I am a spry 12 years old, but I have up to twenty more years ahead of me! Many noodles and some reptiles are very long-lived, so it's important that our two-legged caretakers make sure that they have a backup plan in case they no longer can take care of us.

Some people release noodles like me into the wild if they can't rehome us. THIS IS BAD! The wild is SCARY! And other animals that live outside do not like us! While we might survive outside, we often hurt other animals and can become nuisances to you two-leggers as well.

Make sure that if you get a noodle or any animal companion that you know how long of a time commitment we can be and research rehoming options should you no longer be able to care for us.

I am a ball python. We are an old-world species of constrictor noodle originating from Africa. Compared to other kinds of noodles, we do not get very big. I'm also a boy, so I'm only 4 feet long despite being full grown!

Constrictor noodles don't have any venom. When we eat, we instead coil around our prey and give them a bestest of hugs. We literally kill with kindness! But don't worry, we are a small noodle, so we are harmless to you two-leggers. Sometimes we are nippy, but our teeth are very tiny and we can't bite down too hard.

Unlike some other noodles, we are a terrestrial species. This means we're not too good at climbing and prefer to spend most of our time on the ground. I especially like hanging out in my hides because I wish to not be perceived. I do come out sometimes, but only when it's dark outside.

We are a popular exotic pet species that is very hardy which makes people say we're "beginner friendly". However, please make sure you do your research before you think about getting a fat noodle of your own. We can be very picky eaters, shy, and sensitive to icky air. Some morphs (colors) of ball pythons also have genes that make them unhealthy and unable to live without a lot of extra care.

According to the rescue I was adopted from, I used to be a breeder noodle. This means I was used to make lots and lots of babies with female noodles while living in tubs on shelves with many other noodles.

One day I was taken to a reptile convention by the breeder, and someone saw me being "thrown away"! Luckily, this person saved me and then surrendered me to a rescue.

Six months later, I found my forever home with my noodle mothers who wanted to adopt an older, chill noodle since they haven't had noodles before. Now I spend my days coiled up in my hides and eating forbidden popsicles. And sometimes I destroy a few plants or go exploring my noodle moms' enclosure with supervision.

Many noodles like me are still looking for their forever homes. If you are thinking of adding a noodle to your family, please help others like me find homes.

Woah there! We all love a good noodle, but you have to make sure that you are absolutely sure that a noodle is the right fit for you. If you're thinking of getting your own noodle, make sure you do thorough research on the type of noodle you want and understand that - while we might resemble slinkies - we are not toys!

Before you go looking for your own noodle, please consider the following:

• Noodles like me can live up to 30 years! We're a much longer commitment than most fuzzy pets. If this is your first noodle, you may want to consider getting an older noodle from a rescue, like me!

• Noodles require more space than you might think! Make sure you get the correct sized enclosure for the age of the noodle. Don't forget that we GROW and you might need to upgrade our enclosure over time.

• Noodles like very specific heat and humidity. If the conditions in our enclosure are wrong, we can get have bad sheds or get sick!

• Each noodle is different. We do have personalities and some of us are not as friendly as others even if we're the same type, age, and were raised by the same person.

• Not everyone likes noodles. If you are renting or live in a complex with other folks, be aware of any pet policies that could get you in trouble for having a noodle in your possession.

• Exotic vets can be difficult to find and expensive to get care from. Make sure you have some money set aside in case of emergencies.

• Some breeders, pet stores, and reptile suppliers just want to make a sale, and the wellbeing of you and your pet is not their priority. Make sure you do background research on who you are getting your animal from, that includes reptile rescues.

The most important things are to do your research and ask lots of questions. Be honest with yourself on if you can meet the needs of a noodle, and consider a backup plan should something happen in your life that might make you have to rehome your noodle later. Make sure you are not just getting a noodle to be "cool" or because your friend has one. Noodles are not accessories, decorations, or disposable.