i am also learning....so im not saying any do's or donts!
i researched the pythons for over 6mnths....found that the
childrens pythons group have great temperaments
my partner also has problems....with size
i got the "it will eat the cat!...the dog....the rabbits....(these are outside anyway!)"
so he wanted smaller for my son & I....hmmm
we(my son & i wanted bigger...better colour pattern)
so i cheated....LOL
i found out that the "Spotted Python"....grows to 4 ft.......but its relation
the "Cape York Blonde Macs"...as they call they ....go to 5.2 ft !!!!
so this maybe for you.... i found a breeder...a reputable one
you must make sure the lines come from this region
hope this helps!