Large Pet Python Relocated to NY Zoo After Owner Admitted it Was Getting Too Big to Care For

A three-and-a-half-year-old pet Burmese python was relocated to a New York zoo after its owner admitted she was getting too large for him to care for. The 13-foot python snake named Mango is now under the care of Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo in Rome, New York, according to The Post. According to a statement by the zoo, the pet owner was a little overwhelmed by how quickly the snake grew. "We were surprised as well," the zoo said in the statement, adding, "but we are ready for the challenge of maintaining this awesome creature!"

According to the zoo, Mango is a rare female Albino Burmese python. She was relocated after Jeff Hull, an Environment Conservation Police Officer, responded to a complaint of a large snake that was thought to be illegally kept as a pet, the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) said in an official statement. When Officer Jeff Hull arrived at the pet’s home, he discovered the 13.2-foot pet python confined to an enclosure no bigger than 5 feet. According to Swallow Aquatics, adult female Burmese Pythons need an enclosure measuring 8ft long x 4ft wide x 2ft high.

The albino python, which Officer Jeff Hull said was still growing, weighed 80 lbs. Hull was right when he said Mando was still growing because Burmese Pythons can weigh over 200 pounds and grow up to 20 feet long. Mango’s owner admitted to authorities that he was ill-prepared for how fast the reptile would grow. He decided to surrender the snake after realizing he could no longer take care of it, the NYSDEC said.

Mango was seized and donated to the Fort Rickey Discovery Zoo, which possesses the required license to keep the snake, according to the NYSDEC. Her owner, who identified himself as Mike Stone, was issued citations for illegal pet ownership, the NYSDEC said. Meanwhile, the zoo is working on plans to enlarge Mango's habitat, to "suit her growing needs."

Mike Stone said in a Facebook comment that he "could not be happier with where [Mango] ended up!" Rebecca Stedman, the zoo's co-owner, told The Post that the zoo is also thrilled to have Mango join the Zoo family. Stedman admitted that Mango, which could grow up to 17 feet long, was clearly well-fed and was "heavier than the average python at her age."

Albino Burmese pythons usually live up to 20 years in the wild. In captivity, however, they can live up to 28 years.