Hi all, I am new to the forum but not to reptiles. Have had many over the years but it has been a while. My daughter (14) has been bugging me for a snake for a few years and my wife is finally starting to crack. After doing quite a bit of research the snake that continues to rank highly is the ball. My daughter has seen them, has held them at the Westchester NY expo and feels its a good fit as well. I have a couple of questions that seem more subjective, that I feel are best answered by real life feedback from regular owners and not necessarily breeders or "fanatics" whose opinions can sometimes be skewed. I want to preface that I am by admission no expert AT ALL. I welcome any feedback - I am trying to cultivate her interest but do not wish to do so if it is something that will ultimately become a chore for her.

The whole frozen/live debate. While the concept of frozen seems more convenient, is that the case in reality? I understand that it may be cheaper but the idea of having mice in the freezer, then having to thaw them might be something that is a hassle to deal with? I am not sure the wife would even allow this option.

Do they need to be fed in a separate tank? We never did this as kids but it seems I read that over and over. I would think it may create some stress for the animal moving it back after eating as well as possibly a higher chance of the snake striking her?

As my wife despises snakes, I was thinking a male would be better for her as they are generally smaller in size. Aside from value does it matter? Is one more docile than the other?

I like the idea of either re-homing one that an owner can no longer keep or buying one from an enthusiast. I understand there are risks in this thinking as you do not always know the history of the animal and in cases there would be no way or returning a snake. There is certainly a cost benefit as I regularly see snakes, and the complete setup on Craigslist for far cheaper than at a pet store (I do not want to buy from a pet store).

Lastly my thinking was rather than get a "normal" ball I should get her one that has some sort of breeding value. I am generally not crazy about obtaining a pet for the "look", but if they are about the same temperament-wise then I guess it is not so bad (she loves the spiders!). My thinking here was if husbandry was something she may wish to do she would not have to give up her now beloved pet (we have some experience in this realm). In addition if it were something that she lost interest in then recouping some of the cost would also be a possibility.

Thanks to all in advance and sorry for the long post.