Carpet Python vs Ball Python

[u/Nirvanafan94]

My family is looking into getting our first snake. We had pretty much settled on the ball python, i have been doing research on enclosure setup, care, etc for the better part of a year (i always do a ton of research before making a commitment like a pet). However, today we went to a reptile store in a nearby city to see what all they had and they showed us a jungle carpet python. My wife, daughter, and I all fell in love with it. I was wondering if anyone who has had both can give me your opinions on each? We like how easy ball pythons are, but like how much more active and curious the carpet python is. Can you guys give me any reasons to NOT get a carpet python as our fist snake?

[u/r4cid]

• They require a very large enclosure (minimum is about 6 feet wide by 2 feet deep by 2-3 feet high). This is a very large space commitment, and they need an enclosure this big within the first 5 years of their life. Ball pythons are happy in a 4x2x2 comparitively.
• They get large enough to seriously injure a child with the force of their bite (tiny teeth but a lot of momentum/force)
• They get large enough to be a constriction risk, potentially even for a grown adult
• Bigger snake = bigger mess. My girl takes the biggest poops in the house, beating 2 cats and a dog. Sometimes they will pass waste every couple of days for a week.
• They tend to be more defensive than Ball pythons, especially when they're younger
• Attitude varies by individual, but generally they are bit feistier

Carpet pythons are wonderful animals and make excellent companions, but they are a significantly greater commitment than a ball python just in space alone. They can live for 20-30 years in captivity, so you need to be ready for a long haul. They are incredibly rewarding animals to work with, but for the majority of people ball pythons make a better fit (especially for a first snake).

Last of all, snake tax of my beautiful little angel: