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Step 1
Take a look at the ball pythons that are available and pay particular attention to the one in which you are interested. Study it before deciding to buy. Mites are a common parasite for ball pythons, so take a look at the scales and make sure they don't look loose. Loose scales are a sure sign of mites.
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Step 2
Choose a ball python that is a size that you can accommodate. Ball pythons generally grow to fit their environment and won't be happy in one that is too small for them. If you don't have room for a large snake, choose a smaller one that will not need a large cage. If you want the snake to grow as large as possible, choose a young snake that still has a lot of growth potential and make sure you have enough room to accommodate a large cage.
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Step 3
Be ready for the commitment that a snake requires. Ball pythons live for as long as 30 years in captivity. Most snakes sold in pet stores are less than a year old, so make sure you want to take on the responsibility of a snake for many years before buying one.
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Step 4
Have a vet check the sex of the snake if you are set on having one or the other. It's true that many ball python males have larger spurs around the anus than females do, but that can be an unreliable way to sex a snake. The more accurate way is to have a vet probe the snake with a sexing probe. This is the only truly reliable way to determine the sex, but only a vet should perform the test. Trying to probe a snake yourself can cause extreme injury to the snake.
