Workers cooking burgers and tater tots at a Georgia Sonic fast food kitchen fled after discovering an intruder hiding behind the fryer.
Brunswick Police Lt. Matthew Wilson found Sonic Drive-In employees crowded in the parking lot when he arrived to investigate last Saturday. Over the phone, they had described the culprit as dark-haired with diamonds on his back.
“When I saw it I could tell it was just a ball python and not a rattlesnake,” Wilson told The Brunswick News.
He not only removed the large, non-venomous snake, but also found him a new home with a friend who has a large terrarium and a fondness for snakes.
Wilson says the python likely snuck into the Sonic’s kitchen on May 21 through an open back door, finding a comfortable spot for its cold-blooded body behind the hot fryer.
Police don’t know where the snake came from, although Wilson says it was likely a pet that was released by its owner.
Eammon Leonard agreed. He is an invasive species biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Leonard said snakes are often an impulse buy, and owners find themselves having second thoughts as their scaly pets get older.
“It could be that someone just didn’t think about the consequences of having a big snake as a pet,” Leonard said. “Some people have regrets later and just release things. It’s definitely irresponsible. »