A missing pet in Plymouth, Massachusetts, is drawing attention for one unusual reason. It's a 10-foot boa constrictor named Linguine.
Linguine's escape has sparked a search in the community as town officials reassure residents that the loose snake is not believed to pose an immediate threat, Boston 25 reported.
What happened?
A Plymouth resident took to Facebook seeking help after their pet boa constrictor Linguine escaped from the home. They said they suspected the snake escaped into a nearby basement or utility area.
They wanted to calm fears among strangers who might encounter Linguine.
"He is nonvenomous, very docile, and not aggressive toward people or pets," they wrote. "His first instinct is to hide, not to chase or attack."
Despite that, they instructed anyone who spots Linguine to resist the urge to harm or handle him and instead contact them or Plymouth Animal Control. The owner said the snake measures about 10 feet long and nearly 20 inches around.
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Plymouth's Animal Control office was notified about the escape and agreed with the owner that the snake was unlikely to be a threat.
Why does it matter?
A pet reptile that escapes its enclosure is suddenly outside the controlled environment it relies on for warmth, safety, and food.
In this case, the issue is not a wild snake wandering into a neighborhood on its own, but a large exotic pet kept in a residential area that then escaped.
In this case, the snake didn't pose a threat to humans or pets. That isn't always the case in places like Florida, where escaped Burmese pythons pose a threat to native wildlife and humans alike.
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Escaped pets can be especially destructive if they are invasive species that can quickly reproduce and outcompete local animals in a climate that is favorable to them.
What's being done?
It turns out that this story had a happy ending for Linguine and his owner. In an update to the Facebook post, the owner said he was "home safe and back in his enclosure."
They also indicated they'd learned some lessons from the ordeal.
"Thank you to everyone who gave me helpful advice!" they exclaimed. "I will be taking extra precautions making sure his home is secure!"
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