Family reunited with python pulled from Toronto sewer discovers it's an 'impostor'

There has been another twist in a rather serpentine story in Toronto.

Members of the Sannella family thought they were finally reunited with Monty,an11-month-oldball pythonsupposedly found in asewer grate in the city's east end on Tuesdayafter itwent missing in June.

But once they returned home from picking the snake up at animal services, they discovered a slippery truth.

It wasn't Monty, but a different ball python.

"So now we have the impostor snake at the housethat we've nicknamed Sneaky Peteand I'm not sure what to do with him," saidSamantha Sannella, whose 18-year-oldson purchasedMonty last November.

"Andwe're so sad that Monty's missing in action."

Monty has been missing since the night theToronto Raptors won their firstNBA championship on June 13,Sannella said.

The family celebrated on Tuesday, when a snake was spotted nearagas stationabout three kilometres from their home.

Thesnake seemed happy to be home, butSannella's son noticed some unusual behaviour.

It lifted up a hollow log in the aquarium something he had never seen Monty do before.

So he examined some old photos of Montyand quickly realizedthe unique patterns on the head of the snake in itsterrarium didn't match those on Monty.

The jig was up for Sneaky Pete.

'A little' scared last night

Sannellasaid she was"a little bit scared last night" because Sneaky Peteseems "quite a bit stronger" than Monty.

She put books on top of his terrariumovernight to keep the snakefrom slithering out in the night.

"The last thing I want is two missing snakes in my house," she said.

"Theother thought was, 'What if this is a female snakeand Monty comes back, and all of the sudden I'm a snake breeder?'"

'How many pythons are loose?'

This means someone else must bemissing their pet python too,Sannellasaid.

She was hopefulafter seeing a man post about his missing python on Facebook. But they emailed andrealized his snake's skin patterns didn't match either.

"How many pythons are loose in the sewers of Toronto?" Sannellamused. "There's a lot, obviously."

Looking for Sneaky Pete's real owner

In the meantime, the family gave Sneaky Pete a bath and the snake seems "extremely happy" in itsnew, nicely heated new home.

But Sannella isn'tquite sure what to do.

She created a Facebook page called Missing Pythons of Torontoin hopes of finding the impostor's true owner.

Sannella still hopes they'll get Monty back.

"Maybe he's in the basement laughing at us," she said.

Snake escaped during party

Monty escaped when Sannella's sonhad friends over to watch the NBA Finals.

Duringthe party, Sannellasuspects,the lid of Monty's container was accidentally left openand the snakeslipped into a nearby sewer grate, but she said "there's no way of knowing" exactly what happened.

Sannella said the ordeal has madeher reconsider keeping a snake in the house.

"I didn't actually ever want a snake, but my son really wanted a spider and I said no," she said. He suggested a snake and Sannellasaid sure,"but if it ever escapes, you'll be in big trouble."

Ball pythons typically grow to be about 1.2 metres in lengthand are non-venomous constrictors.

They can go without food for several months, according to ball python enthusiastwebsites.

28 stray snakes picked up in Toronto since 2017

According to the city, Toronto Animal Services has picked up 28 stray snakes since Jan. 1, 2017. Another five have been surrendered by their owners.

Fiona Venedam, manager of enforcement and mobile response for Toronto Animal Services, says snakes are excellent escape artists.

Any terrarium should have a secure lid with a latch. Proper lighting, heating, bedding and hiding places are needed to makepet snakes feel at home, she added.