Slightly perplexed and somewhat terrified, I squinted at the smartboard in front of me. The classroom was nearly empty, students slowly trickling in reluctantly to their classes after a satisfying lunch. After fishing out my iPad and opening up the AP Calculus AB notes that we would be going over in class, I quickly stole a glance at the board in front of me.

   Usually, if the ‘fun fact’ involved cockroaches, spiders, or anything unsettling for that matter, I would be quick to avert my gaze. But that day, a picture of a snake, weirdly juxtaposed within the inside of a home, sat in place of the fun fact document. Oddly enough, I continued to stare.

   When the class began, Mrs. Beluch formally introduced the reptile on the board as Noodles, her family’s pet snake. As the room erupted with endless questions, I sat there bewildered. It had never once occurred to me that a snake could be kept as a pet. Maybe that’s because my mom is terrified of snakes (she once screeched hysterically when I threw a folded strip of paper at her and yelled, “snake!”). So, out of sheer curiosity and in an attempt to answer my lingering questions, I sat down with Mrs. Beluch to ask her some questions about Noodles.

   When asked if she calls herself an animal person Mrs. Beluch confessed, “I don’t think I was when I was growing up, but I am becoming more of one now.” When inquired about why she chose a snake, she affectionately replied, “My son has wanted one for a really long time, and I finally gave in and got him one as a birthday present.” Upon finding out that she also owns two dogs, I wondered how  Noodles was different from her other pets. “She’s not cuddly, obviously.” Mrs. Beluch chuckled. “You can’t sit under a blanket with her but she does like to be held.” Adding on paradoxically, “She’s not as much of a people’s pet, but she does still like attention.”

   When I blatantly asked her how she is not  terrified of snakes, she reasoned, “We chose this snake because she is a constrictor as opposed to a venomous snake.” This means that Noodles cannot poison anything, instead, she suffocates her prey for food. It’s no secret that snakes are more on the dangerous side when it comes to pets.

     “Are there extra precautions you need to take?” I asked.

     “Right now, no, but eventually  as she gets larger, we need to make sure that she doesn’t get out of her cage,” Mrs. Beluch replies.

      Following up with that, I asked what she planned to do in the future when Noodles potentially got too big to keep at home. “We haven’t gotten that far.” She admitted as she raised her palm to the top of her head. “ She’s going to be as big as me and live for about 20 years.” I paused, picturing a snake as tall as Mrs. Beluch and a chill ran down my spine. “We’re taking it as time goes. We haven’t figured out what we’re going to do when she gets too long,” She adds.

      When asked if she thinks it’s possible to form emotional connections to animals like snakes, she thoughtfully answered, “I think so. It’s not going to be as much as a dog just because there is less physical connection, but we can see that with her (Noodles) already, that she understands because we put her in a different cage to feed her and when we put her in that separate cage, I do believe she knows it’s dinner time.”

   Talking to Mrs. Beluch has taught me that snakes can, in fact, make cool pets. So, unless you have a snake-o-phobic family member like I do, maybe consider a snake as a possible future companion. So, for all of you out there on the fence about getting an unconventional pet, I urge you to think carefully and do your research, but also not be afraid to take a little risk. In the words of Mrs. Beluch, “Just have fun. Go for it.” In the very least, “it’s something to talk about.”