My wife is not a huge fan of snakes but she is really tolerant of them. However, everytime my daughter or I would ask if she wanted to hold one, she would decline. Well my daughter just picked up a baby hognose snake which is so adorable. Somehow that changed something for my wife. I am not sure why. Maybe its just the very small size or the cute turned up nose. Never the less, my wife has held the little one and even has fed her little F/T pinky mice and thinks it's cute.

Don't know if it will work for you but maybe try something really small like that and see if she will take an interest in it. Best of luck to you.