Hi, we are planning on purchasing a ball python for our daughter who is 11. She has been asking for one for quite a while, loves snakes, and has handled them. I love them too and had a bit of experience keeping snakes when I was younger.

We are in the process of setting up an enclosure and doing research. Today we went to a reputable dealer in the area (did some online research and found good reviews and recommendations) just to handle some bp's and see if, indeed, this is what my daughter wants.

They had captive bred normal babies, born last fall, that looked and acted healthy (though scared and clenched tightly for awhile) for a decent price. What concerned me is that they said they feed live mice rather than f/t. I'm not opposed to feeding live mice- I just want to make sure we get the easiest feeding possible bp in case we run into problems.

I haven't looked up any other reputable dealers yet- we would probably have to have one shipped in. What do you think- is this a deal breaker or something I shouldn't be concerned about? I'm just hoping we don't end up with a pet mouse if the snake should go on a hunger strike!