Going to go slightly off-topic here since they aren't on your list... You might want to look into sand boas (kenyan sand boas).. The females get about 3 feet but are heavy and not skinny looking. They are a moderate price (you can get a normal for around $50 and an anery for around $90). They are not active in the day but come out at night, have a great feeding response (mine eat f/t), and are very beginner friendly. The females will need at most a 20gl long tank as adults. Plus they have very cool patterns and color combinations. Mine also deal with handling very well.

I have not kept any of the species you listed as choices so I can't speak to their appropriateness in your situation. One note on cages though, unless you are dead set on an aquarium as a cage, you can house ball pythons in bins (of the rubbermaid type), which might be a cheaper setup option for you. Also, petco runs a $1 / gallon sale every so often and you can get a 20gl for $20, 40gl for $40 etc. This might be a good option if you want a glass tank and can't locate one on craigslist.

Good luck!