Florida homeowners find 9-and-a-half-foot boa constrictor in backyard

By Barney Riley via SWNS

Terrified homeowners called in professional snake catchers after they discovered a rare nine-and-a-half-foot boa constrictor in their backyard.

Reptile experts Rhett and Taylor Stanberry, who thought they were dealing with a common python, arrived to find the 52.6 lbs boa.

The pair had been enjoying a day off, fishing on December 12 - with their pet Brazilian tufted capuchin monkey Tobie - when they received the call.

They made their way to the residential property in Naples, Florida, after the homeowner described - what they assumed to be an invasive python - as "huge."

At first, the snake catchers didn't think much of it due to the common nature of pythons in the state.

Rhett said: "We just got a snake call. We had gotten a call about this snake yesterday and honestly didn't think much of it."

"They said it was a huge python in their backyard and they needed somebody to get it.

"They sent us a google image of an albino Burmese python.

"If you know anything about the pythons here in south Florida, they're not albinos. They are normal-colored snakes, brown and tan.

"They messaged us again saying 'please the snake is back' and they're sending these blurry photos of like a clearly white, yellow snake.

"So there's some big albino snake in their yard. We've told them to stay back and we'll be there and find out what it is."

Video shows Rhett and Taylor realizing that the snake is actually a boa constrictor.

The pair can be seen tussling with the snake before getting full control as they put it in a shaded area in a sack.

Pythons are deemed to be invasive in Florida, but this was a rarity - as boa constrictors are not usually found in the state.

After the straightforward capture they reacted on the way back to their sanctuary with Rhett saying: "Oh my gosh, that thing is huge!"

Taylor added: "I mean, that thing has been eating well."

Due to the rare nature of the call-out, Rhett and Taylor believe the reptile may have been a pet that had escaped or had been abandoned.

The snake is safely in their Naples sanctuary with others of its kind.