But You Know What They Say — Better That Than A Meth Lab . . . Or Some Mentally Disturbed Cat Hoarder

You would never believe that your neighbors keep pythons at home . . . until you find out that they do:

Shocked firefighters stumbled upon a menagerie of deadly animals — including two alligators, two cobras, black widow spiders and a python — while putting out a blaze in a Queens apartment yesterday.

Tony Baez, 23, was in tears after his animals were removed and he was issued a summons by the Health Department.

Lt. Ed Ireland said he and his crew discovered dozens of reptiles and spiders after they put out a fire in a basement apartment at 39th Avenue in Corona at 11:30 a.m.

All of the animals were caged, except for a python, which Ireland said he was “startled” to discover near his leg as he entered the room.

“It felt like something out of a science-fiction scene,” he said. “It looked like a biology lab. The whole room was in cages.” The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Ireland said it was not considered suspicious. Baez’s “ark” included two 2-foot-long alligators, numerous frogs, turtles and tarantulas and at least two cobras.

. . .

Angelo Diaz, 55, who has lived on the block since 1970, was shocked to learn his home was just feet away from dangerous snakes.

“You never know if one night the snake could get out. We feel very happy that they came to get them,” he said. “We have babies here, it isn’t safe. We never would have thought that animals like that are here.”