Current:Home > MyAn unwanted shopping partner: Boa constrictor snake found curled up in Target cart in Iowa -Zenith Profit Hub
An unwanted shopping partner: Boa constrictor snake found curled up in Target cart in Iowa
View
Date:2025-04-14 22:48:02
A Target customer in Sioux City, Iowa was in for a surprise when they pulled out a cart and found a boa constrictor coiled up in it.
Lindsay Alvarez, a resident of Sioux City, posted a picture of the snake in the Target cart on social media, writing that her daughter spotted "this little guy at Target" on August 13. She did not specify which Target store the snake was found at.
A Target representative, in an email to USA TODAY, confirmed that the snake was indeed found at a store in the city and said that their team acted quickly and animal control removed it from the property.
Harrison Ford's snake:'We probably would’ve been friends,' Harrison Ford says of new snake species named for him
While it is not yet clear how the snake made its way to Target, authorities believe the reptile may have gotten inside the store after it stowed away outside in a cart which was then taken into the store. Cindy Rarat, manager of the Sioux City Animal Adoption and Rescue Center told USA TODAY they assume the boa may have either come from an apartment complex close by, escaped from a car or been left by someone.
"We're not exactly sure how it came to be there," Rarat said
The animal was later taken to the Sioux City Animal Adoption and Rescue Center, where it is currently housed. Rarat said that the 4-and-a-half-foot-long snake has been taken care of, is well-fed and is in good health.
Unclaimed
A spokesperson at the facility told USA TODAY that no one has come forward to claim the animal and that a herpetologist from Lincoln, Nebraska has volunteered to take the snake. The herpetologist, who is also a professor, intends to keep it for educational purposes in a classroom. The herpetologist will be collecting the animal on Saturday from the facility, once the seven-day waiting period for claiming the animal ends, the spokesperson said.
Sioux City laws do not allow residents to keep constrictors as pets and if someone comes forward to claim the animal, they will have to show proof of ownership and house the snake outside city limits.
Pet alligator:Gator in 'deplorable' state rescued by landscapers from creek in Pennsylvania
Preferred pets
Native to Central and South America, boa constrictors typically do not attack humans, according to the Smithsonian’s National Zoo & Conservation Biology Institute. They are non-venomous and kill their prey by strangling them, as their name suggests. They can live up to 20 years.
Boa constrictors are popular as pets as they are relatively undemanding, as long as their large adult size and space needs are accounted for, as per the University of Michigan Museum of Zoology. In some areas, these reptiles are used to control rodent and opossums populations.
Target recall:2.2 million Threshold candles recalled; at least 1 injured
veryGood! (6833)
Related
- Mets have visions of grandeur, and a dynasty, with Juan Soto as major catalyst
- Shane Gillis struggles in a 'Saturday Night Live' monologue which avoids the obvious
- Sister Wives' Meri Brown and Amos Andrews Break Up
- 2024 SAG Awards: Josh Hartnett Turns Attention to Oppenheimer Costars During Rare Interview
- Google unveils a quantum chip. Could it help unlock the universe's deepest secrets?
- What you didn't see on TV during the SAG Awards, from Barbra Streisand to Pedro Pascal
- What are sound baths and why do some people swear by them?
- Biggest moments from the SAG Awards, from Pedro Pascal's f-bomb to Billie Eilish's Sharpie
- Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
- Margot Robbie Has New Twist on Barbie With Black and Pink SAG Awards Red Carpet Look
Ranking
- IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
- The rise and fall of President Martin Van Buren
- 2024 could be an incredible year for Block stock. Here's why.
- Story of Jackie Robinson's stolen statue remains one of the most inspirational in nation
- Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
- Honor for Chris Chelios in Patrick Kane's Chicago return is perfect for Detroit Red Wings
- Electric school buses finally make headway, but hurdles still stand
- You Can't Miss Emma Stone's Ecstatic Reaction After Losing to Lily Gladstone at the 2024 SAG Awards
Recommendation
This was the average Social Security benefit in 2004, and here's what it is now
Grammy winner Allison Russell discusses controversy surrounding Tennessee lawmakers blocking a resolution honoring her
Takeaways from South Carolina primary: Donald Trump’s Republican home field advantage is everywhere
When does 'The Voice' Season 25 start? 2024 premiere date, time, coaches, where to watch
Spooky or not? Some Choa Chu Kang residents say community garden resembles cemetery
Shane Gillis struggles in a 'Saturday Night Live' monologue which avoids the obvious
Josh Hartnett Makes Rare Appearance at 2024 SAG Awards After Stepping Away From Hollywood
Florida bird rescuers shocked by rare visitors: Puffins