Rock Python

[AlwaysConfused]

Quite shocking. A 16 foot snake escapes from a reptile store and strangles two young boys. Initial investigations show that the store was licensed, but the snake was probably hungry. Surely this snake did not have adequate, secure housing for a snake of such size?

I find it odd that the snake managed to constrict the children but did not take them as prey. A snake will strike if threatened, but will only usually 'crush' to prepare the prey for food. Anyone else sceptical or is it just me? (probably just me!)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23583116

[Ann]

Horrified!

[andy-hughes]

I am suspicious of the circimstances as reported.

If the snake is hungry, it would not kill two items of 'prey' and then curl up in a corner - it would surely eat its prey at the time.

I think there is a lot more to this than meets the eye - and investigations may prove that the snake - now destroyed sadly - was innocent.

[jno]

andy, the suggestion was that it was nervous, having suddenly fallen through a ceiling.

[Prudie]

The first report I saw yesterday said the snake 'punched' its way through the ceiling and landed on the boys.
Sorry I was very sceptical about the story right from the start.
No hissing!

[andy-hughes]

jno - I don't think snakes do 'nervous' - they are instinctive reptiles, the motion of anxiety is far too sophisticated for a basic species of animal like a snake.

Snakes find food, eat it, digest it, and find some more - that is what they do, apart from knocking off for mating purposes.

Again, the idea that any snake would kill prey, and it would be hungry in order to bother - and then not consume it simply does not ring true.

I think more will be revealed.

[pixie373]

I thought the flat was above the pet shop?

[woofgang]

the canadian snake "expert" allegedly said that rock pythons are highly strung....this is a pile of bull in so many ways......

[ummmm]

Pixie - apparently it got into the air vents or something.

[viv38]

Proof, if it was needed, that snakes are NOT pets !

[woofgang]

viv.....i don't think the snake did it......

[viv38]

Really .... ?

[woofgang]

yes really, there are huge holes in the story.

[jno]

I imagine snakes crush people in different ways from human stranglers - no individual pressure points - so it should be able to be sorted out fairly quickly.

[AlwaysConfused]

I just can't see a snake panicking and punching itself through a ceiling. When snakes panic, they 'crush' harder.

[jno]

the idea was it fell through a vent in the ceiling, it didn't punch through.

[AlwaysConfused]

sorry jno, that was in response to a few suggestions earlier, not to your post

[AlwaysConfused]

seems unlikely though, doesn't it. If a snake is in any danger, their natural instinct is to hide, not laze around waiting to be found.