A family in Chatsworth is warning neighbors after their 15-foot python went missing. Robert Kovacik reports for the NBC4 News on July 10, 2023.
Most of us would do anything to find a missing pet, even if it means climbing rooftops or offering a financial reward.
Now, one family in Chatsworth is doing just that. The Villalta family is offering $1,000 for anyone who helps locate their 15-foot python named Big Mama that went missing on July 4.
Alex Villalta said the snake's cage was not bolted and she escaped from her enclosure in the family's backyard.
“I feel so bad, something so simple could have avoided all of this," Villalta said.
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Villalta is asking neighbors to be on the lookout for Big Mama and warned she could be a danger to smaller pets, like cats or small breed dogs. And it's not just pets that should be concerned.
"Is she dangerous to humans? Yeah, she’s a constrictor, right? She does like to coil and compress,” Villalta said.
And while Big Mama is not venomous, she eventually is going to get hungry.
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The family said Big Mama ate a rabbit for dinner just before she disappeared. She eats every two weeks, so they figure they have about a week to find her before she goes searching for her next meal.
“Wherever she’s at, she is probably trying to preserve her energy and is holed up somewhere comfortable,” Villalta said.
The family posted on the “My Chatsworth” Facebook group urging those who may encounter a Big Mama to not kill her. Most hope for her safe return, but a few comments are more concerned about protecting their pets.
