12-Foot Python Nearly Eats Pet Store Owner

April 21, 2008

EUGENE, Ore. –- Despite being attacked by a 12-foot python that wrapped around her and nearly bit her finger off, a pet store owner is fine and says she’s relieved the snake didn’t have to be killed.

Teresa Rossiter, 46, owner of the store, Best Friends, was showing the female Burmese python, named Darla, to a customer Thursday when it bit her right hand and constricted around her left arm, throwing her to the floor.

Rossiter’s immediate reaction?

“Wow, that hurt!” she said, laughing. “I was very frightened. I knew that she could kill me if I didn’t keep it together.”

After police were called, Rossiter says she remained in the snake’s grasp for between 10 and 15 minutes. Sgt. Ryan Nelson rushed in, prepared to kill the snake with a knife, which was the last thing Rossiter wanted.

“I didn’t want him to hurt her,” Rossiter said. “I figured if we got help here that we could do something different besides killing the snake. And that was my reason for calling 911. I figured if we got enough people here we could do something different.”

Nelson, whom Rossiter called a hero, applied gloves and used Plan B.

“The officer pulled a couple of teeth out of his hand, because he went in there and pried her jaw open first,” Rossiter said. “Because she was taking the end of my ring finger off. She had her fang in the middle of that joint.

“The main thing is that I didn’t want my snake hurt. It wasn’t her fault.”

After remaining calm during her ordeal, Rossiter has maintained her sense of humor.

“Actually, my son came in in the middle of the attack, and he said, ‘Mom, I can’t believe you’re not crying,’ she said. “And I’m like, would it do any good?” she added, laughing.

Darla, whose age Rossiter said she’s unsure of, remains in Rossiter’s store. Both snake and owner are doing well, she said.

“It’s been a little stressful, and I’m still really, really sore,” said Rossiter, who suffers from severe arthritis.

As for Darla’s lost teeth, Rossiter says they’ll grow back in a few months.

“Yeah, that’s the really cool part,” she said.

When Rossiter bought her store in February, Darla was already there, Rossiter says. The python had never tried to attack anyone before, and this incident was out of character for the snake, she said.

Just prior to the attack, Rossiter had sold a feeder rat, and in retrospect, she said that caused Darla’s attack.

“I hadn’t washed my hands after selling that mouse, and so I just smelled like dinner,” she said. “When I went to pull her out, she just thought she was getting a rat.

“We’ve fed her a few big, fat rats since then.”

Darla was on sale for $800, but no more, Rossiter said.

“I guess maybe I’m a little more concerned,” she said. “I don’t want somebody to get her just because she attacked somebody. I want to make sure that she’s always going to have the best for her.

“And I don’t want somebody buying her just because she’s a vicious snake or something. Because she’s not. She’s a good girl.”

Since the incident, curious people have visited Rossiter’s store, wanting to check out Darla.

“I like it,” she said. “I’m glad that people are coming in to take a look at my store. When I bought the store it was pretty nasty. We’ve done a lot of remodeling and cleaning up.

“And so it’s been cool. It’s been good for business. Mostly, it’s been little, old ladies wanting to come in and see the snake though.”

Since the incident, there’s been little change in Darla, who was living in a cramped bird cage when Rossiter bought the store, she said.

“I think she’s pretty mad because she lost a few teeth,” she said. “She’s a good girl, and we’re building her a big habitat. I don’t intend to sell her. I’d like to keep her.

“She’s a pretty cool snake, even now.”

After Rossiter bought Best Friends, Darla became sick, and Rossiter said she took her into her own home for two weeks. That’s when she named the snake.

“When I was laying on the floor with her one night, getting ready to give her her shot, I was like, come on, Darla! So it just kind of came to me. It was her personality.”

This is the first time Rossiter has owned a pet shop, and she said Darla’s attack hasn’t made her regret it.

“Having a pet store is like the best thing in the whole world,” she said. “And I hope I get to do this until I’m old and gray. Because there is no better job than having a pet store. You get to play with all the animals.

“My thing is making people happy. My store is called Best Friends. So that’s what I’m trying to do, is sell people their new best friend.”

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