After discussions of pets became a study of creepy crawlies, which became a study of snakes, searched for a snake to bring to class and found Jonathan McCubbins and his 11-foot albino Burmese python, Isabelle.

On Monday, Isabelle and Sis, one of Isabelle's one-month old babies, kept students fascinated while McCubbins, who has been a "hobby herpetologist" for more than 3 years, answered questions from youngsters and instructors.

While Isabelle explored the classroom and slowly slithered around McCubbins, the students learned that yes, Isabelle does have teeth, but she is not a venomous snake. At four years of age, the Burmese python weighs about 40 pounds, but McCubbins has seen one that was 22-feet long and weighed 220 pounds. Isabelle is fed once every two weeks. Her last meal was a whole dead rooster. The babies are fed more often — once a week — and receive much smaller portions — mice.

Asked how Isabelle feeds her babies, McCubbins said that baby pythons have to fend for themselves from the time they are born.

"I like that idea," said summer school instructor Linda Rourke, who, along with other teachers and students, slipped into Vait's classroom to see the guests. Aside from that particular parenting skill, Rourke found little else to admire about snakes, although she did muster up the courage to pet Isabelle before the visit was over.

However, to get to the snake, Rourke had to push her way through the eager students.

"See that," Vait said, indicating the warm reception Isabelle received from the summer-schoolers as a result of the study of snakes the class had just completed. "That's what this is all about."