[Rick Lee]

I've owned a few from the Python family, one Burmese, one Retic and one Redtail Boa. I would never keep one with small kids in the house. They are cool pets, low maint., fabulous to watch eat and shed. As with many other hobbies, you have to be responsible about it. I never got bitten by any of my big snakes, but got tagged a few times by my first one, a CA King. Wasn't too bad. You should never own a snake you're not strong enough to totally defeat if you have to. I got my Boa as a hatchling in 1995 and gave her away just before I moved to AZ about 18 mos. ago. You can control how big they grow by feeding them as you see fit. They can go a year without eating. I used to feed mine two large rats about every 6-8 wks. so as to keep her from outgrowing my 75 gal. tank too quickly.