A father-of-two who has over 100 snakes in his house and lets his kids cuddle with the reptiles in bed has clapped back at haters who may judge his ‘obsession.’
Socratis Christoforou, 45, from South Florida, explained exclusively to the Daily Mail that his fascination with snakes dates back to when he was a little boy living in New Jersey.
He explained that he grew up in a house that had immense woods behind it, along with a stream and he would often play in.
‘One day, I found a group of baby snakes,’ he recalled. ‘I didn’t know it at the time, but they were copperheads, venomous snakes.
‘I scooped them into a bucket with a stick, brought them into the basement, and proudly kept them there.’
While at first, he said he tried to keep his new pets a secret from his parents, they naturally found out pretty quickly.
Since his mom and dad were from Cyprus, where snakes were often very poisonous, they believed they were all extremely dangerous, and as soon as his mom saw what Socratis was hiding in the basement, she ‘panicked.’
And their reaction quickly turned his fascination into fear.
Father-of-two Socratis Christoforou, 45, has over 100 snakes in his house and spends over $800 a month on taking care of the animals
His daughter, Ariana, keeps about ’20 Ball Pythons in her room’ while his son, Maximus, has two Ball Pythons
‘My dad went down, realized what I had, and released them back into the woods,’ he explained.
‘My parents, both born in Cyprus, grew up taught to fear snakes because of the venomous species there. That fear imprinted on me.
‘Even though I thought snakes were exotic and mysterious, I carried that fear for years.’
But in adulthood, Socratis decided he wanted to overcome his fear of snakes once and for all.
‘I walked into a pet store and asked, ‘How do I get over being scared of snakes?” he shared.
‘They laughed and said, ‘Let one bite you.’ They pulled out a baby albino corn snake, let it nip me, and I realized, that’s it? That’s what I’ve been afraid of? I bought it right then, and my passion officially began.’
From there, he said, his ‘collection grew fast.’ Within two years, he had more than 300 snakes, along with monitors, lizards, sugar gliders, birds, and even an alligator.
‘My house was a living zoo,’ he joked. ‘I loved venomous species too, cobras, vipers, rattlesnakes, you name it. What started as fear became obsession.’
His kids even cuddle with snakes in bed – but he clapped back at haters who may judge his ‘obsession’ during an exclusive chat with the Daily Mail
Unfortunately, during the economic crisis in 2008, Socratis said he ‘lost everything,’ and was forced to give up his enormous animal collection.
But flash forward to 2017, and Socratis, who was then married with two kids and running a successful CrossFit gym in Fort Lauderdale, reignited his passion during a trip to the pet store with his then-two-year-old daughter.
‘We walked into a pet store and saw an albino corn snake, the exact same species as my very first. I bought it for her,’ he remembered.
‘Watching her hold that snake reignited something in me. That moment was more than a purchase, it was a spark, a reminder of who I was.’
Since 2017, he has slowly been growing his collection and he now has around 130 snakes.
‘I don’t just keep snakes because they’re ‘cool,’ I keep them because they are living art,’ he explained.
‘Green Tree Pythons transform colors as they grow, reds, yellows, neon greens, even pure blue.
‘Boelens Pythons are jet-black with rainbow iridescence, and they literally ‘blow air’ as a way of communicating. These animals fascinate me every day.’
He admitted that caring for them is a ‘major commitment’ and costs him about $800 a month.
‘Feeders, equipment, electricity, water, it adds up to around $800 per month, sometimes more. But the true cost is time,’ shared the snake-enthusiast.
‘Every day I clean cages, change water, and check temperatures. Breeding season is even more demanding: pairing snakes, monitoring eggs, incubating, and then weeks of patiently teaching hatchlings to eat. It’s work, but it’s a labor of love.’
He vowed that his kids ‘love’ the snakes ‘as much as he does,’ and revealed that his eldest, Ariana, keeps about ’20 Ball Pythons in her room’ while his son Maximus has two Ball Pythons.
‘They hang out with their snakes while doing homework, reading, even lying in bed watching cartoons,’ he dished.
‘They share an amazing bond with them. For us, snakes are part of the family.’
While Socratis said he and his family have faced some judgement from strangers over his hobby, he is not ashamed.
He vowed that the snakes are not ‘dangerous or aggressive’ and that his kids have never been put in danger since they don’t keep any venomous pets in the home
He vowed that the snakes are not ‘dangerous or aggressive’ and that his kids have never been put in danger since they don’t keep any venomous pets in the home.
‘People often assume all snakes are dangerous or aggressive. The truth: most snakes would rather avoid humans entirely. They strike only when threatened or cornered,’ he said.
‘Ball Pythons, for example, are completely harmless. Even large constrictors aren’t inherently aggressive, they’re simply strong animals.
‘Captive-bred snakes, like the ones we keep, are often calm and accustomed to human presence. They’re not monsters. They’re misunderstood.’
In the end, he credits the snakes with helping him get through his darkest times.
‘When I lost everything in 2008, I also lost my animals. I had to face the pain of letting go,’ he concluded.
‘But that season of loss taught me something even more valuable: that discipline, mindset, and faith in yourself can rebuild anything.
‘I went from zero – no home, no car, no money, sleeping in my vehicle, to rebuilding a life, creating businesses, and building a new legacy with my family.
‘When Ariana got her first corn snake in 2017, it didn’t just bring snakes back into my life, it brought back the fire in me.
‘Now, my kids and I don’t just keep snakes. We learn from them, care for them, and share them to replace fear with understanding.
‘This story isn’t just about reptiles. It’s about resilience, second chances, and teaching the next generation that no matter how many times life knocks you down, you can always rebuild, and come back stronger.’
