COURIER & PRESS (Evansville, Indiana) 28 February 07 Girl's best friends may be her snakes, or her scorpion (Garret Mathews)
The 16-year-old girl wraps four snakes around her neck including Jade, the boa that was rescued from a trash container.
"I'll walk around like this at the pet store and at school programs," says Kelley Wells. "I want to educate people. I want them to know there's nothing to be afraid of."
The sophomore at Harrison High School also has three tarantulas, a very pregnant scorpion that she carries in her pocket, two geckos, assorted smaller snakes, two exotic cats and a monitor lizard named Hannibal that she takes on walks.
"I just put on his leash, and we're off," Kelley says. "He likes going to the park and to kids' baseball games."
Her father, Greg, says his daughter learned the zoological names of some animals before she was out of diapers.
"When I grow up, I want to work at a rehab center," Kelley says. "Treating and breeding injured animals. That would be great."
Sometimes a snake gets loose. Sometimes a mouse that doesn't want to be supper gets loose.
Tell the truth, Kelley. Your friends at school don't exactly line up to visit your house.
"Some of them think I'm a freak, but they aren't the kind of people I want to invite over anyway."
"Keeps the boys away, and that's a good thing," Greg says, laughing.
The young lady fixes Hannibal a plate of eggs.
"He needs his protein," she explains. "It's a once-a-week treat."
I hold the monitor lizard. The thing seems happy enough and latches on to my jacket. My day is only a few hours old, and already I've made a friend.
Kelley says Jade loves human contact. If you aren't paying enough attention, she goes on, it will get in your hair and attempt to pet itself.
I am cool with Jade and the milk snakes and the water snakes. I'll wear them and win some bar bets.
Not cool with tarantulas and scorpions. Especially scorpions.
"You just rub their little bellies and they're happy as can be," she says, doing just that.
The stinger on the pregnant scorpion is the size of a small bayonet. I change the subject.
So, Kelley, have you ever been bitten by anything?
"A few times, but it wasn't bad. And it was always my fault."
If you could have the animal of your choice, what would it be?
"A Komodo dragon. I know they're big, but they're neat."
The family has rescued several exotic animals over the years. There was a snake that belonged to a soldier about to be shipped out to Iraq. And then there's Jade, who was found in the trash in back of the pet store.
"It had two damaged ribs," Kelley says. "I knew we could give it a good home."
"We already have a houseful," Greg Wells says. "What's one more?"
Girl's best friends may be her snakes, or her scorpion