Want to get another reptile

AllFallDown

AllFallDown

New Member
Alright,
Need some ideas. I got a gift certificate to a petstore basically with the charge of getting a new reptile :)

You guys already successfully talked me out of an Iguana (thanks, I had forgotten about their tempers), you also successfully talked me into a Argintine Black and White Tegu..... for down the road (dang those are cool)!

I want to get something that has a good temperament. Friendliness is a plus as is beauty. I have a 2 year old here at home so I want to avoid something with attitude. I do not intend to leave her unsupervised with said reptile but I have to assume that she will sneak in from time to time and interact without my permission (hence the no on the iguana).

I an kind of thinking of either a bearded dragon or a ball python. Both seem to have good temperaments from what I have read. I see that beardies are friendly which is very good (are they difficult? Cant seem to get a consistent answer on this. You may assume I have a few years of experience with reptiles and will make a strong effort to understand and attend to its needs).

I like the python because it is docile (good around the child I hope), and because they are gorgeous. Not completely thrilled about the look of beardies but that is only skin deep. They seem like dogs with scales- all the ones I have been around at least. I am concerned about some of the stories you have heard about with Boas strangling children. Then again, I am not sure what the truth of such stories(I suspect they are true) are and if there have ever been cases of this happening with Ball Pythons. Honestly, I am also a little bothered by feeding a python mice....

Thoughts?

Any input would be appreciated including references. Consider this posting part of my research. Comments on their difficulty/special needs are welcome as well.
 
if you're stuck between a beardie and a python i say go with the beardie. after all they share the same food so i guess that decreases the amount of work. plus a beardie cant strangle your child so that's not to worry. i take it you rather have the lovely smooth patterns of a snake than spikes and scales but also keep in mind that snakes are escape artists and beardies arent. so yeah in my opinion i would go with a beardie. actually considering one myself. :D
 
How about a leopard gecko? They have smoother scales, and more of a "snake-like" appearance than a beardie, and they are quite friendly. Also, no danger of strangulation with a leopard gecko :) I happen to have both, so please don't think I'm bashing beardies, it's just that in this situation it seems like a better fit for your family.

Michelle
 
To put in a good word for ball pythons though, they only reach a maximum size of 3-4' and prefer to ball up than get aggressive, so I don't think you have to worry about a ball strangling your child. I don't think I've ever heard of any trying, much less succeeding!
 
Oh and if you need I'm selling my giant cage that I used to keep my dragons in. The cage is 24"tall 24" deep" and 48" long. It's a pretty monster cage. It's glass and has had a lot of use. I'll be selling it with its accessories(rocks, substrate, driftwood, poop scoopers and a basking light.) the one side has a crack its not big enoough for any lizard or bug to escape through. If you would like to buy it pm me for more info. By the way I won't ship it, so it's up to you to figure out how your going to get it. Oh and it's 60$and it was normally 300$ so it's a good deal I'll also pm you a pic if ur interested:D
 
Ball python!!!!!!!! You NEED a ball python :D My female is such a sweetheart, and big for 5.5 lbs and 5 ft long, but the sweetest most gentle little girl ever! My 5 year old sister likes to walk around with her on her neck. There are many different morphs so you have lots to chose from, but personally I don't care so much about the special colors, she is beautiful just how she is =) and they never bite!

https://www.chameleonforums.com/photoshoot-my-ball-77841/

Also they only eat once a week and don't require UVB! So easy!
 
samelgert said:
Oh and if you need I'm selling my giant cage that I used to keep my dragons in. The cage is 24"tall 24" deep" and 48" long. It's a pretty monster cage. It's glass and has had a lot of use. I'll be selling it with its accessories(rocks, substrate, driftwood, poop scoopers and a basking light.) the one side has a crack its not big enoough for any lizard or bug to escape through. If you would like to buy it pm me for more info. By the way I won't ship it, so it's up to you to figure out how your going to get it. Oh and it's 60$and it was normally 300$ so it's a good deal I'll also pm you a pic if ur interested:D
Click to expand...

That's a great offer but unfortunately you are a wee bit of a drive from me.
 
justjumpit621 said:
Ball python!!!!!!!! You NEED a ball python :D My female is such a sweetheart, and big for 5.5 lbs and 5 ft long, but the sweetest most gentle little girl ever! My 5 year old sister likes to walk around with her on her neck. There are many different morphs so you have lots to chose from, but personally I don't care so much about the special colors, she is beautiful just how she is =) and they never bite!

https://www.chameleonforums.com/photoshoot-my-ball-77841/

Also they only eat once a week and don't require UVB! So easy!
Click to expand...

Dang your a good sales person! I stood there watching one of the ball pythons for a while. Beautiful animal.

What's a good price? They wanted $80. I see them online for much less but that's online. After shipping the price goes up.
 
AllFallDown said:
Dang your a good sales person! I stood there watching one of the ball pythons for a while. Beautiful animal.

What's a good price? They wanted $80. I see them online for much less but that's online. After shipping the price goes up.
Click to expand...

Normals there's a juvenile by me for $48 which is a great price, normals go for around $50. Morphs can run anywhere from $70 to $2,000!

BUT, you may be able to find one at a rescue. Jahzyra was abandoned in an apartment, I worked at the humane society and took her home
 
absolutbill said:
How about a leopard gecko? They have smoother scales, and more of a "snake-like" appearance than a beardie, and they are quite friendly. Also, no danger of strangulation with a leopard gecko :) I happen to have both, so please don't think I'm bashing beardies, it's just that in this situation it seems like a better fit for your family.

Michelle
Click to expand...

I looked at the geckos. Don't recall seeing a leopard. I kinda like the idea and kinda feel eh. What I like about the beardies is the personality. Do geckos have much?
 
Can I ask why no Iguana? We had one as kids and it had a fine temperament. They are very protective of their home and family. The only time ours was mean was if a stranger (to the Iguana) came around.
 
I'll put in my two cents on the ball python - I LOVE them! We have four now. I got one and my hubby was not happy. He is not a snake person. Yet he saw how awesome it was and was not only fine with me getting another one, he got a couple for himself!

As far as strangling anyone, I am sitting here with one curled around my neck As I often have one ... she is just hanging out. I can't imagine it even trying to strangle me or any person - even a child. They just aren't large enough to even try.
 
thephotoprincess said:
I'll put in my two cents on the ball python - I LOVE them! We have four now. I got one and my hubby was not happy. He is not a snake person. Yet he saw how awesome it was and was not only fine with me getting another one, he got a couple for himself!

As far as strangling anyone, I am sitting here with one curled around my neck As I often have one ... she is just hanging out. I can't imagine it even trying to strangle me or any person - even a child. They just aren't large enough to even try.
Click to expand...

I have held many snakes, a couple over 20ft long and never had a problem with it trying to strangle me or anyone else.
 
I like my crested gecko, working on getting another one once I find what I am looking for. My kids do great with it. Extremly easy to care for and breed;)

he is handled on a regular basis, no attitude here

decisions decisions lol

chris
 
AllFallDown said:
Yeah, the more and more I read about ball pythons, the less concerned I am becoming. Hard decision...
Click to expand...

I am getting my son who is 5 a corn snake, I have talked to a lot of people and have been told by everyone they are great snakes to have around kids, they don't get big 5 ft approx, and they live in a small tupperwear bin for the first year, they don't need space til they older.
 
lilbug said:
I am getting my son who is 5 a corn snake, I have talked to a lot of people and have been told by everyone they are great snakes to have around kids, they don't get big 5 ft approx, and they live in a small tupperwear bin for the first year, they don't need space til they older.
Click to expand...

I just got back from the petstore. Looked at all the reptiles- held a few. I really liked the cornsnakes- not completely sold though (for this purchase at least). I really liked the bearded dragon they had (only had one), but I was a little concerned that when I went up to the terrarium, it did not really seem to do much. I read that bearded dragons should be alert and interested in you. I was told that this was typical and that beardies are laid back lizards. I will probably keep an eye on him over the next few days, try to get a better idea of its typical behavior. Something about that just did not seem right to me. Also snuck a peek at the thermometer inside its terrarium. I am not a bearded dragon expert but they want temperatures closer to the 90's right? Its thermometer read 80. They might have environmental controls which bring the temp down toward the evenings- not sure. I did like the way the beardie looked. Felt like a whisker lizard! (Which I kind of got a kick out of...)

I really liked holding the pythons. They seemed very healthy to me- good strong grip and appeared alert. Calm temperament too. I was told they were good eaters and had been trained on frozen mice.

I looked at the leopard geckos- still not thrilled... They seem cool but not really compelling. I do see the appeal though.

Part of me kind of wants to just hold off and get another chameleon down the road (which is going to happen either way....). Spend my gift certificate on stuff for that setup.

Oh well... we will see...

I wanted to wait and think about it either way and make sure I have a good set up ahead of time.
 
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