My very first snake is a royal (ball) python. I love him to death and wouldn't trade him for the world. However, things you should consider if you choose one of these guys is as others have said, they are not very forgiving with their husbandry and can be pretty prone to sickness if you're not strict with it and you want to make sure you have a good exotic vet for the just in case (there's a pretty good list that's in a sticky on this forum actually). They can be very picky eaters if they have a mind to (Only wanting rats or only wanting mice, even down to what colour their food is sometimes). Mine is usually pretty slow moving unless he smells food. And also as everyone else said they hide like 80% of the time. Mine is kind of a cuddle bug when he has the mind that he wants to sit still instead of trying to figure out how to hide in the couch but when he does settle down he'll happily watch a movie with me. He even tends to poke his head out to see what I'm doing most of the time when I'm walking by his tank or stick his head out to watch the pictures move on the television. They don't really tend to be bitey snakes either. Only time mine has struck at me was during feeding times and that's because my skin temps are usually at mid to high 80s so he mistakes me for the rat since if I'm not quick enough to get the rat in there from warming it up I'll look warmer than it. If I hadn't fallen in love with royals I probably would have gone for a king or a corn snake though personally, lol.