These snakes are rare in the wild but places that breed reptiles sell them. A-ZAnimals explains, "Outlets such as CB Reptile sell piebald snakes for anywhere from $469 to almost $3,000!

The python's circumference at its largest was 12 inches (30 centimetres). Its diameter was 4.25 inches (nearly 10.8 centimetres), said Goltz.

Ball pythons typically grow to be about 1.2 metres in length and are non-venomous constrictors. They can go without food for several months, according to ball python enthusiast websites.

“That was a big issue for her.” The snake found around Hurst’s neck was a 2.4-metre (8-foot) reticulated python — a relatively small specimen of the world’s longest species of snake.