Friendly boa puts squeeze on hearts in Burnsville

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.