Guys, I have so much freedom of choice that I don’t know what to choose! My family surprised me with Repticon tickets to go on October 17 near my b-day, and said I can get a 40-gallon or 120-gallon enclosure, or an enclosure in that size range. I’ve been looking at a few species: hognose snakes, ball pythons, and house snakes. I literally have no idea what to choose! 
I already have a quarantine tank set up for whatever I get. I want something with medium-to-good handling and a good size. Any recommendations? :D. (mainly looking at snakes ^^)
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There are so many nice and easy species. Corns, rats, kings, milks, gophers, bulls, etc. 
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Yeah was considering a corn snake but realized they are illegal in Georgia where I am, I think because they are native 
Bull snakes will be added to my list of ideas though :D!
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You are correct! Florida Kings are nice. And legal in Georgia. I bought my pair from a breeder there.
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ooo! will add that to the list aswell!
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A few quick thoughts on things.
Kings can be feisty as babies, but it’s good to start there cause you’ll be learning as you go and tiny nips or food strikes are much easier to deal with on a small snake.
(Edit to add: Housesnakes can be very wiggly when young and also are VERY food motivated. Lol. So once they get over the nervous phase they will get to the curious ‘are you food?’ phase. But great little dudes.)
Do remember that hognose are rear fang venomous, so a bite has potential to cause some irritation and swelling. Usually these are the more involved nomming bites and while very rare, some people are more sensitive to it and can get a worse reaction.
With both you’ll obviously want to start with smaller enclosures for a while, but the 120 will be great for a king when grown. The 80 would be good for the Hoggie.
BPs, sometimes you can find some sweet tempered retired breeders. These are snakes that live a few decades so even a 6yo or 10yo snake can be with you potentially 30 more. They would fit well in the larger enclosure size you’re looking at.
Also remember that heating and such adds to the pricing, so maybe ask what they’re looking to gift up to if that’s not already part of the gift. That can also limit things a bit more for you.
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The ‘retired breeder ball python’ suggestion is one I can get behind. We collectively need to stop promoting ball python breeding and start finding uses for the ones that already exist. Seems like new keepers bend themselves in knots trying to get BP’s comfortable, so there’s that issue with the species too.
I sometimes recommend against a hognose (I breed them, and this is what I tell potential buyers; this is not something I’m parroting that I read online) as a first snake because of their not-uncommon food issues – seeing human body parts as food; fasting because that’s what hognose sometimes do but new keepers have trouble seeing this for what it is; really strong “personalities” sometimes.
Have you considered less-common species?
Any of the mountain kingsnakes (knoblochi, pyromelana, alterna, mexicana – even zonata are easily available lately, which is pretty neat). Nice size, smart but handleable, don’t tend to bite, real easy on the eyes. I’ve kept knobs, alterna, and zonata, and I understand the others are similar.
One of the larger milksnake species (honduran, Costa Rican black – my first snake was a hondo hybrid, and I breed CR black milks). For when “good size” means good size.
Rosy boas (and maybe sand boas? I’ve not kept any Kenyans) – I’ve bred both species of rosies for some years. A little harder to find the right locale, and unfortunately still some ongoing legal issues with some of these (which is ridiculous), but maybe deserve a little more love than they get.
I’d recommend using the expo visit as a fact-finding mission to help you decide on a future purchase – talk to breeders (and figure out who’s a breeder and who’s just a flipper), talk to other keepers. Then you can go home and do some more fact-checking and order the best animal from the best breeder you can find – get claims (hatch date, morphs, etc) in writing, get feeding records, read reviews of the breeder, compare prices and availability – rather than buying something because it is in front of you and you gotta take one home or you’ll explode.
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Thank you! I have had several hognoses in the past. I have one now. It is my humble opinion that that hogs are more intermediate snakes than they are beginner snakes.
I have a baby/juvenile Honduran albino. He’s gorgeous but again imho, not a great beginner snake-musky and bitey as babies.
I have a rosy boa. He is a dream but was difficult to establish a good feeding response as a tiny baby. Kenyan sand boas are great eaters and very docile but sand boas do love to burrow where as my rosy tends to stay in sight.
Solid advice here! In my “greener” years I bought a BP I just had to have for what I thought was a “deal” at an expo only, to find out that she was sick and needed vet care, which of course she got. Granted there are some super honest breeders who vend at expos but if you don’t what questions to ask and what red flags to look for you might end up with a “flipped” snake that needs vet care.
It’s way much better to connect with/buy from a breeder with a “paper trail” if you will, who’s not here today and gone tomorrow, someone with positive reviews, someone with contact information, someone with a well established business/breeding reputation/somene with experience.
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Thanks for the advice caron :D!
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Yeah saved up tons of money myself for the lights and decor :D! Thanks for the advice!
I don’t mind a snake nibble haha 
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Yes will for sure chat with some reptile owners about their snakes while Im at it !
will also look for rosy boas and milk snakes while I’m there! :D!
This is all very helpful information thanks!
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