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.