A widow has overcome her lifelong phobia of snakes - by adopting a nine foot long Burmese python.<br /><br />Rosie Kin, 63, was terrified of snakes until her daughter Rachel Kin, 33, moved in with her last year to keep her company after her husband died.<br /><br />Rachel had recently rehomed a six foot long ball python for a friend, who also moved in with her, despite Rosie's protests.<br /><br />But after spending some time with the python, Rosie gradually began to overcome her fear.<br /><br />So much so, that last month, she adopted Amun-Ra, a nine foot Burmese python, who she rehomed from a reptile centre that was shutting down.<br /><br />Rosie, from High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, said: "A year ago I wouldn’t even step foot into a room with a snake.<br /><br />"Now me and Amun-Ra are totally inseparable. I couldn't imagine life without him."<br /><br />Rosie lost her husband Robert Kin after he suffered a stroke in January 2022, aged 68.<br /><br />Rachel moved in to support her, but brought with her her pet snake Ruslana - a six foot ball python.<br /><br />Rosie had been terrified of snakes since she was a child, and originally wasn't happy with the idea of one living in her house.<br /><br />But she reluctantly agreed, under the conditions that Rachel was not allowed to get her out of her cage when she was at home.<br /><br />Rosie, a retired nurse, said: "My mother always had a fear and loathing of snakes. <br /><br />"She wouldn't even go to look at them in the zoo, and as a child I felt they weren't animals that would be very friendly.<br /><br />"My late husband used to chase me up the garden with slow worms which also didn't help.<br /><br />"Rachel had her snake, and originally I was terrified. <br /><br />"I banned her from taking her out of her cage while I was in the house, until I thought 'I have to get a grip of this'."<br /><br />After a few weeks, Rosie started to interact with Ruslana and talk to her through the glass.<br /><br />The mum-of-three became more and more comfortable, until the thought of holding her didn't terrify her as much anymore.<br /><br />And, last month, Rosie agreed to visit a family run reptile centre with Rachel - which was closing down.<br /><br />The pair only went to buy mice for Ruslana, but there, Rosie met Amun-Ra, a nine foot Burmese python who needed rehoming.<br /><br />Rosie says she felt an instant connection with the reptile that was too strong too ignore, and adopted him there and then.<br /><br />She said: "After educating myself on keeping snakes as pets I have come to understand they are misunderstood and often portrayed in a negative light.<br /><br />"Ruslana was a good stepping stone to overcoming my fear, and then after meeting Amun-Ra, there was no doubt in my mind I wanted to look after him.<br /><br />"We connected straight away and we have been inseparable ever since. <br /><br />"He relies on me to feed him and make sure he's okay, and he's helped me deal with the loss of my husband.<br /><br />"He comes and sits with me watching TV and he slithers up my book shelf. He loves a wander around the lounge.<br /><br />"We always handle him with two people present given his 9ft frame, and its very much on his terms.<br /><br />"He brings so much joy to my life."
