New York man’s illegal pet snake becomes 13-foot problem

ROME, NEW YORK – A New York man is facing charges after illegally possessing a 13-foot-long pet snake that had grown too large for him to handle, prompting authorities to intervene.

Officer Jeff Hull of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (ECO) responded to the man’s home on Aug. 28, the agency said in a Tuesday news release.

After seeing a photograph of the snake, Hull identified it as a Burmese python based on the arrowhead-shaped design on its head. According to the ECO, it is illegal to own Burmese pythons in New York State without a permit.

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Upon entering the house, Hull found the large snake confined in a tank measuring just 1.5 metres. The reptile was in good health and weighed 36 kilos.

The snake’s owner admitted to Hull that he was not prepared for how quickly his pet would grow and acknowledged he could no longer care for it, authorities said.

The snake’s owner was issued citations for illegal pet ownership and possession of a dangerous animal without a permit.

The python was removed and turned over to the Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo in Rome, New York, which has the necessary permits to keep it, officials said.