I was looking at corn snakes and maybe milk snakes But I was wondering about “bigger” snakes such as texas rat snakes and Ghoper snakes I am a beginner and was also if you think A beginner could handle one of those snakes well and was size glass tank they require
It all depends on your expectation, the amount of work you want to put in, what you are willing to put up with so it’s really a personal decision.
Obviously leopard geckos are high maintenance, you have to feed them on a more frequent basis, you have to deal with bugs.
Snakes are low maintenance, you have to deal with rodents, they might not be a personable as a lizard.
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I don’t have any personal experience owning a snake, but I do have plenty of leopard geckos! They each have their own personalities; some are very curious and love interacting, and others are more shy and like peeking at you from their hidey hole. I love watching them eat, they get really excited and it’s hilarious to watch. There’s also no waste if they decide not to eat (you usually have to toss an unthawed, uneaten rodent). I tong feed my geckos mealworms and superworms, and if they don’t eat it I toss it back in the worm container. I feed my geckos a couple times a week. Baby geckos eat more frequently, so if you aren’t up for feeding at least every other day I’d consider one 5 months or older. Mealworms are also very easy to breed on your own so you can make your own food.
I love snakes too, but I’m definitely biased towards leopard geckos lol. It’s your pet and your decision to make, I just wanted to point out some things that could help your choice!
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Snakes are much easier to take care of. Typically, you feed them once a week at most, and less eating means less pooping.
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One thing to note is that both of the species you mentioned have the reputation for being quite defensive. Think about whether or not that’s ok with you.
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Eastern rat snakes (black rat snakes, yellow rat snakes, Everglades rat snakes, greenish rat snakes) are known to get bigger than Texas rats and are generally less defensive. The babies are usually always defensive. With socialization they are wonderful though. They also rarely skip meals. However, they get big and are semi arboreal so you need a sizeable enclosure for them. 4’x2’x2’ at the least for an adult (it is cheaper to make your own). They are good when kept at temps between 75°F-85°F with the lower being the night time drop. I keep mine without extra heating since my room temps are in that range.
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Thank you very much for your perspective
I dont mind getting nipped and I under stand I have to socialize the animal thanks for the information though!