An 11-year-old boy lost his pet ball python in early August while his family was moving to their new home in the center of Randers, Denmark. The snake’s owner, the boy’s mother, Majbrit Jensen, has been actively trying to locate the missing pet by posting in various Facebook groups.
The ball python, which was secured in its cover during transportation, disappeared while Majbrit was carrying the boy’s terrarium into their new residence. To her dismay, she found that the snake was missing when she returned to the moving truck. “I spent an hour and a half searching the moving truck, crawling over and under it. I had cuts and bruises all over, and I have been so upset,” she stated.
According to Majbrit, the stitching on the snake’s cover came apart during the move, giving the animal the chance to escape. The nearly one-meter long snake, which is between three and four centimeters in width, is very dear to the 11-year-old boy. Despite the family’s diligent search efforts, they have faced backlash in the form of hostile comments and accusations of not having enough control over their pet. Among the critics is a member of “Facebook Randers,” who believes that snakes should not be kept as pets.
Majbrit expresses her outrage over the negative comments, which have only added to the stress of the situation. She has reached out to both the police and Randers Rainforest (Randers Regnskov) for assistance. The family insists that the snake is both calm and tame.
A ball python is an African constrictor snake that rarely grows longer than two meters. Its name does not derive from its size but from the historical fact that African kings have used it as jewelry. Similar incidents involving lost snakes and unwelcome comments on social media have also been reported by other pet owners. In July, a ball python was reported lost in Silkeborg by Leila Moselund, who faced similar criticism. It is unknown whether her snake was ever found.