Is a ball phython an okay pet for a 5 year old?

Question

I have a 5 year old and a 2 year old and we have a ball phython. I have been getting a lot of c**p from my kids grandparents about having a snake around my kids. They think it's the worst thing to have in my house and even refuse to come over until we get rid of the snake. He has never bit them or even striked at them and he just crawls on them and does his own thing when we take him out. I can't stand cats and dogs, we tried having a dog and the dog kept attacking my 2 year old and the snake has never made a movement towards the kids! Is this an okay pet for them? Should I just tell their grandparents to buzz off, that I like the fact that my kids have exotic pets at a young age? (they also have a tarantula..)

Answer 1

um sorry but it is a bad idea to have snakes around kids under 13 years old...

that snake could easily wrap around your babies neck and kill him...

get rid of the snake or put it up where the kids can't get it...

buy them a cat or dog instead...

Answer 2

ALL animals have the potential and will lash out when they feel threatened.

That being said, as long as you are teaching the kids how to behave around the snake, and about animal psychology, then its fine.

Answer 3

A snake is a snake. No matter how tamed it is, a snake can resort to its vicious state like nature intended it to be. Better get rid of it now. I've heard of snakes swallowing crocodiles alive, and I'm sure it won't have a problem gulping down your five year old and two year old kids.

Answer 4

i think it is ok to have the snake as a pet under supervision. My brother has one and he brings is over to our place all the time and my 3 yr old loves it.  if your children learnd to respect your pets i don't see it as being a problem

Answer 5

Well I think they are an ok pet...We have 8 month old twins and we just got a ball python and its the friendliest thing ive ever had and my mom won't even come down to my room b/c of it but I don't even let it bother me....She freaked out lol...I would just tell them to buzz off and eventually they will get use to it and the other great thing about a ball python is that your kids won't have any kind of allergies towards it and you won't have cat or dog hair everywhere...Don't get rid of it, we aren't lol Just when you have it around the kids just keep an eye on it and the kids b/c if you make any sudden movement it might strike but thats very seldom and hold them alot and let your kids get around it so that they and the snake get use to each other it will less likely strike... I hoped that helped

Answer 6

there is nothing wrong with it if there is parental supervison over your son/daughter while he/she plays with it(takes it out,feeds it,ect.).pets are pets there is always an the issue of possibly getting hurt when theres a pet around children even adults.its your house your pets your children your rules/decision. just keep it. your kids would probably be devastated if you just took the pets away. if your happy with them in your home then stick with it.

good luck!

Answer 7

A pet for them no it isn't ok but as a pet for you that you take 100% care of it is fine you just have to watch them closely.  Just make sure that your area doesn't have a law against such pets because some areas do.  They are risky though so you should never leave them unsupervised with the snack and they shouldn't be holding the snake but they can touch the snake.  As for the tarantula again not unsupervised and no holding it but they can watch it in the "cage" all they want.  Holding it though can be considered child endangerment especially if it should bite one of them.

Answer 8

Honestly, there is more potential danger for the snake that for the children.  As long as you supervise, and the cage/tank is secure, everything should be fine.  A cat bite when a small child pulls a tail would be a more likely threat than a snake bite.  Try to explain to the grandparents that this is a "domestic" snake and that it is not venomous (if they grew up around rattlers or something, snakes probably just have very bad connotations for them), and if it had ever shown signs of aggression, you would not have allowed it around your children.  To accommodate them, you might put it out of sight while they are over, if possible.  

Good luck, hope this helps!

Answer 9

I don't think any exotic anumals are good pets for young children, teens yes but not lil kids like 5 and 2.

However, it is a great deterent to keep those inlaws away if they wont come over because of it, Wish I didn't hate snakes myself or I would get one in a flash if it would keep my inlaws away lol.

So you don't like cats and dogs, what about some fish or a mouse or a rat or a guinea pig, rabbit, there are many better choices for pets other the cats and dogs.

Answer 10

I think that it is fine provided they are kept safe and in a tank and when the children are around they are supervised. Think about this way, some kids have rats and mice as pets and they dont even want them. People living in large cities have lots of things roaming around that arent in tanks or cages.

Answer 11

i am a snake owner, i am usually agains getting little kids pets since they end up neglected but i think it is fine in your case assuming that you take 100% perfect care o them and supervise the children while they handle the snake, make sure they are not too rough.

i say it is fine. Ball pythons are especially docile.

Dan, your answer just made me laugh out loud!

Answer 12

Everyone on here saying its a bad idea is just saying so because its a "snake". Its just another pet, and a fun and calm one at that. Ball pythons are great family pets that, like you said, rarely attack and are genuinely fun to be around. As long as there is supervision, i think its a great idea!