Man dies after being strangled by his 18-foot pet snake
A man has died days after police in Pennsylvania shot and killed an 18-foot snake that had wrapped itself around his neck.
According to Elliot Senseman's family, the 27-year-old often urged caution when housing exotic animals and took in snakes that had been abused and neglected. It was one of those snakes that police say that took his life.
Police said responding officers saw the man lying on the floor unresponsive. They observed a very large snake, which had its mid-section wrapped around Senseman's throat.
Police said the snake died after police shot it. There were two other snakes inside the home.
A snake expert said it doesn't appear the snake was trying to attack.
"The mid-section of the snake was wrapped around his neck which means it was not a defensive fight or attack on the human, they just don't have any arms or legs," said Rudy Arceo from the Venom Institute. "They have no way to hold on except for their bodies. Their bodies are pure muscle."
Arceo spends his life working with reptiles and helping others learn about them how to care for them.
"Our four pillars of our organization are conservation, education, rehabilitation and training," he said.
According to Arceo, Pennsylvania has no laws on the books forbidding snake ownership, but certain towns and counties do.
"That doesn't mean people should go willy nilly buying whatever they want without understanding the proper care and understanding if it is dangerous or not," Arceo said.
He said Senseman's death should be a warning to others who simply want to own one of these animals. Even those with experience can have accidents.
Arceo says he stresses education for anyone who wants to own animals to avoid situations like this one.
"There are a lot of people who love their animals and take care of them and they do very well," Arceo said.
Animal welfare organizations are working with the family to help place the animals Senseman left behind.
Arceo says he stresses education for anyone who wants to own house animals -- to avoid situations like this one.
