrarium, and other things. It will also cost more if you get a fancy albino morph or another rare morph.

Overall, corn snakes make great first snake pets because they are very easy to take care of. They don’t need any crazy, special care, and a beginner who wants to own a snake would be the best person for this.about Best Snakes for Beginners

Cost	$20-500
Size	40-50 inches
Lifespan	25+ years
Tank size	36 in long
Tank temp	75-86 F
Tank humidity	30-50%
Food source	Small-med mice
Feeding frequency	Once weekly

Why corn snakes make great pets

• They are easy to take care of and don’t need a lot of complicated cage setup.
• One of the friendliest and easiest to handle pet snakes.
• Costs less to own and keep up than most
• A huge number of different morphs (colours and patterns)
• Corn Snakes don’t get too big most of the time. They’re easy to feed.
• You can get a Corn Snake almost anywhere that sells snakes.
• This is great if you want to keep more than one snake in the same terrarium.

Why you might not want a corn snake

• Depending on the morph, they’re not as unusual or interesting as some other snakes.
• They live a very long time, like all snakes. Corn snakes can live up to 20 years.
• It’s hard to say how big a Corn Snake will get because they come in a lot of different sizes.
• You might not like the way they look at all. It’s all right! You can get a lot of different snakes to start with as a pet.

Best Beginner Snake #2: California Kingsnake

Anytime I think about having a pet snake, I think of California Kingsnakes. There are a few reasons for this, but the main one is that my first pet snake was a Cali King.

Similar to Corn Snakes, this breed is common and comes from North America, mostly the west coast.

Concerning ownership, this breed is a lot like Corn Snakes. Basically, the only difference is that you should not keep your California King Snake by itself unless you are an experienced person.

Only breeders and owners with a lot of experience should keep more than one Cali King in a cage at a time.

This type of snake is known to eat other snakes, which is why it is staying away. They have been known to eat other California King Snakes as well.

To keep these guys from having bad experiences, it’s best to keep them away from other snakes.

Check out our full guide on how to take care of a California King Snake.

Learn everything you need to know about having a California King Snake as a pet.

Best Snakes for Beginners As a first snake, the California King Snake (Lampropeltis getula californiae) is a great choice.

• They have cool patterns and a lot of different kinds to pick from.
• The Cali Kings are also really nice! During the day, they are usually very social and active. They’ll often be moving around and will greet you when you walk into the room.
• When I wasn’t around, my wife (girlfriend at the time) always said he would come out to “size her up.” Not everyone is into snakes like we are.

Fun Fact!

But there is one thing you should watch out for if you have a California Kin Snake as a pet. The little guys like to try to get away. The mesh cover on Stanly’s tank would often get pushed off, which was my first Cali King pet snake. He was able to do it a few times and even disappeared for a few days. We were lucky to find him!

These pet snakes are good at getting out of their terrariums, but as long as you close it up tight and make sure there are no open doors, you should be fine.

As an added bonus, these snakes don’t get too big. Most of the time, they get between 36 and 48 inches long. Only specimens can grow to about 60 inches, which is not likely to happen with California King Snakes that are kept as pets.

The price of this species isn’t too high. California King Snakes cost around $60 to $100 most of the time.

Also, California King Snakes are great for people who are just starting out with snakes. They are mostly kept because they are friendly, easy to care for, and don’t need much special care.

Quick California Kingsnake Ownership Facts

Cost	$60-100
Size	40-50 in
Lifespan	15-20 years
Tank size	36+ in long
Tank temp	74-85 F
Tank humidity	50-60%
Food source	Mice
Feeding frequency	Weekly

California Kingsnake Snakes Pros:

Why A California King is One of the Best Pet Snakes

• Likes to be around other people and is very social. It’s a good choice if you want a snake that will move around.
• There are no problems feeding Cali Kings because they love to eat.
• Don’t get too big, and sizes don’t change as much.
• They look absolutely stunning! I really like the way this pet snake looks.
• They’re simple to take care of and don’t need a fancy setup.

California Kingsnake Snakes Cons:

Why a California King Might Not Be the Pet Snake for You

• These pet snakes know how to get away. They will probably find a way out of their cage if you don’t properly lock it.
• Cali for Colour and pattern-wise, king snakes aren’t very different from one another. Very few types of morphs
• You can’t keep more than one California King in the same enclosure. They eat each other.

Best Pet Snake #3: Hognose Snake

The Western and Eastern Hognose Snakes are both great snakes for people who have never had a snake before. Like the first two snakes, most Hognose Snakes kept as pets are from North America.

It’s important to note that the Eastern and Western types are the ones you should seek out if you want to get a snake as a pet for the first time.

Some snakes, like Madagascar Hognose Snakes, get much bigger, so they should only be kept by people who know a lot about snakes.

Anyway, Eastern and Western Hognose Snakes are very popular because they don’t get very big. This makes them good snakes for people who are just starting to keep snakes as pets. The sex of the snake determines its size, but most Hognoses stay between 24 and 36 inches long.

Fewer people are scared of Hognose Snakes because they are smaller. This makes them a better choice for new snake owners or their parents.

Check Out the Complete Guide to Proper

Learn everything you need to know about owning and caring for a Hognose Snakes

Get Free Guide

To some, the Hognose Snake (Heterodon) is one of the best snakes to get as a first pet. They need to eat at regular times, and when they are young, they can be picky eaters.

If you want a Hognose Snake, ask the breeder if they have fed it enough to acclimatise it. Find out what kind of lighting and heat these friendly pet snakes need as well.

This guide tells you everything you need to know, so it’s not hard.

Of all the snakes on this list, these ones stand out the most because their noses are turned up. There are also a lot of different types of hognose snakes, so you can choose from a lot of different prints and colours.

Fun fact!

These snakes like to play dead every once in a while. It helps them stay safe when they are surrounded by a dangerous animal or thing.

Taking all of this into account, these snakes are poisonous. Don’t worry, though. Their poison is very weak and doesn’t hurt people much if at all. A bite from a different kind of non-venomous snake would hurt just as much. This page has everything you need to know about Hognose Snake Bites.

In general, these snakes are very friendly, very cute, and great to handle. If you’re new to having pets, hognose snakes are great. So, before you buy them, make sure you know how to take good care of them.

Quick Hognose Snake Ownership Facts

Cost	$60-500
Size	24-36 in
Lifespan	12-18 years
Tank size	24+ inches long
Tank temp	76-88 F
Tank humidity	25-30%
Food source	Small mice
Feeding frequency	Weekly

Hognose Snakes Pros:

Why Hognose Snakes make a Great Pet Snake

• This is likely the cutest snake you can have as a pet.
• Keep it small, less than 36 inches.
• A lot of different colours and patterns to choose from (morphs)
• Snakes that are very friendly and very unique
• Usually simple to keep up

Hognose Snakes Cons:

Why This Pet Snake May not Be the Best for You

• When young, they can be picky eaters.
• Some people might want a bigger snake, but these don’t get that big.
• Need stricter rules for lighting and humidity in their terrarium

Best Pet Snake #4: Ball Python

Ball Pythons aren’t as easy to take care of as Cali Kings or Corn Snakes, just like the Hognose.

Even so, Ball Pythons are still one of the best snakes for people who are just starting out with pets.

People keep Ball Pythons as pets more than any other type of snake.

Their nature makes them very tame, and they are usually calm, not too active, and at ease. You can also use a heating mat to keep the temperature right since Ball Pythons don’t need a lighting schedule.

If you want a snake that will move around a lot, this is probably not the right one for you. When they are kept as pets, these snakes like to hide. Their favourite place to hide is under the terrarium’s bedding or in a small space.

They don’t get along with other animals as well as the best pet snakes listed above.

The Ball Python (Python Regius) is a tropical snake that lives in Sub-Saharan Africa. You can find these snakes in a number of different species. This is a main reason why many people keep them as pets, especially newcomers.

Even though they don’t get very long, Ball Pythons will have a much wider girth when they are fully grown than those other snakes.

Check Out the Complete Guide to Proper Ball Python Care

Learn everything you need to know about owning and caring for a Ball Python

Get Free Guide

Whether you get a male or female, a Ball Python will usually be between 36 and 58 inches long when it grows up. Most of the time, females are a little bigger than males.

Fun Fact!

Ball Pythons are very popular because they are calm and small compared to other snakes. They also come in a lot of different shapes and sizes. The different colours, patterns, and sometimes textures that a Ball Python can have are called morphs. The Ball Python can change into more than 500 different shapes.

They are many to choose from. Some of them look really, really cool.

Ball Pythons come in hundreds of different patterns that make them look “cool.”

The low end of a Ball Python’s price range is $40 to $50, and the high end is up to $500. Some morphs are very hard to find, which makes them much more expensive—some can cost as much as $1,000!

Ball Pythons are without a doubt the best tropical snake for beginners, no matter what kind they are.

They do not get too big, are usually friendly, and do not need a lot of special care. If you want to buy a Ball Python as your first pet snake, make sure you read the above guide.

Quick Ball Python Ownership Facts

Cost	$40-1,500+
Size	36-54 inches
Lifespan	25-30+years
Tank size	36+ inches long
Tank temp	76-83 F
Tank humidity	50%
Food source	Mice
Feeding frequency	Weekly

Ball Python Snakes Pros:

Why Ball Pythons Make One of the Best Pet Snakes

• They have a MILLION different styles of colour, pattern, and feel. More than 500!
• Because Ball Pythons are so popular, there are a lot of resources, communities, and guides for people who own them.
• They don’t get too long, but they get really thick.
• Very calm and tame, and usually easy to handle. Usually easy to feed.

Ball Python Snakes Cons:

Why you might not want a ball python

• Get really fat. Some people choose Ball Pythons because they don’t get very long, but they do get thick.
• tend to be very calm. When it’s in the cage, it will mostly hide and stay away from you. Not good if you want a snake that moves around.
• There are times when these pet snakes aren’t very friendly. These snakes are known to bite and hiss more than the first three.

Most Friendly Pet Snake #5: Rubber Boa

Did you know that one of the world’s friendliest and most inquisitive snake species is the rubber boa (Charina bottae)? Because of this, these rubbery-looking creatures make great pets.

Actually, this species of boa is frequently used to help people overcome their extreme snake phobia. Their friendliness is a major flaw; in the wild, they often approach unsuspecting humans or predators.

Because of this, they are mistaken for a dangerous counterpart and are either eaten or killed. 

Additionally, they are among the few native Boa species in the United States.

The Rubber Boa might be the ideal pet snake for you if you’re searching for a very gregarious, quiet, and inactive animal. Beginners, enthusiasts, and everyone in between would find this species ideal to own. 

Check Out the Complete Guide to Proper Rubber Boa Care

Learn everything you need to know about owning and caring for a Rubber Boa

Get Free Guide

The fact that Rubber Boas don’t get very big is another factor contributing to their popularity among novice pet snake owners. Actually, they are usually only 12 to 24 inches (30 to 61 cm) long.

Fun Fact!

They don’t necessarily have a short lifespan just because they are short. With the right care, these guys can live up to 20 years, just like many other snakes kept in captivity.

When it comes to eating, they will probably continue to be smaller than rodents—pinkies or fuzzies at first, and then one size up once they are fully grown. They usually only have to eat once a week.

One drawback of these snakes for beginners as pets is that rubber boas can be difficult to locate and can be expensive (around $300 USD). We advise looking for these at nearby pet expos. Since Rubber Boas are indigenous to the Pacific Northwest, they are usually easier to locate on the west coast. 

Rubber Boa Pet Snake Pros:

• They are among the most amiable snakes on the planet, and they probably won’t bite you.
• They have a cute, rubbery, and distinctive appearance.
• Very friendly, and sharing experiences with friends and family is simple.

Rubber Boa Pet Snake Cons:

• This snake isn’t for you if you want a larger one because it only grows up to 24 inches.
• can be difficult to locate in stores, and they usually cost more than $300.

FAQ Section: