Are snakes easier than fish?

[SarahFair]

I have a 55 gallon fish tank and honestly im tired of it!

It is alot of work and doesnt bring me much joy anymore. The constant changing of filters, cleaning rocks, algea that the pleco wont eat, lime build up, etc gets old.
Ive had the tank for almost 5 years now and it was used when I got it.

Would putting a snake in it be ok?
Are they easier keepers than fish?
Cost?

 

[redhen]

Good question..
I want one of those shiny rainbow color ones that Kanchii has...

 

[briana1975]

My son has a corn snake and being a mom I do have to help out with it. They are very easy to care for and clean up after.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I would definitely say snakes are easier than fish, but you do have to be willing to deal with feeding frozen mice and a potentially picky eater. Other than that, they hardly mess the cage, they just need clean water and depending on the species heat. That's about it. Just make sure you research the type of snake you want to get because some do require more specific things like humidity and more expensive food types!

 

[TwistedSerpent]

In general yes, if you get one that can thrive well in a tank they are much easier then fish, with corns being the down right easiest as well as most affordable and most variable (you can get one to match the room).

 

[thebritt]

We had a corn snake and fed her frozen juvenile mice. We thawed the mouse in a baggie in hot water until it was quite warm to the touch. We then placed the mouse and the snake in a paper bag (in her house) and she would immediately eat the mouse - shaking the bag as she went in for the "kill". Before the bag trick (told to us by the petshop owner where we bought the mice) we had trouble getting her to eat. It was fun creating her habitat, with sticks to climb on, rocks to rub against, a little "pond" of water for her to curl up in, etc. I ended up re-homing her to a guy who worked at the feed store we go to. She was an accidental rescue...interesting story - went to the vet's office to pick up some cat food - and a guy walked in with the snake in a cloth bag. The vet didn't want it, he didn't want it, and so there you go. Luckily, the same pet store that sells the mice had a big sale that weekend on used cages, tanks, and various supplies, so it all worked out. We had Rosie for about 3 years before I gave her away. Oh yea, you'll also want a heated "rock" for warmth. One thing I found out is that snakes don't do much unless they're hunting (hungry). She spent a lot of time rolled up in her hiding places. But they sure are cool!

 

[SarahFair]

The SO told me awhile ago that he didnt want snakes

He said "lets get a cool gecko"...
Gecko?!? That doesnt sound nearly as fun as a snake!

I had a savannah monitor about 5 years ago. I had to rehome him to a friend that was there when I made the purchase though (who knew my MIL didnt like reptiles?

) When I was moving I knew he was about to move as well and when I asked him about him he had given him away

He was pretty mean though. Im kind of glad I didnt keep him...


Any kind of neat "lizard" type things that are docile and neat to watch?
Are they as easy as snakes?

 

[TwistedSerpent]

Well if you want a snake why not get one yourself?

What your looking for would probably be a leopard gecko, common, hardy, easy to care for, and tolerates a little bit of handling. If you want something that will actually fit the 55 gallon then a bearded dragon would also be a good choice, but its a lot more care involved (however they are a lot more active and tolerate much more handling then a rather delicate gecko). The absolute best thing to do is to research. Personally I think snakes are much more cooler (like a gecko but in more colors and with no legs), most of the really neat geckos are hands off no touch delicate little things.

 

[Kanchii]

Quote:
You mean Bling-Bling, the sunbeam snake?

He was pretty rad... But I sold him. Keep in mind that they aren't a snake you want to be holding a lot, are always wild caught and thus usually don't take food (I was lucky that he did) and that they like deep, moist substrate where they stay burried 24/7 so you never see them. But definitely one of the most beautiful snakes in the world!!!

Snakes are the easiest reptile to own.
As far as lizards go, Bearded Dragons are the most "fun" in my opinion - the most like a cold blooded dog that likes coming out, eats like a pig, and is intelligent (although so lazy you can't tell half the time!). But they need a lot more food (crickets, mealworms, and fresh salads) and also need a LOT more heating and lighting (high UVB output and high heat) so they are way more expensive to maintain. Leopard geckos are fun and easy, just throw in a weeks supply of crickets (with a peice of carrot in the cage for the crickets to eat) and you're good to go. A 55 is rather large for leo's though, but you could totally keep a colony of females together and they shouldn't fight. Just need a couple heat lights on 24/7 and bam.

 

[ranchhand]

LOL, sell the tank to Kanchii and bank the money?