I have often read that Royals do make great first pets, because of their relative small size (to other python species), calm demeanor and general slow movement. However, I’m not sure that they do make a good first pet snake, especially for a young person. I have two main reasons for this:

1) Their longevity.
Most marriages don’t last as long as a Ball Python’s life span. You’re looking at 20+ year commitment, and that’s tough when you’re a teenager. Your future is more uncertain than an established person’s. You may be traveling, going to college and generally getting your life started.

2) They can be frustrating animals.
(this may not be a problem for you, since you’re already an experienced herper)

Their husbandry requirements are not unmanageable, but they are less forgiving than colubrid snakes such as Corn Snakes and King Snakes. They have more precise temperature and humidity requirements, they’re notoriously fussy eaters, and they can get stressed out from excessive handling. There seems to be a consensus that most animals purchased from a pet store are imported and often come with parasites that may require an expensive Vet visit. This should not be a problem for you since you already have help experience)

There is a positive side..,
Now that I’ve said that I would like to add that in my limited experience with Ball Pythons, they can make absolutely wonderful pets. We have a captive bred animal from Bob Clark. It’s a male about 18-20 inches long and ~120-130 grams. He’s eating F/T mice every 5 days with no refusal since we acquired him 3 months ago. He hasn’t balled since the first time we handled him. You can even kiss the little guy on his head and it doesn’t phase him. So far he’s been a real gem. of a snake with no feeding or shedding problems. Even though we’ve raised other snakes, this guy has captured my heart in a way that was quite unexpected. Purchasing him was a big deal to me. Even though I have experience with other snake species, I researched and contemplated the pros and cons for 8 months before we finally got one. I had read the Ball Python Manual, numerous web sites, forums and anything that had to do with Royals and breeders of Royals.

Is a Ball Python right for you? I don’t know. What I do know is whether or not you get a nippy critter is of relatively minimal importance. It’s well known that most Royals calm down with regular handling and gentle care. As with any animal though, I’m sure the aberrant rogue that’s always a pain in the (bleep-bleep) can and does show up. I can tell you it happens in the colubrid world. What you should be concerned with is acquiring a healthy CB animal that’s known to be a good eater. If you’re looking for a pet and not a breeder, then be careful not to choose an animal based on appearance. IMHO always go for health first, demeanor second, and looks last.

Good luck with your decision! Sorry for being so long winded...

I used Bob Clark. When it comes to pythons Bob is the man. He’s an actual herpetologist, not just a hobbyist/breeder, and Bob is responsible for many of the morphs seen in the python trade, including the first albino and striped Balls. You can get a normal hatchling for about $35-$45 plus shipping. When we ordered our Royal, I asked Bob for a "good eater that wasn’t too head shy". Then I said, "If you have more than one, I want the one that everyone googles over when they pull him out of the rack". As you already know from my previous post, I haven’t been disappointed. Good luck!

Checkout:
http://www.bobclark.com