Man is attacked by 11ft python that slithered through his window and ‘tried to sink its teeth into his arm’ – amid hunt for its owner
- Fire service said it has seen an increase in snake escapes over the summer
A man was attacked by an 11ft python which slithered through his window and tried to sink its teeth into his arm.
Rob Byrne, who suffered minor injuries, is calling on snake owners to be more responsible – as the fire service reports an increase in call outs to snake escapes.
The male python attacked him after it climbed through his conservatory window, he said: ‘Its fangs nicked my arm and drew blood as it tried to sink its teeth into my arm.’
Mr Byrne, from Bishopstoke in Hampshire, added that the situation could have been ‘a lot worse’ if he hadn’t reacted quickly.
The snake has been captured and is currently in a reptile welfare centre in Tonbridge in Kent – an owner is yet to come forward and claim it.
The 11ft python was captured and taken to a reptile welfare centre
Rob Byrne (pictured) said the snake tried to sink its teeth into his arm after it crawled throug his conservatory window
Mr Byrne said the python which attacked him ‘clearly belonged to somebody’.
READ MORE: Experts warn rise in SNAKE escapes across Britain is caused by 200,000 more being bought as pets in the last 12 months alone – as police report increasing number of reptiles on the loose
‘They’re not native to this country, so somebody has either been irresponsible and let it go, or it’s escaped because of inadequate measures,’ he said.
Jim Green, from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service, said they have had a number of reports of snakes escaping during the summer.
He said this could be due to owners not being able to pay for the electricity required to heat the enclosures.
‘If people can’t afford to pay for the electricity, then they need to do something responsible with that pet,’ he added.
Mr Byrne was locking his conservatory doors when he noticed the snake moving through the set of blinds at his window.
‘It caught the back of my arm with one fang and the other fang got caught in my polo shirt,’ he said.
‘Once I shoved it away it withdrew to halfway across the conservatory, but it pinned me in the corner and it was sort of waving and looking at me.
‘At that point my wife and granddaughter came into the conservatory, saw it, and screamed.
Mr Byrne said he thinks the snake was spooked after his wife and granddaughter screamed at the sight of it as it slithered back out the window
An owner is yet to come forward and claim the snake, but the welfare chairty said it had previously been ‘well looked after’
‘That must have spooked it because it then slowly slithered back out of the window.’
The National Centre for Reptile Welfare said the python had ‘clearly been well looked after’.
Director of the charity Chris Newman said it was ‘highly unusual’ to see an 11ft python, as most they received were between 4 and 5ft.
He added that people need to ‘really think’ before purchasing a snake because they are ‘escape artists’.
‘You’ve only got to turn your back for a second and the snake will have disappeared and we really don’t recommend taking snakes out into the garden,’ he said.
Mr Newman ha ssince urged snake owners to check if their pet’s enclosures are secure. He said some have vents attached the wrong way.
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