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Not exactly...

IRMO, SC (WIS) - Snakes are pretty common around these parts -- garden snakes, rat snakes and even rattlers. But the snake that ended up in a drainage ditch off Lake Murray Boulevard was definitely not from around here.

If you work at a car wash, you expect big business after a big snowfall. "We stay pretty steady, try to keep everybody as clean as we can," said Shaun Hutchins.

But the guys at Frank's in Irmo aren't talking about the salt or the sand. Instead, they're a little distracted by a dead eight-foot python.

"Needless to say I was very surprised to see that, because they shouldn't be here," said General Manager Shaun Hutchins, who found it recently while making a check of the property.

At first, he thought it was just a skin. "I grabbed my garden rake, pulled it out and it was an eight-foot python."

"That snake right there could be a four- to five-year-old python," said Steve Bennett, the Department of Natural Resource's resident snake expert.

Bennett says this snake was likely the victim of the recent freeze. Even at eight feet, Bennett says the python would pose little risk unless you happen to be a small dog or woodland creature. "Small animals over here, cats and dogs would definitely be on the menu if they got close to 'em," said Bennett.

Bennett says this one could've been someone's pet. He says if it didn't escape, it probably outgrew the cage or the budget. "They have an amazing propensity to grow, and so someone buys them and goes 'oh little Jimmy wanted this as a pet! We didn't realize it was gonna get that big!'" said Bennett. "It's a real good chance someone saw this ditch and said 'hey, let's let it go.'"

The DNR says you should remember this story when selecting a pet. Finding a place that will take an exotic -- especially one of this size -- is very difficult. Keep that in mind when you head to your reptile dealer, lest you become the owner of a future snake in a drain.
www.wistv.com/Global/story.asp?S=13866059

Something just doesn't seem right here. Being in the same state as the study that proved otherwise and the timing as well. I wouldn't be surprised if the snake was already dead before it was dumped.
At this time of year and recent weather, how would a python that size even be able to travel any distance?

WOW, I just saw a little spot on this on my local news (Charlotte area) and they did't blow it out of proportion! the newscaster even said it when it was alive it wouldn't be harmful to people, just small animals. she said it was likely an escaped pet, not some super invasive species...

am I dreaming? media NOT blowing up a reptile story, WOW
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hanging out under heat lights burns up my brain cells!!

It wouldnt be the first time where Animal Rights groups or one of their brainwashed minions, have intentionally released animals that were subject to pending legislation. Staging the factors to support their dogma.

What if someone had found that burm in the freezing cold, in the short time before it froze, still alive? Imagine the ridiculous headlines, the 'experts' (read media psuedo-science whores) stepping forth to explain how a new imagined genetic mutation has allowed these animals to survive in the cold.

The idiocy of Rodda et al.; that burms could survive in the cold would have been thrown back into the spotlight. What better place to do it then in the state where the study burms experiment failed. (As all competent keepers knew it would)

No, it would not have changed anything in the outcome of the experiment nor with what We know, but its propaganda. Its a return to media attention, in a culture which has an illogical fear of snakes. AR groups know who to scare, how to scare them. How to instill the doubt of "what if?", and thats all it takes to get these laws passed anymore. Not real science, only the implanted seed of "what if", in a society of fear rational deductive thought fails!

Im not saying that a group did do this, but I will consider just a great a possibility as escape. The entire nation of reptile keepers should be aware, these groups have no intent to stop with large constrictors. There is nothing they will not do to get their agendas passed and ideals implemented... Burms, retics, and anacondas are just the stepping stones.

My bet, escaped pet.

Great post, I agree with everything you said. But let's not give the media a free pass. The media is constantly editorializing, speculating and parroting in favor of junk scientists and AR groups. Does the media every check facts anymore? The entire last two paragraphs in this article were devoted to speculating about the origin of the python and lecturing people about getting a large constrictor. That is irresponsible, imo. They should present the fact only. Then again, I guess the masses are too dumb to come to conclusions for themselves.

"The media is constantly editorializing, speculating and parroting in favor of junk scientists and AR groups."

Well put.

jsc
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"As hard as I've tried, just can't NOT do this"
John Crickmer

Yeah I hate it when the media puts somebody from an AR group up as an expert. Inevidably this so-called expert makes the assertion that exotics cannot possibly be good pets for anyone.

The reality is that with edjucation virtually anyone with sufficient means(ie time, money and space) is quite capable of caring for an exotic. Yet the media allows these self-proclaimed "experts" a pulpit from which to spout their extremely biased advice.

I think organizations like USARK need to insert themselves into these media frenzies so that the public can get a balanced view from both sides. Think about it, someone who is morally opposed to the keeping of all animals cannot possibly give good advice on how to maintain exotic pets because their morals preclude them from even trying to maintain exotic pets. It would be much better to get advice from someone who has actually done the things you are asking about and done it successfuly.
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www.hcu-tx.org/

As I have taken to telling people, there is being "politically correct", and then there is being just outright correct. Unfortunately, most of the masses are sheep that tend to religiously appeal to the preceding notion rather than the latter...

I agree it's possible this snake was intentionally released by an AR group with the intent for it to be found "surviving" in the South Carolina winter.

A similar scenario has already occured in FLA where a guy released a big python near a school and then I believe he called it in to the authorities. When he got caught he said he did it to "raise awareness" of the feral python problem in FLA and to be seen as a "hero" for calling it in.

There is a very high probability that such tactics will be repeated, so when "escapes" happen exotic pet owners and organizations should call news stations in the area as soon as possible. That way reporters will include this possibility when they inevidably print their speculations of the origins of such so-called escapees. USARK might want to consider organizing such call-ins.

I think USARK should also investigate who called in the first sighting, etc. to see if the person has any connection to AR groups.

I think the herp community is well aware that such "set-ups" are possible from AR groups but the general public isn't and so they need to be informed.
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www.hcu-tx.org/