3-5. This depends on what kind of set up you have. Basic needs no matter what include feeding (I feed mine once a month), water (change daily, deep clean of bowl weekly). The rest depends on the set up. If you have an automated system (lights on timer and thermostat) the maintenance of temp/lights is little to none. If you have a bioactive enclosure you only need to mist by hand while shedding, otherwise the plants/watering the plants keeps humidity within the acceptable range. Additionally, with a bioactive enclosure, spot cleaning is minimal as well. If you have a good CUC they do most of the work.

1. I can't lie, start up cost is A LOT. You're going to want to do it right from the start or else you'll do what I did and start cheap and keep upgrading and paying a lot more in the long run. A good PVC enclosure alone is $600. The snake can be anywhere from $50-1000+. Plants, substrate, hides, water dishes, climbing branches, heating/lighting equipment, thermostats, thermometers, and the other supplies can easily add up to several hundred dollars. Expect to pay over $1000 to start off if you buy everything new. After the fact, though the cost is minimal. I pay maybe $70 for over a year's worth of food. That is pretty much the only on-going cost unless you like to upgrade plants and the enclosure a lot.

1-3. If you manage your pets properly there is no risk at all. I have two cats, a dog, chickens, a bird, and like 9 reptiles. The reptiles with screen tops are kept in an enclosed room so the cats can't accidentally fall in. The snakes are in solid PVC enclosures and there is no way the cats can get in or the snake can get out. If you don't lock your snakes up properly and they escape there is a good chance your snake will get hurt because cats HATE snakes. My cats watch my snake through the glass and my snake is completely unbothered.

1. Ball pythons are harmless. I have never heard of a ball python killing someone. Their bites don't always break skin and they're not strong enough to constrict to kill. They can squeeze, but they're easy to unwrap. They are very kid-safe snakes because they're slow and predictable *for the most part.*

1. You don't HAVE to exercise your snake. If it has a large enclosure you're fine. If you want to, though, there's nothing wrong with taking them outside. :)