Ball Python, good family pet?

[JoDirt]

I found someone who has a BP for sale (3 yr old male). The owners say he is very gentle and LOVES to be handled. We don't have any other indoor pets except a guinea pig. Have two older children and one who is 8 and the other is almost 3. I would know better than to let the 3 yr old handle him, as he is rough and I don't want him to get bitten or cause the snake to get hurt. I feel like we are responsible enough to own a pet like this, but I would like some advice on how to get started and if you think a BP would be a good addition to our family? After my brother owning one, I developed a fondness for these snakes, I think they are beautiful.

[Seru1]

They stay a pretty manageable size, never getting big enough to hurt anyone, and from my reading they are very docile snakes. Of course bites occur, it doesn't mean they are mean it's just a response to a variety of things.

The only thing I read is that sometimes they can be picky eaters. But there are people here who can tell you waaaaaaaaaaay more about BP's than me. So I'll get out of there way.

I will say this though, they are on almost everyone's list of top 4 beginner snakes.

[ballmom]

BP are great family pets. We have an 09 pastel female in a house with a 7 year old, a 5 year old, 3 cats, 1 dog and a retired moma rat. Just like with any other animal watch any interaction between them and the kids and you should have no issues.

[mpkeelee]

BPs are good around kids. dont expect them to "play" but the kids will like holding them. just be careful cuz kids can hurt the snake more then the other way around. they do carry salmonella but people getting it is rare. and biting is possible but that normally isnt anything to worry about cuz their teeth arent big.

[Jasnik]

We also adopted our ball python for the family. We did not realise that we should let the snake settle in before handling and my husband got bit oops. It took the snake a good few weeks to settle in but since then he has been great. I would help him adjust by regular cleaning and eventually stroking him, and then on to proper handling. We have had him (I say him but we do not actually know) for 6 months now, he started feeded really well every two weeks. Then around December time he refused and has not eaten since. This is getting pretty frustrating now, but I keep persevering with him. Still way easier than a dog though.

Hope this helps.

edit: My 8 year old loves to handle our ball python :-)

[Jhussey]

I've had many kinds of snakes and reptiles over the past 20 years. I can honestly say that my BP is the best around young kids. Although I have no kids of my own, my brother brings his over from time to time and I've made sure to educate them on my reptiles. They know not to open the terrariums without me or their dad there. They know to be as gentle as they can when handling them (as a rule I dont let them hold any of my Herps without me or their dad around). I honestly worry more about the kids harming my BP than the other way around. Just be sure to educate them properly and I bet everyone will be very happy!

[Aerial]

Go for it, they are awesome animals and great pets. Just make sure you do plenty of research, this site has several stickies and articles that will help you out.

GL with you new pet.

[bsash]

Ball pythons do make great pets and are fairly easy to maintain. However, they are not something that will "entertain" you. As well, ball pythons stay decently small, usually around 4 feet long.

Housing ball pythons is also fairly easy. A 45 gallon breeder reptile cage is fine for an adult ball python. The temperatures should be 90- 95 degrees on the hot side, and 80- 85 on the cool side. Also, there should be to identical hides that the snake will fit in snugly, and one should be on the hot side and one on the cool side, as well, as a water bowl the snake can fit in comfortably. As for the humidity, it should be kept at about 50- 60%.

You can control the temperatures with a thermostat on the under the tank heat mats. You usually do not need heat lamps unless your ambient air temperatures fall below 77 degrees. Yet, if you do need heat lamps, ceramic heat emitters and red or black heat lights are the best, as ball pythons are nocturnal. Humidity is also easily controlled with a good substrate. I recommend coconut husk substrate or eco- earth expandable dirt substrate, they both hold humidity very well and are very resistant to mold. You will need to mist the substrate every now and then when the humidity falls.

As for feeding, I have always fed hatchling ball pythons once every five days, and adults once a week. Some adults will refuse food, and will only eat once every two weeks, and that is perfectly fine. Also, there are occasions where ball pythons will go off feed for the winter, that is also normal, this is because winter is their breeding season.

Hope this helps, good luck.

[NotaMallard]

Ball pythons are the perfect beginner's snake, in my opinion. They're calm, docile, and slow, in almost all cases. Unlike most snakes I've handled, they're not always going somewhere, they seem happy to sit still every once in a while.
I've brought mine to church a few times to let people see that they're not evil, and every kid that got to hold her, even ones who were scared to, walked off asking for a snake. As long as you supervise, there's almost no chance of the snake hurting the child. There is, however, as mentioned, a chance of the kid hurting the snake.
They're so much better pets for families than fish, hamsters, mice, rats, gerbils, pretty much any other common household small pet. I highly suggest getting one.