Interested in getting a BP for my 6 year old

[DLreptile]

6 year old son wants a BP. Should I? Shouldn't I? Pros & Cons? Main concern: hoping he won't lose interest.

Also- we live in a dry climate. How do I keep up the humidity?

[KingPhoenix]

6 year old son wants a BP. Should I? Shouldn't I? Pros & Cons? Main concern: hoping he won't lose interest.

Also- we live in a dry climate. How do I keep up the humidity?

My 7 year old lost interest pretty quickly, they don't do a whole lot to keep their attention and you have to move slowly around them, my son has a hard time remembering to stay calm while handling. They live a long time, kids change what they like daily.

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[donnadudette2003]

It depends on how safe you feel your child will be with handling the snake.
Some kids are very rough and don't know how to not injure the snake.
How do you feel about the kid feeding it?
The snake can live up to about when he's 36-40 years old. It's a lot of commitment to give a child.

My 2 boys get to hold and interact with the snakes in my home, but at the end of the day I'm still afraid that they'll drop them or swing them like a jump rope or accidentally sit on them, etc.

You're going to find a lot of people telling you it's a bad idea. Mostly be cause of the long term commitment and chance of the snake biting.
You know your child better than us though, and you know that if they fail at keeping care of this animal it will result in it becoming your responsibility.

Its a big decision, good luck!

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[piedlover79]

I'd say a ball python isn't a very exciting pet for a young child. I'd do fish or a pair of same sex rats or something with more activity and shorter life span. Ball pythons can live 30 years plus.

[tttaylorrr]

instead of just giving him a snake, make him earn it: have him earn the money for the snake by doing chores around the house. if he really wants the snake this won't be a problem for him.

PROS: ball pythons are awesome, wonderful pets!!! they're docile and fun and just AWESOME!
CONS: as someone new to snakes (i'm assuming), keeping a beep as a first snake can come with some challenges due to their semi-demanding husbandry. HOWEVER it is possible to keep up; research, research research. also, due to the age of your son, you might just end up taking on some (maybe all) of the responsibilities. you need to be okay with this. they live a LONG TIME! idk if a six-year-old can comprehend that.

this is all i can think of atm, and i'm sure others will chime in. beeps make wonderful pets and can create a life-long hobby.

there are many ways to achieve proper humidity levels: a fogger/humidifier, damp hand towel laid over one hide, sphagnum moss tucked away inside a hide.

[Kira]

Just know that since ball pythons live for about 20 years, you will most likely be the one who will be taking care of it. Keep in mind that kids are fickle, so it's entirely possible that he would get bored. If YOU want a ball python and are willing to take care of it, then go for it! Otherwise it might he best to wait until he is older and is sure that he really wants one. I'm 22 and just got my first snake 6 months ago.

You can keep humidity up by using cocohusk or Reptibark as substrate and by misting the enclosure a few times per day. Also, one one the MOST important pieces of equipment you can get is a thermostat (not to be confused with a thermometer). Thermostats regulate your heat mat (UTH) and will make sure that your snake doesn't get badly burned. A heat mat without a thermostat can easily reach over 100 degrees and burn or even kill your snake! For hides, don't use those half log hides. Ball pythons need tight, secure cave like hides that touch them on all sides

Lastly, please do not buy your snake from a petstore or get a "snake starter kit". Snakes from these stores often are not well taken care of. Starter kits aren't really suitable for ball pythons and most of the stuff it comes with is junk. I recommend purchasing a ball python from a reputable breeder online or from a reptile show.

[RickyNY]

Like Kira said, get him one if You want one also. My 7 year old asked me for a snake, and I got Freddy...but Freddy is mine. I tend to his needs and will continue to do so for his entire life. When my son goes off to college, Freddy stays with me.