Elizabethtown College is an animal-loving campus. Between the way students idolize our beloved mascot and therapy dog, Truman, and the shared affection for pets both on and off campus, we are quite fond of pets. Everywhere we go, friends are filled with pride, scrolling through their photos to find one that shows little Timmy the kitten in the best light and Moose the golden retriever playing fetch in their backyard. In fact, countless students even won goldfish at the iconic Etown Fair this year. After playing the infamous game of toss and winning a fish, I, too, love sharing pictures of my little goldy.
In other words, the pet pride is infinite. So, let’s welcome another adorable pet into the Etown family. Though not as prevalent, this slithery guy is just as striking and handsome as the rest: Solomon the snake!
Solomon is a friendly king snake; hence his name, which is inspired by King Solomon. Owned and adored by first-year London Cerullo, Soloman primarily enjoys relaxing and unwinding in his tank. The family had dreamt of adopting a pet snake for years, and the dream came true about six years ago after a trip to PetSmart.
When Cerullo and her family found the soon-to-be Solomon, they knew he was special. Perhaps the easygoing personality of the king snake stood out to them. Cerullo remembers the day that they first met him; she noted a special physical trait in the “heart spot on the top of his head.” Perhaps this distinct spot symbolized the love they would soon feel towards him. No doubt about it, Solomon had successfully secured his spot in the Cerullo family along with their dog, Mocha.
King snakes are known for their docile and friendly personality. It makes perfect sense, then, that Soloman can easily be taken out of his tank and held. A fully grown guy, Solomon is described as being particularly long, yet skinny. Cerullo especially loves these characteristics; she notes, “He’s long and skinny like a statement necklace when he’s wrapped around your neck.”
Solomon isn’t an overly active snake; nonetheless, he has his fair share of fun. “He loves to take baths in his water bowl,” Cerullo recalls with a big smile.
Pet owners should remember the responsibility that comes with owning a snake, or any pet for that matter. Solomon, for instance, is unique in the distinctive kind of food he eats—mice. For this reason, Cerullo prefers not to feed Solomon herself, and I can’t say I blame her. Instead, her dad feeds him the mice, which come in frozen form in packs of two from the pet store.
All in all, I think we can all agree that Solomon couldn’t have ended up in a better family. Having already been a part of the Cerullo family for six years, Solomon is continuing to thrive.
