A search is underway in southwest London for a python that escaped its enclosure and is now at large less than a mile from Wandsworth Prison. The snake, identified as an 80-centimeter-long yellow ball python named David Hisselhoff, has been missing since the early hours of Thursday morning.
The python's owner, Kate, explained that a small crack in the vivarium's enclosure was left open, allowing the snake to escape while a balcony door remained open due to warm weather. "Unfortunately in the morning I've learned I left a tiny crack open in his vivarium and he got out," Kate told the Daily Mail. "The bedroom door was closed but a balcony door was open because of the heat."
David Hisselhoff is described by its owner as "super chill" and "just a curious goofball." Yellow ball pythons are native to West and Central Africa and are generally docile, typically growing up to five feet in length. Kate believes the snake may have entered the gutters or climbed onto a roof.
Residents in the Earlsfield area have expressed alarm, with some reporting heightened activity in local WhatsApp groups. Concerns have been raised about letting pets outside and general safety. "Personally I don't find that much comfort as I hate snakes," one resident stated, while another expressed worry about their dog's safety. An appeal has been made for anyone who spots the python not to harm it, but to contact Kate and keep watch until she can retrieve it.