Well let me also add, that the girls don't ever get any snakes out by themselves. And Ram, I think most people who are afraid of snakes, or any irrational fear for that matter, are that way normally because they don't know much about the subject. Both of our girls understand quite a bit about snakes, they know how to tell if a snake is stressed or posed to strike by their body language, that there are thousands of types of snakes, and almost all of them are harmless, and if they don't know about a certain snake, to leave it alone. I agree, most animals that would bite every time you touch them wouldn't be popular. I wouldn't like animals like that either.
I have no comment on the hamster, I just try to make sure someone gives food and water.