A 'friendly' 15-foot python is on the loose in Chatsworth. Her name is Big Mama
A "friendly" 15-foot python named Big Mama slipped from captivity and has been on the lam in Chatsworth for more than a week, according to her owner.
The snake is a constrictor and has the potential to "eat cats, medium and small dogs," said her owner Alex Villalta, in a Facebook post on Friday. She is "friendly to humans," Villalta noted.
"Please do not kill her," he wrote.
The news was first reported by KTTV-TV Channel 11.
Villalta told The Times that on the night of July 3, he left Big Mama in a cage in his yard and that he must have accidentally left the cage door unlocked, allowing the snake to lean against the door and slip out.
"I've looked everywhere," he said. "We've looked behind my house, in my neighbors' yards."
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Big Mama has been his family's pet for many years, and Villalta said his son is "extremely sad" that they lost her.
The snake is gold-colored with a strip of black running across her back, pictures show. So if you see another 15-foot-long python in Chatsworth with other colors, that's a different snake.
The news of the missing snake set some Chatsworth residents on edge.
"Please let us know when you find her, some of us are really hoping she is found soon for your peace of mind and ours because we are terrified of snakes," wrote one Chatsworth resident in response to Villalta's announcement.
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Villalta confirmed on Tuesday that the snake was still missing.
"I know it's a reptile and some people are not so familiar, but the reality is it's a pet like a cat or a dog and we want to make sure she’s OK," he said.
Residents of Chatsworth can reach the Los Angeles Animal Services department at (888) 452-7381.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
