My mother was the exact same way. When I was growing up, whenever she took us to the pet store, she and my brother would look at the birds, dogs, cats, ect while I would scamper over to the Herp section and ogle the snakes. For the longest time, she would come and drag me out of there. Something about "it's not ladylike or christian (!) to want a snake"

My mother is way into symbolism. Something about snakes and the devil? Anyways...

I finally got to the point where she wasn't trashing my interest quite so hard (she mellowed out as she grew up lol). And when I finally moved out, into my best friends house, I acquired Nagini. At first she wouldn't even look at him, it gave her the willies. But now, 6 months on, she's fallen in deep like with my baby. I can have him over to my parents house whenever I want AND when I go home for a few days at Christmas, I have permission to bring the snake and the terrerriam (mostly because no one will be home so there will be no heat in the house.) YAY for family acceptance!!!!