Friendly boa puts squeeze on hearts in Burnsville

The snake could be adopted if the owner does not come forward.

July 17, 2019 at 3:13AM
A Colombian red tail boa constrictor was found in the median of Nicollet Avenue near McAndrews Road in Burnsville Monday.
A Colombian red tail boa constrictor was found in the median of Nicollet Avenue near McAndrews Road in Burnsville Monday. (Casey Common/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

A Colombian red tail boa constrictor found slithering across a road Monday in Burnsville is getting a lot of love.

Calls have been pouring in to the Burnsville Animal Control center from people interested in giving the snake a good home after police rescued it from a center median along Nicollet Avenue near McAndrews Road, said animal control officer Chris Friggle.

"It is very friendly," she said of the 5- to 6-foot snake. "It does not mind being handled. It's obviously been somebody's pet."

It was not immediately clear if the snake was male or female, Friggle added.

Burnsville police on Tuesday tweeted a photo of an officer who scooped up the snake in hopes of reuniting it with its owner, said Capt. Matt Smith of the Burnsville Police Department.

Animal Control is used to taking in cats and dogs, but snakes are pretty rare, Friggle said. The office did take in four guinea pigs recently, and was able to adopt them out, she said.

Friggle said the center will hold the snake for five days and evaluate it to be sure it's healthy and won't be a risk to people. If it's not claimed by its owner, the snake could be offered to an animal rescue organization or put up for adoption.

This is the second big snake to grab headlines in recent days. Last week, Hastings police found a giant bullsnake in a bathtub in a home.

about the writer

about the writer

Tim Harlow

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Tim Harlow covers traffic and transportation issues in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, and likes to get out of the office, even during rush hour. He also covers the suburbs in northern Hennepin and all of Anoka counties, plus breaking news and weather.

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