As with any animal, do your research make sure you can properly care for them and NEVER NEVER relese them into the wild. If and when you decide to get a snake, i would buy local its easier to see where they came from and to get your new baby checked by a vet. Proper handling is also key. You might want to give your new baby a few weeks to settle in to his/her new enviorment. Make sure you have proper heating and bedding along with a hiding spot and a climbing spot thermeters are also key. You will want ones that can be safely inside the cage as well as a "hot spot" and a "cool spot" for the snake to move around comfortably. I personally have a 5ft 2 story custom built cage but i had a 20 gallon tank at first. They need to be able to stretch with out hitting the sides of the cage. Feeding is also a important topic. Make sure you know if they fed live or frozen most pet stores feed frozen when buying online you might not know. Also NEVER handle very much after feeding. Allow time for digestion. I give about two weeks my ball's eat rats. When he was smaller i would give a week or so. Make sure you NEVER EVER EVER feed him/her in their housing tank. You can get a plastic container or a smaller tank for feeding. This teaches the snake that when he/she is removed and placed in said container that it is time for feeding. This way they will be less likely to strike when you go to handle them. Hope this was helpful!:)