Birmingham police save 'slippery customer' boa constrictor spotted in road

A boa constrictor spotted by constabulary successful the mediate of a engaged roadworthy successful Birmingham gave officers an "off-the-scale" shock, the West Midlands unit has said.

The officers were driving down Park Lane connected Saturday day erstwhile they saw the "slippery customer" moving crossed the road, according to police.

They managed to manoeuvre the snake into a pillow lawsuit and took it to Birmingham Reptile Centre for checks.

Staff said the boa, which is non-venomous, was believed to beryllium a pet.

Chloe Clarke, squad supervisor astatine the Reptile Centre successful Erdington, said arsenic boa constrictors were not autochthonal to the UK, the reptile indispensable person been successful captivity.

She said she believed it had escaped, alternatively than having been near somewhere.

The snake was well-fed, but had a mates of marks and immoderate standard harm from the adust climate, Ms Clarke added.

"It's conscionable a shame that a batch of radical deliberation snakes are dangerous, but they are conscionable an animal," she said.

"They [boa constrictors] are not venomous and are not susceptible of harming a human."

She said the snake mightiness springiness a tiny wound "like a pin-prick" if it was scared.

Staff astatine the centre would look aft the carnal for a period successful the anticipation the proprietor would get successful touch, but aft that it would beryllium re-homed, she said.

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