How L acquired a snake, and the amusing results

When L was 5 or 6 years old, he wanted a pet snake. I told him he would have to buy it with his own money, but that if he did, I would buy the tank, heater and food. I had owned a snake before, but gave him away after L was born. I didn't have the free time to handle the snake and care for a newborn. So Sinbad the Western Garter Snake found a new home.

L saved his allowance, report card and b-day money, and we went to the pet store. He bought a Bananna King Snake, and promptly named him Sinbad. We had him for almost 6 months, then he escaped while we were on a camping trip. L was pretty upset about this. I'd catch him looking at the empty tank, asking God to bring his snake back... or at least keep it warm in the winter.
We replaced Sinbad II with a hamster. That lasted for nearly a year. We found it one morning (dead) with it's nose pressed against the glass, looking like it was trying just one more time to escape. We buried the hamster in the back yard, between the lavender bushes. As soon as it was warm enough, we went to the Reptile store to buy a new snake. Snakes live much longer than hamsters do. I'll probably still be caring for this snake when L goes off to college. (good thing I love reptiles)
At the Exotic Amphibian and Reptile Center, they had a cage full of eggs with a sign reading, "Hatching Now!" L went into spasms of delight. "Can we buy one, can we? Pleeeeease? Can we buy an egg and hatch it at home? Pleeeeease?"
We did not buy an egg, but L picked the egg he wanted, and every day we went back to see if it had hatched yet. (He couldn't actually remember which egg it was, but I pretended like I remembered. I'd pick an egg at random and say, "There it is!") The third day we visited, we spied an egg with a black snake nose poking out of it. L cried out, "That's him! That's my snake! he's being born right now!"
We got lucky that day, because the owner was the one behind the counter. He told my son, "As soon as he gets done hatching, I'll put him in a box for you. You can't take him home until he sheds his first skin, though. So you come back in a week and pick him up. OK?"
When we showed up a week later, there was a round plastic case with my son's name on it, waiting for us. L gave me his $24 to pay for the snake, and took the box from the guy behind the counter. L said, "You're very beautiful, and your name is Sinbad."
I asked, "What if he's a girl snake?" While trying not to laugh. The salesman said, "It's young yet, let's find out." He explained that when snakes are babies, their sex organs are easy to reach. It's much harder to identify the sex when they're adults. He took the snake out of it's enclosure and squeezed around the area they poop out of... and it's stuff popped out!

That was probably the grossest thing I'd ever seen. L and I were both fascinated. I wanted to ask the guy to do it again, but I knew snakes aren't squeeze toys, so I kept my mouth shut.

Sinbad the Third, no bigger than a nightcrawler, came home with us that day; and I promptly put 10 pounds of rocks on top of the cage. This snake wasn't getting away. 'Locking lid' my ass.

Every September I take Sinbad to the pet blessing that L's school holds out in the playground. Every year, we get swarmed with children wanting to see, but not touch, the snake. Every year, I turn a few more kids into snake lovers.
I love being a stay-home mom.

Oh, yeah. Sinbad III now weighs over 2 pounds, is about 4 1/2 feet long, and would eat every 3 days if I let him.