I have been interested in snakes for as long as I can remember, dating back to the early 80's when I would catch anything that slithered past me at my family's cottage up north. Unfortunately, "You're letting them all go before we head home" was a recurring, unwelcome phrase that never failed to leave the mouth of one, if not both of my parents. It wasn't until some 15 years later, after clearing the idea with my then fiance Tania, who, to my surprise, was as interested as I was. Thus began our search for an appropriate snake. After visiting numerous pet stores and countless hours of research online, we agreed that ball pythons were the "perfect fit"; a stout, heavy-bodied snake that rarely exceeds 5 feet. Their easy-going temperament, inquisitive and friendly nature only added to their appeal. We purchased our first two ball pythons, "Adam & Eve" shortly thereafter, thus beginning our love for this "royal" serpent. It was in 2002 when Tania and I began to consider moving out of our two bedroom apartment in suburban Toronto. Our growing collection of ball pythons, my growing desire to breed them, and our love of animals in general prompted us to consider buying our first house. After agreeing that a major city was no longer the place for us to accommodate our family, we purchased our first home. Surrounded by green space, fresh air, beautiful, starry nights, and room to breathe, it was the perfect setting for our existing family; Tania, Myself, our albino ferret Peaches, her partner in crime, our chocolate lab Willow, and our newest addition, 8 year old black lab Kayla. Moving our growing collection of ball pythons into their own facility before settling ourselves into the new house allowed us the freedom to expand the collection to include some beautiful snakes, along with the much needed extra room to breed them. We have since produced some stunning animals. As we continue to add to our growing family, reptile and not, we look optimistically to the future and to what it may hold. Michael & Tania (519) 590-2557 1.1.10