hi joy and welcome to the forum.
it already sounds like you have got alot of good advice off everyone. i assure you that a snake bite doesn't hurt.
when i was 4 my dad bought my older brother a snake (he was 10) whilst he was at school. i had gotten it out before he saw it for the first time and it bit my lip and hung there for a min. at this point my bro walked in and freeked because he saw it hanging and i was laughing. i am now addicted to snakes and my brother hates them lol work that one out lol. you need to be aware that it will bite him atleast once in his life, they are wild animals still. please dont let this put you off as this is normally an accident on the snakes behalf.