FEDERALSBURG, Md. - On Friday, there was one topic that was the talk of the town in Federalsburg.
A reptilian neighbor was discovered on Vesper Avenue Thursday night.
"A couple guys tried to catch it and were chasing it and it actually struck at them a few times and crawled away," said Daniel McCarter, owner of Do. Co. Wildlife Control, who responded to the call.
The guys trying to catch it reported that the snake, which they identified as a python, was eight feet long and as big around as a softball.
The python should be easy for Delmarvans to identify. They are kind of fat and are a brown color. Most snakes native to Delmarva are thin and mostly black.
It is not known where the python came from, although it was likely a pet that its owner tried to get rid of after the snake grew too large.
For folks worried about the sneaky serpent, pythons are not venomous, and eat birds, frogs, and rodent pests such as mice.
They are mostly harmless and don't want anything to do with humans.
However, the snake's bite, despite being non-venomous, can still be harmful, which worried Vesper Avenue neighbor James Sullivan.
"My wife did a little research on the internet," Sullivan said. "You know, the fangs are long, and they could hurt you bad, especially if they bite a small child."
Small pets, such as puppies and kittens are really the only critters threatened by snake.
Neighbor John Ruark, who has small dogs, said he and his wife will be more vigiliant.
"I'll go out and look [for the snake], or my wife will go out and look around, then we let him out to go to the bathroom," Ruark said.
Other neighbors, though, have researched the snake and see the newly-resident reptile as a humorous curiosity.
"You know I've seen wild turkeys, seen all kinds of stuff around here." Sullivan said. "But I never expect no python."
"It's all good. Don't worry. This is definitely one of the more exciting things to happen in Federalsburg," said Isaiah Forrest and Skyler Peele, who were walking down Vesper Avenue Friday afternoon with their eyes peeled for the snake.
While the python is mainly harmless to the Federalsburg community, because it is not a native species to Delmarva, it needs to be captured and brought to an appropriate new home.
Officials caution folks not to try to capture the snake, as it can cause an unpleasant bite. They also strongly warn folks not to try to kill the snake, as there could be legal penalties under Maryland law.
Instead, if you see the snake, call Federalsburg Police using 911, or Do. Co. Wildlife Control at 443-524-9390, with the location and time you saw it.