Onyx, a 2-foot python found by a startled hotel housekeeper, was reunited with his owner today (July 8) following an overnight stay in the Festus Animal Control facility and a brush with social media fame.
The snake’s owner, Sawyer Largent, 19, of Crystal City, had been staying at the La Quinta Inn and Suites while waiting to move to a new residence. When Largent left the hotel with his belongings, his pet snake, Onyx, accidentally was left behind.
“He’s an escape artist,” Largent said. “He has gotten out of his cage before.”
The 6 1/2-month-old snake is a mix of ball python and clown python.
After Largent traveled to his new residence and started unpacking things, he discovered Onyx’ cage was empty.
“I figured he must be out in the truck,” Largent said.
That’s when Largent’s search began.
Not long after, friends started messaging Largent telling him his snake had been found at the hotel on Wednesday (July 7) and was famous on social media.
The snake had been discovered by a housekeeper cleaning the hotel room, said Tamara Martin, manager of the LaQuinta Inn, 1001 Veterans Boulevard.
“It was a big surprise,” Martin said. “She lifted the mattress and screamed.”
Her scream drew Martin and another housekeeper to the room. Onyx had slithered between the mattress and box springs. The first housekeeper discovered the snake when she lifted the mattress as part of the routine room-cleaning process.
The second housekeeper picked up the snake and carried it to Martin’s office.
“It was very friendly,” Martin said.
She said the hotel is the only pet-friendly one around.
“We knew he had a dog. He didn’t tell us about the snake,” Martin said.
She said she knew Largent had been staying in the room, but hotel staff didn’t have a good phone number to reach him.
“We searched the room to makes sure there was nothing else,” Martin said.
She called Festus Animal Control, and one of the agency’s employees, Jason Allen, arrived to take custody of the snake.
“He is a beautiful snake, really friendly,” Allen said.
“Pythons are escape artists,” he said. “They are known for escaping. They are strong snakes and can get out. But he was really friendly, so it was not that much of a danger.”
Allen said he has collected plenty of wild snakes from homes and yards in Festus, but this was the first python, the first pet snake and the first snake that had to stay overnight at the Animal Control facility.
Allen purchased a tank to house Onyx at the Animal Control facility.
In hopes of finding Largent, Allen shared a photo of Onyx on social media Wednesday afternoon.
As of this afternoon (July 8), the Festus Animal Control’s Facebook post had more than 140 comments and 690 shares.
“I was really surprised how many shares it got,” Allen said. “I knew it would be shared, but that’s a lot. I was just hoping to find the proper owner.”
Largent said he was shocked at how much attention the photo attracted.
“I was even more surprised at how many people were trying to claim it,” he said.
Allen said at least nine other people claimed they owned the snake.
When Largent called the Festus Animal Control office, it was closed for the day, but he and Allen touched base this morning, and the snake was returned in the early afternoon.
“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved reptiles,” Largent said. “I think they are fascinating.”