Попробуйте следующее: -
def takeInput(required):
print 'ooo or OOO to exit'
ans = raw_input('Enter: ')
if not ans:
print "You entered nothing...!"
return takeInput(required)
## FOR Exit ##
elif ans in ['ooo', 'OOO']:
print "Closing instance."
exit()
else:
if ans.isdigit():
current = 'int'
elif set('[~!@#$%^&*()_+{}":/\']+$').intersection(ans):
current = 'other'
elif isinstance(ans,basestring):
current = 'str'
else:
current = 'none'
if required == current :
return ans
else:
return takeInput(required)
## pass the value in which type you want [str/int/special character(as other )]
print "input: ", takeInput('str')