New York resident's illegal pet snake becomes a 13-foot problem

Video footage shows wild prairie rattlesnakes in a Colorado den that is home to hundreds of the slithering reptiles. (Courtesy: Project RattleCam via Storyful)

Rome, New York – A New York man has been charged with illegally possessing a 13-foot snake that grew to a size he could not control, prompting authorities to intervene.

Officer Jeff Hull of the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (ECO) went to the man’s home on Aug. 28, the agency said in a news release Tuesday.

After seeing a photo of the snake, Hull identified it as a Burmese python based on the arrowhead-like pattern on its head. Burmese pythons are illegal to own in New York state without a license, according to ECO.

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A New York man has been charged with illegally possessing a 13-foot snake that grew to a size he could no longer contain, prompting authorities to intervene.

(New York State Department of Environmental Conservation)

Upon entering the home, Hull found a large snake confined to a tank measuring just 5 feet long. The reptile was in good health and weighed 80 pounds.

The snake’s owner admitted to Hull that he was not prepared for how quickly his pet would grow and realized he would not be able to care for it any longer, authorities said.

The snake’s owner was issued tickets for illegal possession of a pet and for possessing a dangerous animal without a permit.

The python was taken and transferred to the Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo in Rome, New York, which has the necessary permits to keep it, officials said.