BEECH GROVE, Ind. -- The search continues for a 14-foot Burmese python that went missing from a home in Beech Grove nearly a week ago.
The snake, named Vine, has become a sensation. She’s made national headlines and even has her own Twitter account.
Police in Beech Grove have already reached out to them to request assistance with wrangling Vine, if she’s found.
READ | 14-foot python on the loose in Beech Grove
We reached out to the zoo to clear up some misconceptions and get a little more understanding of what Vine could be capable of.
Jake Woods, a zookeeper at the Indianapolis Zoo, says Vine likely won’t get much bigger than she is now.
He says 14-foot is about as big as a Burmese python will get if it's raised in captivity, although the snakes are known to grow up to 20-foot in the wild.
Woods says Burmese pythons aren’t considered an extremely dangerous breed of snakes.
“They are a little more mellow or laid back from some of the other big snakes,” said Woods. “But it’s not in a snake’s nature to chase you down.”
But because she’s so big, Vine could still be a danger, especially to smaller children or animals.
“Use caution, if you’re in the area keep an eye on your kids. Don’t let them run off into places where you don’t know what’s going on,” said Woods. “It could cause some damage, break an arm or something like that.
So, if you see her, you should keep your distance and back away.
Woods says because of her size, it’s likely Vine has stuck close to home or she would have been spotted by now.
“It’s hard to imagine a 14-foot snake could have gone 20 miles without someone seeing it,” said Woods.
As far as owning a snake this big, Hoosiers don’t need a permit to own Burmese pythons and the regulations are pretty loose for owning most other exotic pets too.
You could own a lion, a tiger or a bear with just a $10 application fee and the proper enclosure.
Requirements for owning Class 3 (highest classification) Wild Animals in Indiana (Lions, Tigers, all wild cats, Bears, purebred Wolves, venomous reptiles and crocodilians over 5 feet):
- Applicants must first apply with IDNR before acquiring any of the above animals
- $10 application fee
- Housing Requirements
- Inspection of housing facility is required
- Must be a contained enclosure and a secondary perimeter fence
- The potential owner must demonstrate the ability to tranquilize or kill the animal if necessary
- Must show a receipt demonstrating legal acquisition of the wild animal
- No background check is required
- No special training is required
- Once a permit is granted, the animal must be seen by a vet once a year to make sure it’s in good health
- Check your local ordinances to make sure there are no restrictions there first
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