#snakeonthetown
March 29, 2011 6:42 AM   Subscribe

 
Additional coverage:

CNN: Search continues for Egyptian cobra missing from Bronx Zoo

ABC: What Should You Do If You Spot a Poisonous Snake?

NYTimes: Lost Cobra May Hide for Weeks, Zoo Says:
For advice on how to catch a wayward snake in the Bronx Zoo, it seemed worthwhile to consult the city’s own resident snake charmer, Serpentina, of Sideshows by the Seashore in Coney Island.

She recalled how, some years ago, her albino Burmese python once got loose in her dressing room. Then Serpentina, sometimes known as Stephanie Torres, 34, of Brooklyn, offered an answer that clearly benefited from hindsight.

“Get better locks,” she said with a laugh.

posted by zarq at 6:42 AM on March 29, 2011


Indeed and truly, you've chosen a bad place to be lame in.
posted by The Whelk at 6:50 AM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]


"Holding very still in the snake exhibit at the Museum of Natural History. This is gonna be hilarious!"
posted by yeti at 6:52 AM on March 29, 2011 [5 favorites]


That's what Twitter was made for.
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:53 AM on March 29, 2011 [6 favorites]


I heard she's holding out for an offer to throw the first pitch at the Yankee's home opener on Thursday.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 6:53 AM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]


I'm going to start tweeting as NYCMongoose and nip this thing in the bud.
posted by Frank Grimes at 6:56 AM on March 29, 2011 [8 favorites]


Dear ABC News, it's venomous, not poisonous!
posted by Tsuga at 6:58 AM on March 29, 2011 [8 favorites]


A friend of mine, who works in TV news here in NY (and so sometimes works in the Bronx) and has a terrible fear of snakes, says, "Somehow, I want to go to the Bronx even less than usual."
posted by uncleozzy at 6:58 AM on March 29, 2011


NYCHoneyBadger don't care.
posted by drezdn at 6:59 AM on March 29, 2011 [19 favorites]


, "Somehow, I want to go to the Bronx even less than usual."

household reaction : "It's in the Bronx? That poor thing."
posted by The Whelk at 7:01 AM on March 29, 2011 [5 favorites]


Book deal in 3... 2... 1...
posted by dammitjim at 7:01 AM on March 29, 2011


Name Bronx Zoo's Cobra
Location I'm not at the Bronx Zoo.


I lol'd.
posted by DU at 7:01 AM on March 29, 2011 [8 favorites]


Last Friday, an adolescent cobra escaped from the Bronx Zoo.

Has anyone checked the mall in White Plains?
posted by tommasz at 7:11 AM on March 29, 2011 [7 favorites]


Previously.
posted by MrMoonPie at 7:13 AM on March 29, 2011


Officially, its name his the Wildlife Conservation Society Cobra.
posted by Rarebit Fiend at 7:17 AM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]


"is" not "his".
posted by Rarebit Fiend at 7:17 AM on March 29, 2011


Not sure if that link is working. Again: Previously.
posted by MrMoonPie at 7:18 AM on March 29, 2011


The zookeeper joins the chase.
posted by jourman2 at 7:19 AM on March 29, 2011


if you get laid off and want health insurance, you can be bit by a cobra, too
posted by pyramid termite at 7:19 AM on March 29, 2011


Followed by: @rikkitikki

No worries.
posted by bondcliff at 7:22 AM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]


Perhaps now the rat population will go down.
posted by rough ashlar at 7:23 AM on March 29, 2011


jourman2: "The zookeeper joins the chase."

He's linked in the FPP. :D
posted by zarq at 7:24 AM on March 29, 2011


ahahahah it is killing me

wish i'd thought of this
posted by Potomac Avenue at 7:28 AM on March 29, 2011


This is good. Thanks for posting.
posted by theora55 at 7:37 AM on March 29, 2011


it's venomous, not poisonous!

…unless you try and eat the venom sac.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 8:24 AM on March 29, 2011


I'm laughing outloud at the twitter feed (esp the bit about the museum) - but I'm worried about the actual snake. As cold as it's been up in Toronto, is it warm enough for the poor guy down in NYC? Or is it curled up all dormant in a corner somewhere?
posted by jb at 8:39 AM on March 29, 2011


I have a friend from Hoboken with a severe snake phobia who was visiting her sister in DC when the snake got out. After she found out about this snake, she almost refused to go home. If I were a crueler person, I would show her this twitter feed just for laughs.

On a (somewhat) more serious note, how are the herpetophobes in NYC managing to leave their apartments these days?
posted by hhc5 at 8:45 AM on March 29, 2011


On a (somewhat) more serious note, how are the herpetophobes in NYC managing to leave their apartments these days?

I'm just staying in Manhattan and hoping the snake can't afford to pay the MTA's ludicrous subway fare.
posted by roomthreeseventeen at 8:50 AM on March 29, 2011 [8 favorites]


Animals do not "taunt." If they did, we wouldn't be able to tell anyway.
posted by Ironmouth at 9:09 AM on March 29, 2011


I live in Austin but have a number of friends in NYC. I don't need to follow either of those twitters because I swear, my NYC friends are retweeting the whole timeline for both of them.

It's funny, but it's not that funny, guys.
posted by immlass at 9:12 AM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]


Oh man, I about choked on my drink when I saw the poster @BronxZookeeper is putting up in Manhattan.
posted by alynnk at 9:13 AM on March 29, 2011


Ok, after reading that twitter feed, they do taunt. My bad.
posted by Ironmouth at 9:14 AM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]


snakeonthetown hashtag wins!
posted by triggerfinger at 9:29 AM on March 29, 2011


Ironmouth: "Ok, after reading that twitter feed, they do taunt. My bad."

Heh.
posted by zarq at 9:30 AM on March 29, 2011


Cobra's priorities:

1. Look for Joes.
2. GET THE JOES!!
posted by scaryblackdeath at 9:35 AM on March 29, 2011 [6 favorites]


Just look inside the TV. That's where they always seem to end up.

A friend of mine lost his young Colombian red-tailed boa constrictor in a hotel room once. Guess where it turned up a few weeks later?
posted by gottabefunky at 9:35 AM on March 29, 2011


Animals do not "taunt." Obviously you've never seen my cats when I'm trying to coax them inside.
posted by epersonae at 9:38 AM on March 29, 2011 [3 favorites]


As user 'bronx' on Twitter, this serves to remind me that most Twitter users don't actually understand how the @ works.

I'm also reminded of this most Friday and Saturday nights.
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed at 9:55 AM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]


I saw this on the Daily Show yesterday. Seems kind of uninspired for a meme, though.
posted by delmoi at 10:09 AM on March 29, 2011


This is far funnier than The Daily Show's bit, though. That came across as funny-to-them.
posted by maryr at 10:11 AM on March 29, 2011


Good thing it didn't get loose in Chicago. I can't imagine what would happen to Hambone and Quaxelrod.
posted by m@f at 10:28 AM on March 29, 2011 [5 favorites]


We have been releasing snakes for a while to help keep the rat population down. Next step is releasing Indian Mongooses to keep the snake population down. After that, our falcons should be able to handle it.
posted by Ad hominem at 10:52 AM on March 29, 2011 [4 favorites]


Let us not forget: the rebellious reptile also enjoyed some sightseeing.

(Look, I hate snakes almost as much as I hate bad apostrophe placement, but that was great.)
posted by Madamina at 11:04 AM on March 29, 2011 [1 favorite]


haha i love the latest BronxZookeeper's post:

"Oh, like you've never lost anything."
posted by cristinacristinacristina at 11:44 AM on March 29, 2011 [7 favorites]


Damn teenagers!
posted by Mister_A at 1:42 PM on March 29, 2011


Just look inside the TV. That's where they always seem to end up.

Can you think of a warmer place in a hotel room?
posted by shakespeherian at 2:46 PM on March 29, 2011


Zoo statement with sentences reordered from most comforting to most frightening.
posted by zennie at 3:20 PM on March 29, 2011


Dear ABC News, it's venomous, not poisonous!

…unless you try and eat the venom sac.


Nope. (With minor caveats.)

Sorry, the venemous/ poisonous thing has been grating on my nerves since this story broke, leading to a lot of me shouting at TVs and coworkers. I don't know why it rankles me so, but there you have it.
posted by quin at 3:26 PM on March 29, 2011


I feel like this story should act as a cross-cultural exchange, bringing together the citizens of Florida and Australia, to come together as one and say "Man, New Yorkers are a bunch of wusses."
posted by Diablevert at 4:41 PM on March 29, 2011 [2 favorites]


Coming to the Fall 1987 prime time lineup: TEENAGE COBRA ON THE LOOSE!
posted by Sys Rq at 9:56 PM on March 29, 2011


it's venomous, not poisonous!

…unless you try and eat the venom sac.


Not even that.


I already done told you all when we were freaking out about the honey badger.


Speaking of which, where is that crazy fucker? Don't we have, like, a batsignal for the honey badger just in case this sort of thing happens?
posted by louche mustachio at 11:42 PM on March 29, 2011


Teenage Cobra on the Loose!
Broke out of that stinkin' zoo!
Teenage Cobra on the Loose!
Everybody's calling you!

Riding subways! Hailing cabs!
With your sidekick, Boxcar Bruce!
Catching bad guys! Catching crabs!
Teenage Cobraaaa!
Teenage Cobraaaa!
Teenage Cobraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
On the Loooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooose!!!!!!

posted by Sys Rq at 12:53 AM on March 30, 2011 [2 favorites]


There's got to be some kind of cross-cultural meme where Harry Potter talks him down off a ledge.
posted by arcticseal at 5:02 AM on March 30, 2011 [1 favorite]




And on the seventh day, she rested: The Bronx Zoo's Cobra has been found!
posted by Frank Grimes at 1:19 PM on March 31, 2011


Awww....

So meanwhile, the Bronx Zoo's twitter feed has 9,310 followers.

The Cobra has 198,965.
posted by zarq at 1:22 PM on March 31, 2011


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