I have always thought snakes were tops.
I remember being about 10 yo and trying to convince my mom to let me buy one of the cute Garter snakes the pet store by my house had and for all the above reasons stated was how I convinced her to let me have it and she was no lover of snakes or reptiles for that matter.
But with her and like a lot of people they freak cuz they just don't know or have never really been around them.
My good friend now is freaked out by snakes but as she and I talk about Ozzy I can see a slight interest peak, heck they other day she called me to tell me about a show she watched on Animal Planet and it was Venom ER no less.
So sometimes people get over it if they just have some positive exposure to it.
I still don't think my friend would want to hold Ozzy but she will at least come in the same room now