are ball pythons dangerous to children.

[Up2Late]

BP's Safe

Kids Dangerous

Uneducated people MORE DANGEROUS

[lusciousdragon]

I would almost think the snake would be safer to have around than either a cat or a dog. A cat scratch is possible to get cat scratch fever, especially if the cat goes outdoors along with their bites more likely to get infected. Dogs you have to worry about needing a rabies shot. Snakes you only have.

I've had cat scratch fever. It is horrible!!! It affected my lypmph nodes, gave me a cyst and left me with a scar. The doctors said it could have killed me had I not gone to the doctor for it. I am still fearful of cat scratches. But a ball python sized non-venomous snake is nothing to worry about. I am seeing it as if the snake doesn't see you as food, he would have no reason to strangle you. If he is afraid he would bite, or in a ball's case just roll up. I am getting it from my step-dad and my grandma. My husband's parents don't even know I have a snake, so I am sure I will get it real bad from them.


My 12 year old with my 2 year old ball.

[Alexandra V]

From the sounds of it she hasn't been exposed to ball pythons. Most of the people I know are afraid of snakes, but once they meet my baby male they all sort of calm down, seeing how gentle and not psycho-I'm-gonna-kill-you he is. I'd say let her meet one before she forms too concrete of an opinion.

As far as ball pythons with kids, a ball python couldn't kill a child, even if it wanted to. Snakes aren't dumb, and they aren't going to risk their well-being to kill something that they can't even eat. As long as the child is well-educated on the do's and dont's of handling snakes I would say that the risk of even a bite is small.

I babysit my cousins every other day, and they're 5 and 7 years old. Sometimes I'll let them pet my baby, and the seven year old can hold him for a little while, but I still don't recommend leaving a kid alone with a ball python because kids can get spooked and drop or harm the snake by accident. It's just like when you get a new dog: you don't leave the kid alone around it, but it's all very safe as long as you watch to make sure things don't take a wrong turn.

[ice#1]

i think it is kind of a trick question in the fact that if the ball was lets say draped around a child's neck and gets scared yes it could kill them (is that likely to happen not really but there is always a chance of it if the ball is a adult who lets say hasn't eaten in awhile then got scared so wrapped around then it's instincts kicked in cause it feels the heart beat) even if all that happened the kids could more then likely get the snake off there neck> no even the largest ball python couldn't eat even a preemie

[mlperryman]

We have a ball python and have 5 children, ages 11, 7, 6, 6, & 1. The only real risk a ball python has is they do carry salmonella, which is why our 1 year old doesn't touch the snake just yet. All of the other children love her to death and like everyone else has said, the children are more of a threat to the snake than the snake is to them. I hear the same things from my mom too...."that snake is going to escape one night and hunt down the baby and try to eat him". I think the problem is people are so uneducated on ball pythons and don't realize that they really do make excellent pets, even for children. I don't think there's ever been a case recorded of a ball python killing a human. I wouldn't even think that's possible. A lot of people get balls confused with burmese...they just hear the "python" part and assume it's one of the large constrictors. Tell your son's mother that not all snakes are bad and evil....that's what I had to tell my fiance so he'd finally let us get a snake, although now, he loves her as much as the kids and I do. And if it will ease her mind, have a locking enclosure to keep the snake in, so you know it can't escape. Good luck!

[Allegre Nee]

I have a 6 year old step daughter, and she LOVES our ball. He seems to enjoy being handled by her (likes to get in her hair!) and is quite tolerant. He's never been aggressive toward her in any way despite the occasional accidental poke in the face she's given him. (oops)
Her mom, however, HATES that we have the ball. Not for safety reasons, but simply because to her it's "weird" to have a snake as a pet and she doesn't want us making her daughter "weird" like us. I could totally see her making up some stupid safety reason as an excuse to control our home.
She did the same thing with our cats - claimed for months that Stepdaughter is allergic to them (she's not) because the mom hates cats, too.

[mlperryman]

I have a 6 year old step daughter, and she LOVES our ball. He seems to enjoy being handled by her (likes to get in her hair!) and is quite tolerant. He's never been aggressive toward her in any way despite the occasional accidental poke in the face she's given him. (oops)
Her mom, however, HATES that we have the ball. Not for safety reasons, but simply because to her it's "weird" to have a snake as a pet and she doesn't want us making her daughter "weird" like us. I could totally see her making up some stupid safety reason as an excuse to control our home.
She did the same thing with our cats - claimed for months that Stepdaughter is allergic to them (she's not) because the mom hates cats, too.

Your step daughter's mom sounds just like my stepchildren's mom. She told my step daughter that it was "creepy" to have a pet snake. Truth is, their MOM is the one who's creepy LOL. She is the same way...I look for her to try to use our snake in court to make us look unfit. I'm already a step ahead of her though. Our county does not restrict or prohibit ball pythons (only burmese), so basically, there's nothing that can be said about it. Plus we'll show the judge the pics of our children happily holding the snake. If she says it's a "safety issue", we'll use a locking enclosure. And if the psycho ex you're dealing with tries to use allergies as an excuse like she did with your cats, she'll probably be laughed at.

[Bellabob]

Nope. Not dangerous at all. My 6 year old brother holds mine all the time, no problem. She just has an irrational fear of any snake that has the name "python".