Not sure when I first heard about them, but I'll tell you the story behind my first purchase! I was managing a library last year, and we hired somebody from the East Bay Vivarium (in Berkeley) to do a kid's program. I was of course fascinated, and after the show I told the guy how I'd always wanted a snake... he told me to stop by the viv sometime, and six months later I finally made it out there. My original plan was to get a Rosy Boa, but they handed me a baby BP - and the rest is history.