Whats a good first herp?
Any answer to this question is necessarily colored by opinion. This question attempts to list species that will be generally suitable for beginners with no prior herpetological experience. It also focuses on species of which captive-bred specimens are readily available in North America. (Information on the availability of these species in other parts of the world, and suggestions for suitable species where the ones below are hard to obtain, would be welcome.) See question 8.2 for some generalities to keep in mind when purchasing a first herp. back to Table of Contents 8.1a Snakes Good first snakes include corn snakes, common king snakes (of which there are many subspecies: California, desert, Florida, speckled…), and captive-bred or captive-born baby ball pythons. Imported adult ball pythons are a poor choice, because they tend to be heavily parasitized and unwilling to feed. Many people’s first snake is a garter snake collected from the back yard, but garter snakes are actually quit
