Snake that slithered out of trash in Charlottetown now at P.E.I. Humane Society

The P.E.I. Humane Society had an unusual rescue animal slide into its shelter this week. 

On Tuesday, some sanitation workers making their rounds in Charlottetown's East Royalty neighbourhood found a nearly metre-long ball python among some garbage. 

One of the bravest of the bunch managed to scoop up the rogue snake, and humane society staff came to pick it up. 

The ball python is now scheduled for a checkup while the shelter waits to see if its owner will come forward, said the humane society's development and communications co-ordinator, Ashley Travis.  

"The staff thought it was quite funny. You don't get a runaway snake very often, but it is entirely possible that the snake escaped from their enclosure or from their home and hopped into a bag of garbage. It is also possible the snake may have been abandoned," Travis said. 

"We did hear from one of the sanitation workers that it was possible there was a terrarium in the dumpster as well, although it was smashed so it's hard to know if that's what it was." 

Ball pythons are a species native to western and central Africa, and they're also popular pets. Some can live for up to 30 years. 

Our surrender protocols are the same for snakes and fish and birds as they are for cats, dogs and rabbits.— Ashley Travis, P.E.I. Humane Society

Even so, Travis said it's rare for snakes to be surrendered or brought into the humane society. She's only seen about three or four during her time working there. 

Reptile experts have said a ball python's longevity can be too much for some owners to handle, leading them to abandon the pets. 

'She's a really, really nice snake'

There's no need for anything larger than a small rodent to fear this type of snake, unlike some of its larger reptilian cousins, Travis said. Ball pythons aren't venomous, and in any event, it's illegal on P.E.I. to own a poisonous snake or ones measuring longer than three metres.

The humane society's new addition, a female, is about an average size for its species. 

She also prefers to curl up in a ball — hence the species' name — and hide in the empty pop box that staff have fashioned into a home for her. 

The python doesn't have a name yet, but staff are considering Pepsi in honour of her makeshift shelter.

The snake is friendly and easy to handle, by all reports. 

"She's a really, really nice snake," Travis said. 

The python will be checked over by a veterinarian before being put up for adoption if her original owner doesn't come forward. 

Travis said the shelter has already received a number of inquiries from people interested in adopting the snake. 

She said it's important for people to realize that there are options for surrendering pets, even exotic ones, if they're unable to care for them. 

"A lot of folks don't realize that we at the P.E.I. Humane Society are able to take on exotic animals, so if they're in a situation where, let's say, they have to leave their home on sudden notice, or if they need to make a sudden surrender, our surrender protocols are the same for snakes and fish and birds as they are for cats, dogs and rabbits."