Sneaky snake scoundrels sought

Reward offered for reptile’s safe return



Darryl Mills

Wednesday October 05, 2005



Cochrane Times — If there’s been a recent unexpected new addition to your family whose origin you’re unaware of, Tim Ellenbroek of the Pet and Brew Shoppe may be able to shed some light on the situation.



Ellenbroek and the staff at the Pet and Brew are on the lookout for a snake stolen from the store a couple of weeks back.

“Sometime between Sept. 17 and 20 two young men came into the store, and while one distracted a staff member, the other one grabbed the snake,” Ellenbroek said.



The difficulty in determining the exact date revolves around the fact this snake, the *****Kenyan Sand Boa*****, spends the majority of its time hidden under the sand, and after discovering the snake missing, the staff narrowed their suspicion to this one incident.



“The one had my employee wandering all over the store, while the other one must have grabbed the snake,” he said.

The suspects are estimated to be about 14-15 years old.

But, as much as he and his staff are frustrated and angry about the theft, they are concerned for the reptile’s welfare.

“This snake needs a lot of special care,” Ellenbroek said, noting that the eight-year-old, *****30-foot snake***** needs a temperature of between 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit and must be fed live mice.



“There is nothing else like him in Calgary right now,” Ellenbroek said, estimating the snake is worth about ***$400***.

Ellenbroek is hopeful there can be a happy ending to a story that he said is so embarrassing, he hadn’t even gone to the RCMP yet.

“This isn’t the first time this has happened,” he said.

Previously, a corn snake had gone missing from the store, but thanks to a mom’s curiousity and smart thinking, she figured out the snake didn’t really belong to her son, and returned it to the store.

Ellenbroek is hopeful the same thing might happen here, and he said punishing those responsible is not his biggest concern.

“There is a reward offered for his safe return,” he said. “But if the guys who took him want to return him, then there’ll be no questions asked.”

“The important thing is that he survives.”

If you have information about the missing snake, call the Pet and Brew at 932-7218.







Now I know that was a typo which should've read 3 feet long, considering it's an eight year old adult, but when you read all the novice remarks, it just makes for more fun! LOL





Take care all, Joe Rollo - Bci Joe





PS - Pic is just a Pastel Colombian Boa



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Thanks and take care - Joe Rollo

'Tis not the stongest of the species that will eventually survive, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change' Charles Darwin

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