Clay Davenport
10-26-2005, 07:31 PM
Fred Schuknecht of O'Brien County might win the prize for this year's strangest Iowa harvest experience.
While combining corn near Germantown, Schuknecht encountered what he described as the "wildest'' creature he's ever come across on farmland — an 11-foot python.
"At first, I thought it was a tire," said Schuknecht, 49, who's been farming this land for almost 25 years. "I poked it a couple of times and it started to move very lethargically."
Schuknecht and his father Gene put the python in a cardboard box and hauled it to nearby Paullina.
O'Brien County Conservation Director Terry Boltjes said the python escaped from a nearby residence in July. Schuknecht found the snake last week about a mile from the home of its owner, Kurt Musland, 44. Musland was not available for comment.
Authorities transported the python to the Iowa Herpetological Society in Ames, where it was examined and treated for parasites. The snake is being cared for by a member of the society until a permanent home is found. Boltjes said Musland wants the snake back.
Herpetological Society President Ed Twedt said a python at-large is rare in Iowa. He also said he was very surprised the snake was found alive.
"It's a miracle the animal lived," Twedt said. "Snakes will typically get a bad respiratory problem if it's cold enough to have frost on the ground."
Twedt down-played the danger a loose python poses to local residents.
"You'd be pretty disappointed if it bit you," Twedt said. "It's not what people expect. I'd be more concerned about a cat scratching me."
Schuknecht's mother said local residents had a hard time believing the discovery at first.
Betty Schuknecht, of Paullina, said neighbors "asked me, 'Is this really true or have they been in the bar too long?’ “
Link to Story (http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051026/NEWS/51026006/1001/NEWS01)
While combining corn near Germantown, Schuknecht encountered what he described as the "wildest'' creature he's ever come across on farmland — an 11-foot python.
"At first, I thought it was a tire," said Schuknecht, 49, who's been farming this land for almost 25 years. "I poked it a couple of times and it started to move very lethargically."
Schuknecht and his father Gene put the python in a cardboard box and hauled it to nearby Paullina.
O'Brien County Conservation Director Terry Boltjes said the python escaped from a nearby residence in July. Schuknecht found the snake last week about a mile from the home of its owner, Kurt Musland, 44. Musland was not available for comment.
Authorities transported the python to the Iowa Herpetological Society in Ames, where it was examined and treated for parasites. The snake is being cared for by a member of the society until a permanent home is found. Boltjes said Musland wants the snake back.
Herpetological Society President Ed Twedt said a python at-large is rare in Iowa. He also said he was very surprised the snake was found alive.
"It's a miracle the animal lived," Twedt said. "Snakes will typically get a bad respiratory problem if it's cold enough to have frost on the ground."
Twedt down-played the danger a loose python poses to local residents.
"You'd be pretty disappointed if it bit you," Twedt said. "It's not what people expect. I'd be more concerned about a cat scratching me."
Schuknecht's mother said local residents had a hard time believing the discovery at first.
Betty Schuknecht, of Paullina, said neighbors "asked me, 'Is this really true or have they been in the bar too long?’ “
Link to Story (http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051026/NEWS/51026006/1001/NEWS01)