Man finds boa constrictor in car

Sue Jeroue, the head of the Macomb County Animal Shelter, said she has had good success finding homes for exotic animals.

Mary Ann Russell of Mount Clemens is glad. She doesn't care who gets the 5-foot boa constrictor that was found in her husband's car Oct. 7.

"I just don't ever want to see it again," Russell said. "I wouldn't go near the car where Perry (her husband) found the snake."

Jeroue said the snake was brought to the animal shelter by Mount Clemens animal control on Sunday, Oct. 8.

She said the snake eventually will probably be given to a herbatologist rather than the general public. She said herbatologists are biologists that specialize in snakes and reptiles.

"We've been seeing more of them the last couple of years," Jeroue said. "We'll find a home for this snake."

Russell said she doesn't know who owns the snake. She said her daughter Amanda's boyfriend, Kenny Jonatzke and her husband were working on their car when her husband went to check the oil.

He then had to reach in back of the engine compartment to check the transmission fluid.

"My husband is deaf, and when he saw the snake right under his arm, he almost had a heart attack," Russell said. "He noticed the snake's skin moving a little bit and just about chucked it all in."

Perry Russell was motioning to Mary Ann that there was a snake in their GEO Tracker, she said. He cannot talk but she sure understood what he was trying to convey to her.

"You know the motion Fred Sanford (of television's "Sanford & Son") makes when he holds his heart and looks up to his late wife Elizabeth, well that was Perry," Russell said. "At first I thought he was lying, but I wouldn't go near the car."

Jonatzke then ran to Russell and told her there was a boa in their Tracker. Jonatzke spoke with his cousin who told him that the snake was not dangerous.

Jonatzke took the snake and put it in a large bucket with a large screen over the top. Russell said it was creepy.

A man living in the Chateau Macomb Estates north of Hall Road lost a boa a month ago. A man from the animal shelter told Russell a man also lost a snake a month ago on either Clare or Euclid streets.

"That snake could have been living in my car for a month, and I didn't know it," Russell said. "Can you imagine what would have happened if I was driving down the street and this snake got into the front seat?"

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herbatologists eh?

Dont they deal with plants and such???? :P :P

Originally Posted by Mooing Tricycle

herbatologists eh?

Dont they deal with plants and such???? :P :P

I was thinking the same thing! Gotta love the press.

Originally Posted by HerpKeeperVA

Gotta love the press.

Amen ha

Some folks have all of the luck. I never find boas in my cars !
Alicia, I think a Herbatoligist specializes in Herb. Most of them can be found at
the local convenience store in the chip isle. LOL

Originally Posted by Ginger Ambrose

Some folks have all of the luck. I never find boas in my cars !

You would think the press would learn to use spell-check. Herbatologist isn't even a word. Btw, a 5-ft female burmese was found in a vehicle at our local rest area, but did I get it? NO!! It was auctioned off to the public by our oh-so-knowledgable pet shop owner, who got $800 for it. She told prospective bidders that the snake was full-grown, 5 years old, and didn't require any special heating or humidity. I feel sorry for the winning bidder and I REALLY feel sorry for the snake. However, Animal Control now has my number in case it ever happens again or if they need help. They said if they had known they would have contacted me first, but as it was they couldn't find anyone to care for it or take it. They could have run an ad, asked the local vet who kept snakes, etc.