Giant snake reportedly sighted in Rumford

Submitted by The Associated Press on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 09:21

RUMFORD -- The Maine Warden Service is looking into two sightings of a giant snake in the Rumford canal system.

Police told the Sun Journal of Lewiston that two people contacted them Wednesday saying they'd seen a monster snake -- perhaps up to 17 feet long -- enter the canal system behind a local store.

Snake expert Robbie White told the paper that based on the description, the snake could be a red-tail boa constrictor or a Burmese python. He said snakes in Maine don't grow to that size, unless it was a pet that escaped.

A spokeswoman said anybody spotting the animal should contact the warden service.

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if it starts feeding on the

Submitted by rick POSSEE on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 17:26.

if it starts feeding on the toxic waste from the paper mill, it could get EVEN BIGGER. oh my god there are snakes on the plane!!!!

I think a 17 foot snake on

Submitted by Kathleen Mahoney on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 16:36.

I think a 17 foot snake on the loose is a HUGE story in Maine and a public safety issue. I'm glad the media picked up on it so people in the area can keep their eyes open for it. With rivers and streams overflowing the thing could end up many miles away from Rumford!

WOW.....Rumford..... Sure it

Submitted by Chris rush on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 16:13.

WOW.....Rumford..... Sure it wasn'ts a local ?  They call that a story? Here is a snake story:   http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/jul/02/pet-snake-outgrown-your-home-opt... this Snake killed a 2 yr old girl!!!! Thats a snake story!

Maybe that wasn't just a

Submitted by Bob Baker on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 15:42.

Maybe that wasn't just a tapeworm superintendent Lukas.

What was Baldacci doing in

Submitted by Jeff Bragdon on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 12:59.

What was Baldacci doing in Rumford?

There was also a giant snake

Submitted by Chris Grimmett on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 12:45.

There was also a giant snake sighted in the vicinity of my pants

What is WRONG with people?? I

Submitted by Marilyn Heath on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 12:38.

What is WRONG with people?? I hope if they find the owner of this snake  andgets a hugh fine.Hopefully they find it BEFORE it kills a child, person or someones dog or cat. It's as bad as owning a Pit Bull or Rottie or Doberman.

A) properly cared for Pit

Submitted by Maggie Ricker on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 15:02.

A) properly cared for Pit Bulls, Rotties and Dobermans are not dangerous animals!  Irresponsible owners, yes.  Bad dogs, no.

B) If given the option between outrunning a dog or a snake, I think I'd choose the snake.

"the size is entirely

Submitted by Dave Barron on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 12:28.

"the size is entirely possible."

Who said it wasn't?

"i;m no expert,however i have seen pythons at 15 ft.."

Yay!

" i say catch it,by using live chicken,or rabbit. and as cold weather comes,the snake will find a warmer place,like in someones house."

So... catch it, but then when cold weather comes in a few months it still won't be caught using your rabbit method, but will instead be hanging out in someone's living room?  I know you said you were no expert, but dee-ang.

MAINERS BOOZING IT UP IN THE

Submitted by thomas washington on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 12:22.

MAINERS BOOZING IT UP IN THE DAYTIME

the size is entirely

Submitted by paul higginbotham on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 12:15.

the size is entirely possible. i;m no expert,however i have seen pythons at 15 ft.. a 17 foot python can eat a small child,and can kill a grown man/woman. i say catch it,by using live chicken,or rabbit. and as cold weather comes,the snake will find a warmer place,like in someones house.

For a python, yes. For a

Submitted by jay dub on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 12:35.

For a python, yes. For a red-tail boa, no. Hence the earlier commenter's question about the qualifications of the "snake expert."

"I would like to know why the

Submitted by Dave Barron on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 12:14.

"I would like to know why the State of Maine does not  makes it illegal  to have these snakes."

Maine is actually pretty picky on what exotic pets it does allow, but when have laws stopped all people from doing things?  You can go to Rhode Island and buy yourself an alligator for a pet and bring it back here.  I went to a shop there where you can buy pirahna, spiders and scorpions toxic enough to kill people, monitor lizards, etc.  Once you have them, you can do whatever floats your boat.  Laws won't stop people from having dangerous pets, common sense will.  Unfortunately, common sense is in short supply nowadays.

Winter will kill it.  Until

Submitted by John K on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 10:58.

Winter will kill it.  Until then you might want to keep your small pets indoors.

Or offer to take your

Submitted by Tyler Johnson on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 11:31.

Or offer to take your annoying neighbor's dog for a walk and maybe a hopefully very short swim.

I was going to say something

Submitted by jay dub on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 10:38.

I was going to say something about being a responsible snake owner, lest Joe Public starts clamoring for laws against them. JGC24 beat me to it. Sigh. Sure, make something else illegal, thanks to the actions of a few. If that's the idea, better outlaw driving.

Prime28's right, but maybe

Submitted by jay dub on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 10:34.

Prime28's right, but maybe White's guess is partially based on the likely possibility that the size was greatly exaggerated. People always misjudge snake lengths. Still, we haven't really heard a description, have we? 

 

A burmese python "more than 8 feet long" escaped its cage and strangled a 2-year-old in her Florida bedroom on Wednesday. All snakes are escape artists. Nobody should have a large constrictor at home with young children.

I would like to know why the

Submitted by Joan Gilbert-Croteau on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 10:29.

I would like to know why the State of Maine does not  makes it illegal  to have these snakes.   Once they grow  too big people don't know enough to contact authorities to pick them up.   Owners don't realize those snakes are a threat the public as well as small pets or even little children.  Kids love to play around water and this snake should be caught.  The State needs to get involved before a life is lost.  Owners at the present time should be registered with the State as having such a pet.   Also,  they should pay a heavy tax for haning one.   Then if they cannot accout for the snake, if its let go,   should be fined and pay all  penalties and expenses to catch the thing and dispose of it however the State sees fit.

A pet tax?  Wow... What about

Submitted by Tyler Johnson on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 11:29.

A pet tax?  Wow... What about other pets that people think are a danger?  Tax them?

What kind of snake expert

Submitted by Dave Barron on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 10:27.

What kind of snake expert thinks that a 17 foot snake would be a red tailed boa?  Did he get his expertise from ten minutes on Wikipedia?  Unless the size of the snake was hilariously exaggerated, which is entirely possible. 

Did you hear about the two

Submitted by Jim Ertner on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 10:27.

Did you hear about the two boa constrictors that got married? They had a crush on each other.

 

Then there were the two snakes that talked on the telephone. It was a python-to-python call.

 

If it really is 17 feet, it's

Submitted by jay dub on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 10:09.

If it really is 17 feet, it's more likely the burmese than the boa. And it would have to be a pet, so somebody in town knows whose it is. Ask the local pet store who's a regular buyer of rats.

Oh my goodness I ain't NEVER

Submitted by Kathleen Mahoney on Thu, 07/02/2009 - 09:44.

Oh my goodness I ain't NEVER going to Rumford!