The police hunt for an 8ft python reported missing in Chilwell continues - and a potential sighting turned out to be a pet Boa constrictor kept by a neighbour. The large yellow pet python, called Lavender, has now been missing for more than a week.
Police officers said all possible sightings had led to a "negative result" after it got out from a house Blandford Road on Wednesday, July 13. Broxtowe South Police said one possible sighting turned out to relate to an entirely separate pet snake kept at an address nearby.
PCSO 1188 Chris Jones said: "After a few leads and possible sightings all enquiries have led to a negative result in finding Lavender. Unfortunately the only mention of a yellow snake that was seen in the vicinity of Gregory Street (last week) has been verified on the 20/07/2022 by PCSO 1188 Jones to be a 4 foot yellow Boa at an address on Friary Close. Please stay vigilant and ring 101 or 999 in case of emergency if the snake is sighted."
The risk of the missing python is thought to be low. According to RSPCA advice, most royal pythons in the UK are bred in captivity. Their needs are the same as in the wild and they may bite under stress or if they smell food.
They tend to eat a variety of mice and rats. Though larger pythons in the wild, in some cases overseas, have been known to eat mammals like monkeys, wallabies, pigs or antelope. The python's disappearance in Chilwell has caused concern in the local community - and neighbours said they feared it could 'swallow a dog whole'.
Boa constrictors, meanwhile, originate from the rainforests of Southern America, and can be found in a variety of places in the wild from the forest floor to trees, and even in water at times. Their main diet is also made up of mice.
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