I definitely used to think they were icky!! We recently got an adult BP for our daughter who just turned 11. She first started asking for a snake when she was 4 and saw a pink snake (baby albino corn snake) at the pet store. But, now the whole family is in love with "Salazar", and everyone wants their own BP! He definitely prefers my daughter though - if someone else is holding him and she is close, he will go back to her!