RAVENSWOOD – News of a python on the loose in Ravenswood circulated through Facebook Monday as residents learned on the social networking website that a pet snake escaped from its cage in the northern part of town.
Tina Reardon, administrative assistant at the Ravenswood Police Department, said police were contacted around 9 a.m. Monday by fire department officials about a missing python that escaped from a home in the 900 block of Gallatin Street.
No official police report was written about the incident, but police did contact animal control.
Reardon said she believed the python was about 10-feet long, but rumors spreading through the community described the snake as 16.5-feet long.
The unidentified owner of the python was still searching around 5 p.m. Monday.
“The owner believes it could be hiding underneath his porch, because it’s nice and warm under there,” Reardon said.
Pythons are described as non-venomous constrictors native to subtropical Asia, Africa and Australia. The snakes have been introduced as pets in the United States, and can reach lengths of up to 35 feet.
Pet pythons are said to be commonly fed mice in captivity. While pythons are generally not dangerous, they have been known to strike if hungry.