By Monty Siekerman
John (right) and Caimin Goodman are taking their pet pythons for a walk.

John, who has had snakes as pets for 20 years, says people are shocked to see the snakes when the snakes are out getting fresh air and seeing the sights of Ada.

He said people want to pet them, and he lets them do so. John said pythons are harmless, but get a bad rap because some types of snakes are treacherous. He said he likes to educate the curious passers-by about his pets and reptiles in general.

Have any rats you want to get rid of? The pythons eat fresh killed rats (purchased at a pet store in Lima). They are fed about every three weeks.

Pythons live about 20 years.

John holds Cash, an albino Burmese (9 ft., 4 years old) and Reagan, a hypo Burmese (5 ft., 1 year old).

Caimin walks Norm (5 ft., 2 years old) and Lydia (3 ft., 1 year old). That's 22 feet of snake.

Pythons can only be outside when the temperature is above 82 degrees, so the stroll down Main Street may be the last outing for the reptiles until next summer.

During the 2005 ice storm, their six pythons died from cold since the power was off. That won't happen again; he now has generators.

The snakes make their home in an apartment on Main Street. Soon, they will have new digs, for the Goodman family will be moving to a new home in rural Ada.