Ricky has always love animals. After all, he shares his house with twenty-nine weird and wonderful creatures. So when vandals break into his school and destroy many of his beloved science teacher's animals, including Ricky's favorite, Bogart the boa constrictor, Ricky is shocked. Now it's up to Ricky and his best friend, Augie, to devise a plan to raise money to replace Bogart -- and surprise Mr. Johnson, the science teacher, at the same time. Raising the money is easy: what's tough is getting the rather large new reptile -- who happens to be smart and slithery -- safely to the school.