There's also the fact that our furry animals tend to be a bit more demanding.. Not just with the care, the cleaning, feeding and walking, but attention-wise as well. Don't get me wrong, I love my dog and my cats, but occasionally I get exhausted by being bombarded by all three of them looking for cuddles, belly rubs and chin scratches.
I love that with my snake I can take him out for 15-20 minutes a few times a day, play with him, admire him, and put him back - and not feel like I'm neglecting him in any way. I'm already looking at purchasing two more snakes this summer, and I've only had my guy for about three weeks ^.^