Snakes are perfectly fine beginner reptiles, and can be a lot of fun to watch grow.
The ball python without hesitation is a great beginner reptile. They require very simple care, but they can in some cases be picky with food which can be hard to deal with for a new reptile owner. If that’s something you don’t want to potentially deal with.
Ball pythons require very basic care. They need a 40-gallon tank as an adult, but as babies will do just fine in a 20-gallon. You’ll need a hide with a heat pad (not a lamp, remember, belly heat!) and a bowl with fresh water. Also make sure to include a humid hide, and monitor your snake’s humidity levels. Around 55% humidity will likely be ideal.
The more places you can give your snake to hide out in, the happier it will be. These animals don’t get much larger than 3 or 4 feet long, but they will explore a larger environment if given one.
As mentioned before, one of the biggest beginner misconceptions about ball pythons is that they are easy to feed, and will take food on schedule. Your ball python may be a picky eater, and you may need to go through a few mice before they eat. This is the main drawback of keeping a ball python as a beginner pet, but if you give your snake a good environment and proper care, they are more likely to eat when you try to feed them. Your ball python may never be a picky eater.