An 11-foot-long Colombian red-tailed boa constrictor is still on the loose after it escaped its home in Van Buren County, but the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said it probably hasn’t gone too far.
The agency said in a statement that the snake's owner alerted officials on Thursday that the animal got loose and was last seen shortly before dark on Wednesday on Banner Mountain Road near Shirley. A search in the area is ongoing.
“We don't know where it may have gone,” Game and Fish spokesman Keith Stephens said.
The agency still believes the snake is in Van Buren County.
“They're not really fast like a Racer or Coachwhip,” Stephens said.
Based on information provided by the snake’s owner, it is used to being around people and is not aggressive, but Game and Fish herpetologist Kelly Irwin previously cautioned people to live it alone if found.
Boa constrictors are nonvenomous and kill their prey by squeezing, the statement said.
Smith said the snake isn’t a threat to small children because it isn’t large enough to cause harm.
“A snake that size could potentially eat rabbits or other small animals,” Stephens said. “The children are safe.”
A boa constrictor can legally be owned in Arkansas, the agency said.
Residents can kill the animal if they feel threatened or if it is threatening pets or property, Stephens said.