Quote Originally Posted by nixer View Post
there is nothing as funny as seeing a 300lb tough guy get scared over a little snake
That is sooooo true....lol!! I find that my friends come around eventually. They may not like them that much....but I have gotten all of them to pet them and at least stopping being such scardie cats.

Now...my son had a corn...actually he bought it for his Bio Dad for fathers day. Way before we had any snakes here. It was ok I thought. It was very active and fast!! Not something my son at the time could handle without supervision because it could get away pretty quickly. But he was at the time around 6 I think.

When it came time and he wanted a pet here we did a lot of research and ended up buying a ball python. My son is now 9 and pretty tiny..weighs about 55 lbs. I do not worry at all about him ever not being able to handle the snake. (we have 3 now because I fell in love w them) We have them out every day except for when they are shedding and for the 48 hrs after feeding. The only one right now that is a little grumpy or shy is our baby and she is only about 2 months old. Our others are big love bugs. Now our Bee did not start off like that....he was afraid of everything!! But a couple of months later...no problems. They can have quite the personalities. I love them because they are (to me) much more affectionate than what I experienced with the corn snakes. (now I use affectionate lightly) no they are not giving me snakey kisses... Just not as active and crazy as what I witnessed with the corns.

If you get a ball python....I would suggest getting it as a baby....and raising it. I think you might feel a little more comfortable with it. That is what we have done with all of ours. However with that being said....it is what YOU feel more comfortable with.

Good luck and great story by the way!! We too had all kinds of animals when I was growing up. Including wild ones that would hang out. My Mom tells a story of when I was two and I came in and said I was playing with the black and white kitty. Apparently I was playing outside for hours with a skunk.... With all of my animal adventures....wild or domesticated....the only thing I have ever been bitten by was a dog. Now pee'd on is another story....lol