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I'm going to give a brief overview of several breeds of snakes that are excellent as first reptile pets for people. If you are considering any new pet, do your research before you get him. Look up specific snake breeds for specialized care. Check local laws as well. Be a responsible owner.

Still one of the most beautiful and most popular snakes is the Ball Python, Python regius.

They have good dispositions, simple care, and are small, as far as snakes go. A twenty gallon aquarium can be its home all its life. The price of normal colored Ball Pythons is quite reasonable also. The basics - fresh water, a hiding place, regulated temperatures, and food - simple care for a great pet. When purchasing a Ball Python (or any snake), ask to see captive bred ones rather than wild caught. Wild snakes can and will bring up a whole new set of care guidelines. They can live 20 years, so be prepared for a lifelong pet.

Kingsnakes, Milksnakes, Cornsnakes and Ratsnakes. There are literally hundreds of species of these and most make good pets. A few do not, and some are illegal to own. Again, do your research. Per example - someone living in Toledo, Ohio can own any number of Black Ratsnakes as pets. Someone living 20 miles away in Michigan cannot.

Kingsnakes are great beginners snakes because of their hardiness. They stay small, are generally calm, and come in a multitude of color morphs. One drawback of kingsnakes is that they must be housed separately from each other. They feed on other snakes if given the chance.

Cornsnakes have simple care requirements, can live and thrive in a ten gallon aquarium, and come in a virtual rainbow of colors. Although the newest color morphs will be considerably more costly, more cornsnakes are very reasonably priced. You can also house more than one together, although they should all be about the same size if you do so.

San Luis Potos Kingsnake, the Mex-mex (scientific name Mexicana mexicans) is another beautiful and hardy species. The black, white and red kingsnakes must be house individually, but are calm, good-natured, good eaters, and prolific. Mine live at room temperature year round.

Gray-Banded kingsnakes are one of the most popular of Kingsnakes. They seldom reach more than 4 feet in length, and there are two distinct color patterns. One is gray with black-bordered red bands (Blair's phase), and the other (Alterna phase), which has no red. Hatchlings are more sensitive to temperature than other kingsnakes, and require

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