So, it was recently my first snakes birthday. He is bigger than I am, im 5'10 so hes anywhere from 6'6-7'0, I havent measured him since he was about 4 feet. I have had him since he was a baby, and I just thought in honor of him I'd share my little adventure. I think I can contribute my fascination with animals not only to my grandmother and dad, but a lot of it has to do with growing up watching the crocodile hunter, as im sure anyone around my age would agree he contributed extensively to my love of not only snakes but all animals. It took me a long time to convince my parents t buy me a snake, my dad had a ball python when he was a teenager but never took me serious when i talked about snakes. SO my parents would buy me books and i would read them in a day or two, take me to zoos and i would spend the entire time looking at reptiles, we'd go to the pet store to pick up dog food and i'd sit there making my mom wait for hours just so i could look at the snakes. I guess they eventually had enough of that. When i got "promoted" from 6th grade they took me to the local pet store "Strictly Reptiles" who had just had a littler of red tails, a few condas, some corns, some tortoises and turtles, and various lizards. I was about 12 and keep in mind i was very tiny until i was about 15 (at which point i grew to my adult height and havent grown since) I walked right up to the boas and pointed at one and asked "Is it mean?" and the shop owner kinda chuckled and asked my dad if this was my first snake, when my dad said yes he tried to convince us to get a corn snake. This didnt make me happy at all, I was adamant on the boa. So after about 10 minutes of telling my dad how well i'd take care of it, and that by time it got big I'd be big enough to handle it by myself. My dad wasnt too happy about the cost of the enclosure (We got one he'd be able to live in as an adult) but in the end got me this little snake, not much thicker than a pencil, and much longer than my tiny forearm. I honestly held him as soon as i got home everyday, did my homework with him around my neck, slithering onto my head, wrapping around the chair, various other things and having to struggle to get him off. He grew like a weed, but then again so did i. I knew i loved snakes beforehand, but once i got that little pencil in my hands i knew I'd have this love for the rest of my life. Jake (The Snake) just turned 6, about 3 months after i turned 18. And no matter what has happened this guy has been there, my family has a history of getting pets, and them getting stolen, having to give them away, or them dying (Moving around, gardeners stole our husky, and well hamsters dont live too long),m Jake was there when my parents got divorced, when my best friend was killed, when my grandmother died, and when I met my girlfriend (who Ive been dating for quite a while now) no matter what hes always there. People talk about how snakes arent real "pets" you cant depend on them for emotional support, like a dog or cat. I beg to differ, the one constant in my life has been my boa. People talk about how snakes dont know the difference between people and food, that snakes are aggressive. The people who say those things have probably never held, or been around a snake, or people with snakes. In 6 years of owning snakes I have been bit 3 time, all three times were me being dumb and reaching in while he was eating, or trying to push the rat closer so he could get it. In the years after I got Jake, he converted countless people who were terrified of snakes, to snake lovers/owners. My girlfriend loves snakes, but doesnt think she could care for a large boa, so she now owns 2 ball pythons. I also have 2 ball pythons and a corn snake (I found the corn snake under my bed, weird story). I am currently building racks so I can keep and house more snakes. Jake however, stays in his "display cage" He is the reason I developed this extensive love of snakes/reptiles. The real sad part is, after college when i want to move to washington, i dont know how im going to be able to take him with me. I wont be able to get a job out here (Southern California) with my major, and if i do it will pay way less than it will in Washington. Its a predicament im going to have to figure out, maybe ill just drive up there to avoid having to send him in a package. But i love my big boa (I know hes not big for a boa but hes the biggest i have). Enjoying a stretch Posing for a picture "What are you looking at?" He enjoys pushing his substrate around, also look at that mustache Me and Jake on his 6th b-day He doesnt even mind any of my dogs My Gf fell in love with him So she bought her own snake, hes cool, but nothing like Jake She named her 1st ball python Bruno, this is him and her, after he shed and ate a few more times

I just thought with the lacey act an all this bs going around that i should share my little adventure/story whatever you wanna call it. I love my snake, Jake has always been there for me, hes a big cuddle bug.