Snakes have a bad reputation. They trigger a revulsion in many
people because of their slithery, tongue-darting ways. And, of
course, the bad P-R from that Garden of Eden incident just won't
go away. Still, a few of the more than 2,500 species of snakes
make good pets. Corn snakes and kingsnakes are the most popular
varieties. They're easily domesticated and, once they realize
you aren't going to hurt them, will decide that you're a nice,
warm place to curl up and sleep. Be sure to get your snake from
a breeder. Snakes captured in the wild frequently suffer from
internal parasites. You should also be aware that keeping a pet
snake is an expensive and time-consuming process. Being cold-
blooded, they're highly sensitive to temperature and humidity. A
large aquarium kept at 80 degrees is ideal for most species. The
water and bedding needs to be changed regularly, and some snakes
won't eat anything except live prey. Finally, before you get
that really cool-looking snake, remember that you're making a
long-term co