Pythons Dumped In Middletown, More May Be Loose (ICYMI)

MIDDLETOWN, PA — Police in Middletown Township are warning residents to keep an eye out for exotic snakes.

Three ball pythons were found Monday in the Five Points area, near the Shell gas station and the Quincy Hollow subdivision. The smallest of the three, police said, was about four feet long.

Now, they're urging people who live and work in that area to keep an eye out for more.

"Probably one of the more interesting BOLOs," police wrote in a social media post Monday, using the police abbreviation for "be on the lookout."

Cheyenne Keen, the township's animal control officer, believes the snakes were dumped by their former owner. Police urge anyone who sees a snake in the area to call them.

Also called the Royal python, ball pythons are native to west and central Africa. A non-venomous constrictor, they are the smallest kind of python and are one of the most common reptiles bred in captivity. Experts say they can make good pets, but require specialized care.