11-foot python found in East Atlanta Village, sent to breeder

Monty, the python. (Photo by Phil Sanders)

Monty, the python. (Photo by Phil Sanders)

Monty is out — of state.

The 11-foot reticulated python, at once feared and beloved for a series of escapes from his home in East Atlanta Village, was shipped to a South Carolina breeding facility, his owner said Monday morning.

Monty most recently went missing Friday. The owner, who's declined to identify himself as anything other than "Alex," said he worried the snake slipped out of the house again, but Monty later turned up under the shell of a large pond in his cage.

Alex said he’d moved the pond while loading Monty into a shipping container to send him to the breeding facility.

Alex, who said he makes his living doing snake removal, panicked and began searching but soon had to go catch a copperhead for a client. When he came home, he spotted Monty’s tail.

It isn’t clear if Monty will come back to East Atlanta Village after his stint breeding in South Carolina. Alex said he might head to another state afterward.

Even with the reptile gone, the owner is sticking up for him. He assures Monty is a pet; he doesn’t eat them.

In fact, Alex has a hound, "which is the perfect size for him if he wanted to eat a dog."

Still, the owner said he feels bad Monty freaked some folks out. He said he’s spreading the word that if any of the neighbors ever need help with snakes on their property, they can give him a call.

Like DeKalb County News Now on Facebook | Follow on Twitter and Instagram

In other news: