Elusive Verdun python finally nabbed
'He looked a little bit sick. We know he hasn't eaten much in more than a month'
The pet royal python which escaped from its home in Verdun in late August has been caught by the borough.
A Verdun resident spotted the wayward python on his balcony at around 3 p.m. Monday and covered it with a box before calling borough authorities.
The python was not far from the place where it took refuge more than a month ago — between the walls of an apartment complex on Willibrord Street near 1st Avenue.
The borough of Verdun's mayor, Jean-François Parenteau, said the python was in poor shape, likely due to a lack of food and the cold.
Bonne nouvelle. Le python de Verdun a été capturé cet après-midi. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/pythonverdun?src=hash">#pythonverdun</a> <a href="https://t.co/V3BQpDBOcj">pic.twitter.com/V3BQpDBOcj</a>
—@Arr_VerdunSnake 'hasn't eaten much in more than a month'
"He was not very strong," Parenteau told CBC News. "He looked a little bit sick. We know he hasn't eaten much in more than a month."
The 1.2-metre-long python escaped Aug. 25 from a home on 1st Avenue.
Police worked with a specialized company, Animex, to help find it.
Because of the snake's condition, the python was transported to a specialized veterinarian in Pierrefonds for care.
Parenteau says the snake is expected to survive.
Montreal police have notified the owner that the snake is alive and being treated.
The owner will be expected to pay the veterinarian for the cost of the snake's care.
Parenteau said if the owner can't afford to pay the vet bills, the snake may be sent to the SPCA.