Need some help with a problem...

I do not have a Ball Python as of yet, but I am hoping to get one soon. My problem(which i'm sure many of you have had, lol) Is convincing my mom that Ball Pythons are not dangerous. I don't know what to do. She used to have an iguana around me when I was 2 years old, which I am sure was far more dangerous than a ball python could ever be. I have wanted to own a snake for years, but she would not let me. I am now turning 18 very soon, and I know I can handle it, but she still won't allow me to have one. I have pleaded my case to her, and she has let my little sisters get hermit crabs, and my brother bring in a bunny. Yet I can not have a little ball python:mad:. Any ideas or suggestions for me? All ideas/suggestions are really appreciated:snake: Thank you so very much!:):snake::)

fluffpuffgerbil you wanna take this one? :P

Apparently they are not online. Do you have any suggestions tho? :):snake::)

Well she had the same situation as you and wrote a pretty good letter to her dad. She did all the research, asked the questions, and wrote the letter listing the pros and cons. She is now the proud owner of a pretty little ball python. Do a search for "convincing my dad" or something like that.

Will do, Thank you!:):snake::)

Luck. I tried for 8 years to convince my mom. Only reason I have one now is that I've graduated college, got a job and moved out. My mom still warns me about how "dangerous" they are lol.

Honestly she's probably just not a snake person and is using this as an excuse to say no...

I feel thats what it is. But she has no complaints over lizards! To test the waters, I told her it would be cool to have a black throat moniter, and she thought that would be cool. But as soon as I ask for a snake, the anwser is no. She even held a boa constrictor in Reptile world, in drumheller, and thought it was really neat! She is strange, that mother O mine...

Yeah, I had a bearded dragon when I lived at home (still have her) but never managed to breach into the snake realm until I moved out :(

Well I am tired of waiting for the day I have my own place, So I will keep trying. on the plus side, yesterday her straight out no went to a maybe. We will be having a discussion on this when I get home next weekend. I have a whole week to convince her that I know what I am doing! So thats good!:)

Let her look at this site at some of the pics and comments/caresheets.

If the "no" changed to "maybe" there is hope :)

Its like those people who say "no" and if you ask why? "the answer is just no"
Ask for any decent reasoning, Its still "just no"
Worst people to deal with in alot of situations.

I feel sorry for a lot of kids that get held back from many things, due to their parents views or beliefs about something or other. Just be persistent, do your homework about everything to do with BPs, present your case. If you get the same answer, with no reasoning, point it out and continue to question(this can get ugly at the point your calling them out on not having a reason).

I was always the type to fight for whats right. And if you didn't have a legitimate reason, it wasn't right. Some people are stubborn and just want to be in control. Thankfully as a child/teen my parents never really challenged me that often. They knew I could present a pretty darn good case... :colbert:

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Originally Posted by seang89

I feel sorry for a lot of kids that get held back from many things, due to their parents views or beliefs about something or other.

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So do I. I, thankfully was raised with the freedom of owning/caring for all different kinds of pets...from reptiles to furry little rabbits and anything else I would drag home with me. Dad also had a 8ft Burmese around while I was growing up. We raised him together from a hatchling. My kids, whenever I have them will be raised the same way I was.

Give her facts she can't dispute and if she says no then you tried your best. Or just buy one :) did that with my wife and now I think she likes them more then me

find her and ask her! she just convinced her parents to let her get one!

Well... lets consider this:

It's easier to ask forgiveness than it is to ask permission. :P

Well, Thank you all for your advice. I appreciate it, I really do!:) I will spend the next week researching this little serpent more, and constructing a case my mother can not refuse. I was able to get her to at least think of reconsidering her no anwser. If I can do that, then I think I can convince her, if I prove that I know what I'm doing. Well, wish me luck!:D

Wow, I've been mentioned a few times on this board. :3 XD

I wish you luck convincing your mom to let you have one.
As others have said, I was able to convince my dad to let me have one, but his problem wasn't that he thought they were dangerous, but he was concerned that they'd stink and that my mom would have to take care of it. The last part was confusing since I got my first hamster when I was 7 or 8 and took care of him by myself, got my first lizard at 9 after I was told I could never have one in this house and now I have three lizards and just got my ball python a couple days ago.
Dad even said, it was the paper on the ball pythons that convinced him to let me get one. Knowledge really is the key I believe. Let your parents know you know a lot about them, and that they aren't dangerous. I personally haven't heard of any ball pythons killing anyone.
If the size is what makes your mom think they're dangerous, go for a male. They're smaller than the females. I was going to get a male until I saw an adult female at the reptile expo. I made sure with dad that it was okay I got one that big and he told me: It's your snake.
Mom wasn't too crazy about the fact I got a snake that got bigger, but she seemed to enjoy her once she held her.
And since she changed her no to a maybe, that's a GREAT start! On fourth of July dad flat out told me no. It annoyed me for a bit, but I was determined. I researched a lot more and spent hours and hours on this site learning everything I could to construct a letter he couldn't say no to. He read the letter and I didn't get a no. Of course, I couldn't tell he said yes. He said you convinced me and I found out a day before the reptile expo that it was firm I could have one, even about 5 months before I originally planned to get one. But I have her no and I'm so excited and happy about her.
But I was told by another member on here to write a letter, give it to him, and wait.
So yes, do your research, give her a report she can't say no to, and don't be afraid to ask like me. (It took me so long to build up the courage to actually ask Dad and I only could when mom told him there was something I wanted to ask him.)

I hope I was a little bit of help. I don't know if you found my thread with my letter of pros/cons and info on them, but if you want you can read my letter to see what I did.
It was already suggested to go look at the board about me asking how to convince him, but here it is in case you want to read it: http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...onvince-Dad.-3

I wish you luck! Hopefully you'll be allowed to get a great, almost life long companion!
Good luck again, and hopefully I was some help. XD:P

if there's a reptile show in your area, take her to it. ;)

I agree with what don said.
There should be plenty of people there with adult ball pythons, male and female. If she sees and adult male, it's easy to see that they aren't dangerous. :3 Females are bigger, but still not dangerous. If she's worried about them being dangerous because of their size, I'd definitely have her see an adult male. They were a lot smaller than I expected, so I went with a female since I like them bigger and dad had no problem with it.

Thanks, I really do appreciate the suggestions, and the letter. I will write a letter like that since my mom is thinking about it. I would do as Don said, but where I live, I haven't heard of there being a Reptile show anywhere nearby. :snake:

I don't know what area you live in, but normally there's at least one once or twice a year(If not more... here in WA there's only one two times a year in OR that it close enough to go to)

Good luck again. :3

i had the same problem with my mom when i first got mine...just keep bugging her about it hold the snake in a pet store or breeder show her that their safe

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Originally Posted by alexmosescu17

i had the same problem with my mom when i first got mine...just keep bugging her about it hold the snake in a pet store or breeder show her that their safe

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Thats part of my plan. Texted her about the snake again last night. I told her that I did my research(I am still researching tho) Told her she knows I can handle it, and she said that she knows I can handle it, but she seems a little unsure still. I asked her if i could get one when I get home and she said she doesen't know. But I can feel that she will cave soon!:):snake::) I've gotten closer this week than I have in years to getting this wish granted:D