Ball pythons are pretty good for kids. When they get scared, rather than trying to bite their first reaction is typically to curl themselves up into a ball (hence the name). They stay fairly small too (Fully grown female (females are bigger than males) may get up to 4-5 feet, most stay around 2-3), and with proper socialization and handling will never bite. They're also easy to care for and fairly hardy, so yeah.
There are some other options out there that are a 'lil smaller (Corn/King snakes, etc.) but they're slightly less hardy and more skittish than ball pythons so yeah.
Here are a few tips:
1) Feeding should take place about once a week (Maybe once every 2-4 weeks when the snake gets older, depending on the size of the meal).
Do this in a separate enclosure, use tongs, and wash your hands afterwords. Doing this in a different enclosure (rather than just in his cage) is better for cleanup (Sometimes the mice/rats "pop" out of one end or the other) and helps keep the snake out of hunting mode while in its cage (Since it knows food comes when he gets moved to the feeding area). Washing your hands afterwords gets rid of any scent of its food. I owned snakes for 6 years (Much bigger than a ball python), handled them daily, got bit once. It was when I forgot to wash my hands after feeding.
2) Handle the snake daily, but not too often. If you leave the snake alone for too long (Weeks) without handling then it forgets who you are and may perceive you as a threat. They're not like dogs; you can't teach them tricks, it's not going to really recognize or get to know you. At best you become an acceptable harmless part of its environment. Also, the snake needs its enclosure to regulate its body heat. Don't keep it out for too long (1h or so
tops in a warm area of the home, don't take it outside in the cold... If you do take your snake outside then do it on a warm (80ยบ+) day), not only will it start to get cold but it'll start to get stressed and cranky.
3) Don't handle the snake 2-3 days after feeding. This can stress the snake out and cause it to regurgitate its meal. Also, careful in the 4-7 day period after. This is when snakes like to excrete what remains of their food, so yeah. Also, don't handle the snake when its eyes are cloudy. This means it's getting ready to shed so it's itchy and can't see. Keep handling limited to warm water baths (to aid with the shedding).
4) Get a locked or latched cage. Even a baby snake can push itself up a 20 gallon enclosure and pop the top open to escape. Either keep it weighted down with books or (even better) get a cage that latches or locks to prevent having to go on a snake hunt. You can probably find a great custom made enclosure from an enthusiast in your area (check facebook/craigslist) with all the bells and whistles (Heating pad, lights, latch, etc.) for ~$100-200 (or build one with your daughters if you're a DIY kinda guy, the stuff is cheap and it's mostly basic carpentry).
5) For the first few weeks, don't let your daughters handle the snake past a quick touch. Put pieces of their clothing (Some dirty socks or shirts work) in the snakes enclosure to get it acclimated to their scent. Coming into a new home is when the snake is stressed out the most and (especially if you got a baby) is the most likely to bite. If you get bit...
Do not flinch. Do not drop the snake. Do not put the snake immediately into the cage. Keep calm, wait for it to let go, then continue calmly handling it. Flinching or dropping the snake makes it feel like it's in danger. Putting it into the cage teaches it that it can go home by biting. Acting like nothing happened shows it you're just like a tree; you move sometimes, you smell kinda funny, but you aren't going to hurt it and biting you does it no good. Don't let it near your face or touch its head for the first few weeks.
Past that, just read a bunch of care guides on ball pythons. They really are one of the easiest snakes to care for and have one of the calmest temperaments
I'd also advise feeding frozen mice/rats if you can... You can buy frozen for bulk at ~1/3rd of the cost your local petstore will charge
This post was edited by Dragonkilla8 on Apr 24 2018 07:11pm