I got mine from a guy here in Ohio. He bred them and I paid $215 for mine. At first he was nasty and struck at everything. I used a glove for the first few times I had him out. Twice a week for about 5-10 minutes. He calmed down quick. The biggest tip I can give you is to be VERY gentle and don't startle them. Most of the guys I spoke to said don't handle them till they're about a year old. Their spines are very fragile and actually have soft spots in them. And NEVER pull them off of something. But like others have said, do your research and slowly handle them and they are really rewarding snakes.