Diva the Boa Constrictor back with her owner Abbi Harding
Ipswich: Owner’s relief as pet snake is found
Friday, July 1, 2011
6:00 AM
The owner of an ‘unfriendly’ pet snake which went missing in Ipswich has today told of her relief after it was found.
"I’ve put a new stronger lock on the cage now so hopefully this won’t happen again."
Alarm was raised on Wednesday evening after Diva, a seven and a half foot long snake, was reported missing.
The ‘unfriendly’ boa constrictor broke a lock on its tank and slithered loose, prompting police to warn people not to approach the animal, and keep all children and pets indoors until she was located.
News of Diva’s escape made headlines around the country and a twitter account was set up in her name detailing the places in Ipswich she had visited.
But owner Abbi Harding finally found her pet of six years yesterday, coiled round a pipe in a compartment underneath her kitchen sink.
Ms Harding, 27, of Broom Crescent, Ipswich, said: “I am so relieved to have her back and really was fearing the worst at one stage.
“I had looked everywhere in the house and then checked under the sink and could see her curled around a pipe.
“I managed to tempt her out using a dead rat as bait and a pair of tweezers. I grabbed her head and was able to get her back in her tank.
“I’ve put a new stronger lock on the cage now so hopefully this won’t happen again.”
Ms Harding added that despite the police warnings Diva would not have harmed anyone.
She added: “Diva wouldn’t attack a human or any animal bigger than a rat. Plus boas don’t bite their prey – they wrap their coils around it and kill by asphyxiation.
“Snakes also have a very distinct sense of smell and they know what they can and can’t attack.
“But I was worried that a child could have found her and something could have gone wrong because I know from personal experience just how strong she is.
“One time I was feeding her a rat and she bolted forward to grab it but missed and her head struck my hand.
“The force of the blow was excruciating and part of my hand was severely bruised.”
Ms Harding, who works as a driver for UK Mail, said she was surprised how quickly news of Diva’s escape had spread.
She said: “I drove to Derbyshire on a job and mentioned to someone there that I was from Ipswich.
“The first thing they said was ‘have you heard about the snake that’s on the loose there?’
“I’ve had requests for interviews from radio and TV so it’s been a manic 24 hours but I’m just glad that Diva is back.”
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10 comments
Beautiful animal, but I rather stick to my dog.
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Joseph Trotter
Friday, July 1, 2011
Ridiculous time wasting woman! I hope she is billed for the police hours that went into this story. People shouldn't keep these animals as pets - particularly if they can't keep them safe and secure.
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alittlebitwoolly
Friday, July 1, 2011
so after all that it was under the sink??
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james Saunders
Friday, July 1, 2011
I'm sorry but I really don't think a huge creature such as this snake belongs in a surburban home in a tiny tank. I was hoping she had got away to taste a bit of freedom.
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TractorGirlToo
Friday, July 1, 2011
wouldnt it have been a good idea to have thouroughly looked through the house before alerting the whole of the country. Nothing better to do ?
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bob fleming
Friday, July 1, 2011
Boas shouldn't be kept as pets. Imagine how they would live in the wild, as a semi-arboreal species, hunting among trees and vegetation, and their totally unnatural life as captive creatures, kept in small domestic vivariums. The pet trade obviously makes a lot of money out of breeding and selling them, but the sight of them as "pets" makes me feel very sad.
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Margaret Nelson
Friday, July 1, 2011
thankfully diva was found. just afew points why wasn't anybody out looking for her ,we live in area and didn't see anybody out looking. also lost right near a school what would of happened if it was loose in the street and got in the school grounds and a child had of found it i dread to think.
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tracey
Friday, July 1, 2011
The owner obviously loves her "pet" (strange choice of pet to me!) and I'm glad it's been found, but I really think exoticdangerous animals such as these should be subjected to licensing.
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Lynda Bennett
Friday, July 1, 2011
And I am sure the animal is thrilled to be back in her tiny tank instead of doing what she should be doing, cruel.
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C Smith
Friday, July 1, 2011
So glad it doesn't bite...it lovingly hugs you to death. I've always been amazed that people keep large snakes, or any snakes in a house...why aren't they monitored by the powers that be like dangerous dogs? Don't they belong in the wild? Maybe that is why it escaped into Ipswich! Sorry folks - joke.
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sue douglas
Friday, July 1, 2011