In yet another example of the ugly side of the human condition, a snake that had been abused as part of a religious ritual was just recovered in Florida.

The juvenile ball python was recovered by firefighters who were responding to a call by a homeowner who saw the snake on their lawn. When they arrived on scene, the firefighters discovered that the reptile had its mouth sewn shut.

Firefighter Scott Mullin recognized the snake as a ball python, a common variety popular with pet owners due to their docile nature.

Mullen recounted the experience on his Facebook page, saying “I had a strange call today. I picked up this baby ball python. It was found outside a home in South Dade. The family had never seen it before. I reached down and gently picked it up. Now I have never come across a ball python that was not a sweet heart. They are by nature very docile snakes. They truly make a great pet. Well as you can see from the pictures someone {had sewn] her mouth shut. I have never seen this done. I did see a show once on snake charmers in India who sewed the mouths of cobras shut to insure they would not bite the snake charmer but this is a first for me here in the States.”

After recovering the fourteen inch long reptile, Mullen took it to a friend who breeds exotic snakes professionally. Together they were able to remove the snake’s stitches and start a course of treatments for a fungal infection in its mouth. They were not able to determine how long the animal had had its mouth sewn shut.

According to Wikipedia, the ball python, Python regius, also known as the royal python, is a python species found in sub-Saharan Africa. Like all other pythons, it is a non-venomous constrictor. This is the smallest of the African pythons and is popular in the pet trade, largely due to its small size and typically docile temperament. No subspecies are currently recognized. They can live quite long, with the oldest on record living more than 47 years. To achieve something near this age in captivity they require proper care (clean tank, clean water, etc.). The name “ball python” refers to the animal’s tendency to curl into a ball when stressed or frightened. The name royal python (from the Latin regius) comes from the fact that rulers in Africa would wear the python as jewelry.

This terrestrial species is known for its defense strategy that involves coiling into a tight ball when threatened, with its head and neck tucked away in the middle. In this state, it can literally be rolled around. Favored retreats include mammal burrows and other underground hiding places, where they also aestivate. In captivity, they are considered good pets, with their relatively small size and placid nature making them easy to handle. Captive bred adults rarely bite unless severely threatened.

These snakes are bred in captivity and are popular as pets, because of their small size (compared to other pythons) and their docile temperament. Wild-caught specimens have greater difficulty adapting to a captive environment, which can result in refusal to feed, and they generally carry internal or external parasites which must be eliminated by administering anti-parasitic drugs. Specimens have survived for over 40 years in captivity, with the oldest recorded ball python being kept in captivity 47 years and 6 months until its death in 1992 at the Philadelphia Zoo. To live this long, captive ball pythons require proper care. This care includes proper feeding, a clean tank, handling, and overall quality of life.

Have you heard of such cruelty to animals? What should be the punishment for the person who did this to the snake? Share your thoughts with us here.