College students Kevin Self, April Crews and their friend Matt Marks share an uncommon passion — a passion for snakes.

While most Americans today still regard snakes as dangerous — creepy-crawly at best — the three snake owners are working to change that perception.

“I’d say you’re much more likely to get bitten by a dog than a snake,” said Self, who asserts that snakes have as much, if not more personality than canines.

Together, the three snake enthusiasts own 14 exotic and domestic snakes, some as small as a few inches and others as large as 12 feet and weighing more than 50 pounds. They say their common interest in snakes has brought them together as friends over the years.

“Even when I was 4 years old, I was picking up snakes and throwing them at people,” said Crews, who attends Calhoun Community College and plans to transfer to Tampa, Fla. next year to pursue her degree in Herpetology [the study of snakes] along with Self.

Though still in school, the snake charmers shared their passion with elementary students at St. Paul’s Lutheran School Monday, allowing the students to hold, examine and touch 10 different snakes. They also gave a brief presentation on each snake’s background, where it comes from, what it eats and even its temperament.

For example, according to Self, Ball Pythons — so named because they curl into a ball when they feel threatened — make very good pets.

“These are very tame,” he said as the reptile slowly coiled around his arm. “They don’t get that big either, only about four feet long.”

While the average person probably doesn’t consider four feet to be a small snake, it certainly was small compared to other reptiles displayed Monday.

The stars of the snake show included a Yellow Anaconda, which will grow to be about 20 feet long; a Reticulated Python, which can grow to be about 30 feet long; and a Burmese Python.

The Burmese Python, which was held by first- and second-graders at St. Paul’s Monday, was about 12 feet long and weighed more than 50 pounds. While its diet consists primarily of large rats, the reptile remained calm as the children clambered to touch, hold and even kiss the large snake.

“He’s very nice,” Self said. “He’s never bitten anyone in his entire life.”

Although no venomous snakes were part of the program — the federal government requires owners have a permit to own a venomous snake — the poisonous ones were still a major topic of discussion for the children:

“How long does a King Cobra get?” asked 8-year-old Jalen Lee.

“They’ll get to be about 6 feet long,” Self said.

“Wow!” Lee said. “That’s two feet longer than I am.”

According to the fifth-grade teacher and physical education director at St. Paul’s, Heidi Wheeler, developing a better understanding of snakes has been part of her student’s curriculum this year.

Wheeler’s class has its own pet snake, Mankaya. An indigenous Black King Snake, Mankaya eats once a week and was donated to the class by Marks.

“We’re trying to impose a better understanding of snakes on them,” Wheeler said. “I think it’s a common misconception that snakes are evil and harmful, and I think that generally comes from a lack of understanding.”