It’s no secret that golden retrievers are incredibly friendly and just love making new connections, but have you ever seen one become best friends with a snake?
Dog owner Lauren Alyse Smith, 25, has stunned the internet after sharing a sweet video of 6-year-old Lilah the golden retriever cuddling up to none other than a ball python named Poppy. Poppy is predominantly kept in a terrarium, but for a few hours each day, she’s let out to spend some quality time with her four-legged friend.
Smith, who resides in Atlanta, Georgia, told Newsweek that Poppy and Lilah are “so calm and gentle” with one another. They will often lay beside each other on the bed or on the couch, and they usually end up cozying up together for a cuddle.
“Lilah’s not overly curious about Poppy, she’s just really comfortable around her,” Smith said. “Whenever I take Poppy out, they always say hello with a little nose boop, and then we’ll usually just hang out. They always end up cuddling, and Lilah is so careful not to squish her or make any sudden movements.”
Poppy, who is 3 months old, loves being out of her terrarium and will often indicate to Smith when she wants to come out. Poppy and Lilah spend multiple hours together daily, however Smtih keeps the snake in her terrarium in the days after she’s eaten. Poppy will typically sleep throughout those days anyway.
“I honestly get emotional when I see them interacting. There’s something really special about seeing two totally different animals be so gentle and at ease with each other. It’s just pure and kind and shows how much love is out there in the world,” Smith continued.
In the months since introducing Poppy into her home, Smith has been documenting the unusual friendship with Lilah on TikTok (@laurenalyses). Many of the videos have captured attention online, with one clip of the duo cuddling up to one another going viral with over 1.3 million views and 280,200 likes at the time of writing.
Smith gets “so happy” when she sees their sisterly bond, and she loves seeing the positive response online. She also hopes it will show that snakes aren’t always as scary as people may think, and they certainly do have a softer side.
The online reaction to the TikTok videos is beyond anything Smith anticipated, but she loves showing that friendships can extend beyond species. Many people were heartened by the bond between Lilah and Poppy, while others were fascinated, but the majority simply found them adorable.
“So many people say the videos make their day or send photos of their own pets, which really means a lot to me and makes my day,” Smith told Newsweek.
In just a matter of days, the viral video has generated over 800 comments on TikTok already, as many internet users praised the friendship between the golden retriever and the snake.
One comment reads: “Golden retrievers have to be the sweetest creatures on Earth.”
Another TikTok user wrote: “Ball pythons are like the puppies of the snake world.”
Another person added: “Anyone can be friends if they want to be.”
While one commenter replied: “Ok I’ve seen it all now.”
