A little fact about me is that I LOVE snakes. Probably more than I should. Probably more than anyone else ever (this is a lie), but I love love LOVE (mountain goats reference?) snakes so much. So much so that I fully plan on owning several in the future, as well as fully intend on getting a massive snake tattoo that I probably love more than I love like. Idk. Eating.
A common misconception about snakes is that they’re low maintenance pets. They are actually a COMPLETE and total opposite of it. While I don’t claim to be an expert on snakes, I do know that the reason I am not is because there are so many species!! With so many different, complex needs! Different species have different temperments, and sometimes even patterns can effect temperments on snakes!! As a start I’m going to talk about my three favorite breeds of snakes, why, and if I plan on getting them in the future… Then I’m going to talk about the best snake channel ever ever on youtube that you should TOTALLY watch if you like snakes too!!!
- Ball Pythons
This!!! Is a ball python, named that because they roll up into little balls or whatever. They’re kind of THE snake, and also some of the most common pet snakes for people to have. They are medium snakes and come in all sorts of colors, known as morphs. They are constrictors, meaning that when they strike their prey successfully they’ll wrap around them and squeeze to either hold them in place or, y’know, squeeze them to death. They eat smaller prey (such as mice) and typically are very picky eaters. People suggest having set routines for them, such as removing them from their enclosures to feed them, so they know when exactly meal times are and don’t just not eat!
A few ball python morphs in order of appearance – Axanthic, Albino, Super Pastel (pastel on it’s own isn’t extremely visible), Banana, then Butter all as base morphs.
These are absolutely not all of the ball python morphs that exist, especially considering that none of these are designer morphs, but it’s a few of my (favorite) morphs because im tottalllyyyy not biased
Tangent: There is a gene in Ball Pythons known as the Spider Morph, which instead of effecting color effects the thick dark brown/brown bands you see on the ball pythons above!! It makes the bands very thin and offers some beautiful visuals, but however this morph is kind of like the “wobbly cat syndrome” for snakes. It tanks a snake’s cognitive (?) skills and makes them very uncoordinated, making it hard for them to eat and live. It is my FAVORITE morph for visuals, like 10/10 every time, but sadly it is not ethical to breed or distribute these snakes, as most owners do not know how to care for them. There is, as far as im aware, a man trying to breed the spider morph to be better for snakes as a whole, but he is not selling until he is sure he’s made a successful spider morph lineage.
Spider Morph Ball Pythons here
II. Bull Snakes
I actually do not know a lot about bull snakes. I will not lie. I’m actually having to google stuff for this one. Bull snakes are large snakes found in the Americas, typically north America. They can grow to be 6ft long, that’s taller than Lela btw. I actually discovered TODAY that bull snakes come in different colors. I seriously thought they came in like just the wild type and nothing else.
The main things I can say about bullsnakes is that they have dumb faces and they’re very VERY angry all the time. I would be too if I was a wild animal in America. They also have the loudest hisses of any snakes (in this size bracket)
A couple morphs I discovered (the generic two) for reference, in order of appearance — Albino, Hypo
Choosing this specific picture to show you just how meaty these guys are
For this next one I would like to mention that small snakes just aren’t my jam. I’d be scared of them getting out and then getting lost in like a bowl of noodles or something. We’re going Medium, Large, then Reticulated Python.
III. Reticulated Pythons
This image does nothing to show you just how huge these snakes are.
These pythons are just. Ridiculous. Why does he need all that. This is also a REALLY fat reticulated python.
These pythons are also (?) constrictors, and native to south and southeast Asia. A few have been introduced into the wild in florida, as a direct result of pet importation. Kind of like how those other snakes are all over the florida keys who aren’t even the biggest snakes ever (put some respect on my girl’s name) except im (fairly) certain that Reticulated Pythons aren’t AS invasive as like. Those other ones. Man I should be talking about boa constrictors right now.
Anyways, these snakes are the best, whatever. Its just huge. Like three Lelas. They get to 15 feet long and that’s SMALL, some have been up to. Oh my gods the biggest one they’ve found was 29 feet long. It was almost 30 feet long. Guys what the flip.
Do I plan on getting any of these snakes?
Ball Python – Yes
Bull Snake – Maybe, if I can get one as a baby and properly socialize it to me
Retic – I am 5’0. That Snake is, literally, over three of me. At it’s smallest. No. It can and will eat me and I’d rather not freeze rabbits in my fridge for the rest of my life, because it lives to be 50+.
That’s all!!! I thought I would have some times to talk about my FAVORITE youtubers ever but I don’t, but do NOT worry I’m fully capable of talking for a really long time about a lot of random animals and probably will next blog. Bye Bye!!