Strange incident in Mustamäe: Python attacks owner and firefighters intervene

Tallinn firefighters were called to a Mustamäe apartment late Friday after a pet ball python bit its owner’s finger and would not let go.

The emergency centre received the call from Kadaka Avenue at 11:05 p.m. on September 4. Firefighters had to find a safe way to release the snake. Using a syringe and an intravenous cannula, they put a few drops of undiluted smelling salts between the python’s jaws. The snake immediately released the owner’s hand.

Paramedics examined the injured person at the scene. The wound did not require hospital treatment, and the owner received advice for further care. Firefighters also reminded the owner to seek help from an animal emergency clinic if the python develops health problems.

Ball pythons are nonvenomous snakes from West and Central Africa. They can grow to about 1.5 metres and are generally calm, making them popular exotic pets. The article notes that while a ball python attacking a person as prey is extremely unlikely, larger reticulated pythons can pose a much greater danger.