Ball pythons are indigenous to western and west central Africa, but tens of thousands of these beautiful snakes are brought into the United States each year. In their natural, wild habitat, ball pythons experience a very high level of humidity and both wet and dry seasons. In captivity, some of these conditions should be mimicked to make sure the snake is comfortable, but captive-bred ball pythons are generally fairly easy to take care of. In fact, captive-bred ball pythons tend to have less issues than those that are caught in the wild. They feed better, have more docile personalities, and are much less likely to have any sort of parasite.
While ball pythons can grow to be up to 6 feet long, adults are generally between 3 and 4 feet long. Their relatively small size makes them a great choice for a pet. They are also not difficult to care for, are readily available, and can live for over 40 years. For these reasons, ball pythons are one of the most commonly kept pet snakes.
For more information, read Quick & Easy Ball Python Care (T.F.H. Publications, Inc.).