My daughter once had a bull snake for a pet. Right docile critter he was too. Anyway, we went to the pet store to get a mouse or small rat to feed it and when we went intot he store, the girl working there was up on the counter all freaked out. Seems like a couple of punks had kicked out the glass on the enclosure for a six foot Boa Constrictor they were trying sell for somebody. My daughter and I went over and as the snake seemed pretty docile, I picked it up and asked where she wanted me to put it. We got it secured into a cage and that was the end of the problem.
My son from my first marriage had a 13 foot Reticulated Python for a pet, but it dies. I only saw the skin which he saved, and it was a full 13 feet. He has another now that is only 6 foot and growing.
One time, I had a date with a lovely young lady to take her to a function, and while she was getting ready, her pet Boa kind of wrapped around one of my legs with it's head coming up between my legs. Not expecting this, I kind of freaked out.
Turned out this was her baby and it too was quite docile. From what I understand, Boas are less irritable than Pythons, especially the Reticulated variety.
For the most part, snakes don't freak me out. I used to catch Rattlesnakes and sell them to a medical facility back when I was a kid. They'e use them to extract the venom. IIRC, they paid $1.50 a foot.
Paul B.