Native to Africa, the ball python makes its home in the forests, savannahs, and grasslands from Ghana to Cameroon.  One of the reasons it is a popular species in the pet world, and usually recommended for insistent first-time snake owners, is that ball pythons grow from only 4 to 6 feet in length.

Ball pythons are usually found curled up in tight "balls" hiding in corners or awaiting prey. Their burrowing ability aids them in following prey such as gerboas and other small rodents right into their own dens.  They kill by constricting, and do not offer a poisonous bite.  

Ball pythons lay four to 10 eggs, with hatchlings emerging about 75-80 days later at nine to 17 inches in length.  Life expectancy in captivity is 20 to 30 years, though in the wild, they often fall prey to leopards, birds of prey, and hedgehogs much sooner.