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ESSEX CHRONICLE (UK) 02 September 10 'My slippery boa wasn't lost at all' (Sam Smith)
A Boa constrictor which escaped from its glass tank prompting a large-scale police operation has been found in its owner's garden.
The 6ft snake, known as Diego, is thought to have slithered from its tank and out through the bathroom window of a property in Barnfield, Wickford, on July 30.
His escape triggered a frantic search of the area by a specialist search team.
Owner Aaron Waymont said at the time he believed Diego was still in the area.
And so it proved as he was found back in Mr Waymont's garden last week.
"I am over the moon," Mr Waymont said. "I went out this morning into the back garden to sort my dad's shed roof. As I opened the gate I saw Diego looking right in front of the rabbits and guinea pigs."
Mr Waymont managed to get Diego into secure containment although he suffered a couple of minor bites in the process.
He said: " I love him to bits. He did a runner not so long ago, now I've got him back again this afternoon, it was so unreal," he said.
Diego appears to have eluded the search teams, although chairman of Essex Reptiles and Amphibians Club, Glenn Cousins, refutes the idea the reptile could have escaped and then found its way home again.
"There's nothing whatsoever in the idea that boas have a homing instinct as they do not live in a territory," said Mr Cousins.
He added the snake could have easily survived its breakout without the need for food and was probably on the property the whole time.
"They can survive a year without food and they are normally only fed about once a month.
"I would say he has been on the property the whole time. The weather has not been that warm so I imagine he would have been very torpid.
"They will usually find themselves a little spot in a corner and curl up and then come out in the sun to warm up," he said.
Boa constrictors can grow up to 13ft and are found in Central and South America.
'My slippery boa wasn't lost at all'

I know there are some random records and a couple pictures out there. We have this conversation every couple weeks in the forums. A few of you out there have, or claim to have, seen a 12-13 footer. I love that every release says they grow up to 13 feet.

I've got a couple 8 footers and still growing slooooowwwwwwly.