Parents think snakes are evil (I want a bp?)

[Lizardlicks]

Why is such a silly question. Why does any one want any pet? The most important thing is that the animals needs are met, that it's happy and healthy. You certainly have put a ton of work and thought into your plans for a snake, and if you were my kid I would certainly be giving it some mighty consideration.

So, as a parent, let me give you some perspective that may also be a factor. As a young teen, you won't legally be able to keep a job aside from the occasional side work like moving lawns or shoveling driveways, which means financial responsibility falls to your parents. It's true that most of the cost is in the set up (looks like you've already budgeted that, so good job), but there are also ongoing costs, like substrate, upgrades to equipment, feeding and the like. And if your snake gets sick, which can happen even if you have top notch husbandry, vet bills can stack up quick. Deb already mentioned one of the other potential hang ups, and that is that as a younger person, your life is going to be going through a lot of changes in the next few years. You most likely won't be living in the same place forever, as things like collage, jobs, even dating might move you around the country. You would think that a small snake like a ball python won't be an issue to move, but sometimes things happen, and you may need to someday find someone else to care for your pet. Your parents might be wary of that someone being them.

Now, I'm not saying any of these could be's and what if's ARE going to happen, but they might be things your parents are worried about, and having excuses like snakes being evil, or dangerous are much easier fallbacks than the hard, honest talks, sad but true. If I were you, I would bring them up first. That's not a guarantee, but keep being thoughtful and doing your homework. Worst case scenario, you just have to wait until you have your own job and place.