A Massive Snake Found Its Way Into an Iowa Department Store

As someone terrified of snakes, I feel like I've had this nightmare in the past. The good news is, the real story had a far better ending than my nightmare probably did.

This weekend, shoppers and employees of a Target store in Sioux City, IA were aghast to find a six-foot long boa constrictor snakes in a shopping cart. At this time, it's unclear whether or a customer or worker noticed the animal first, and how it got into the story remains a theory too.

Per Newsweek, it's believed that the snake, a male red-tailed boa constrictor, found its way into a shopping cart while it was stationed outside in a cart corral before a customer unknowingly wheeled it into the store. Animal control was called to the Target store at 11:30am on Saturday, where they were able to wrangle the snake.

The animal was taken to the Sioux City Animal Adoption and Rescue Center. It's unknown who it belongs to. A local police officer told Newsweek that boas are indeed legal within city limits, so whomever owned it isn't necessarily barred from having it in Sioux City.

A representative from the Sioux City Animal Adoption and Rescue Center confirmed that the snake will be in good hands at the center:

We're gonna put it in a rescue as soon as its hold time is up. We're taking care of him, he's doing good. He's nice and warm, we have the heat lamps on him and he's been fed. - per Newsweek

Columbian red-tailed boas can live for about 20 years in the wild, and around 40 years (!) under human care. The average male boa like the one found in Sioux City can weigh anywhere from 15 to 23 pounds.

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However, Sioux City animal control officials believe the snake was intentionally placed into the shopping cart before somehow being brought into the store. I suppose the only way to truly determine the truth is combing through Target parking lot and entrance security footage.

Find out more about the mysterious boa constrictor found in a Sioux City Target on Newsweek.