Trailer park urges residents not to talk about 13-foot cat-eating python

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KFOR) – Management of a south Oklahoma City mobile home park urged its residents this week not to speak out about a 13-foot-long cat-eating albino python still in the neighborhood.

Residents of Burntwood Mobile Home Park claim the park’s management knew about the python since June and did nothing.

“The only reason they finally did something was because a resident snapped a picture of it,” said a resident wanting to remain anonymous in fear of eviction from management. He had been living in the park for 10 years. “Them sending out a warning to us to not talk to media, it’s intimidation all the way.”

Over the last couple of months, residents say they have been concerned by the number of cats missing from the neighborhood. Then, a picture of the yellow albino python slithering near one of the homes gained traction online.

The snake was originally thought to be 5 feet long and a ball python. But when an expert was hired, he told Nexstar’s KFOR that it was a reticulated python and was around 13 feet long and eating the cats.

Trevor Bounds, of Red Beard Wildlife Control, was hired to take care of the snake and said they are waiting until repairs to the siding are done by the park before they can get in there.

Bounds told KFOR on Sunday that the snake had been eating cats in the park for the last five months to survive. Several residents say that management knew about the snake and never warned them or tried to get rid of it until recently.

“You can tell he’s been there awhile when you see all around the house he’s at. There are signs of him being there through rain and in the heat,” said Bounds.

Since the story first broke, management has been sending alerts to its residents not to talk to the media about the python or the problems it brings.

“The trailer that the snake is at is just a couple blocks near the pool, and they closed that this summer, but we had no clue why,” said the anonymous resident. “They knew that this snake was out and that having residents in the pool might not be the safest choice.”

Early last week, an alert from management stated: “We have had a few media outlets attempt to interview our residents regarding this issue. Must be a slow news week! If you are contacted by the media, you are encouraged to ask them to leave the community immediately and give them no comments.”

Another alert was sent out early this week urging residents to give no comments and to tell media to leave immediately.

KFOR was asked to leave three times last Friday when trying to get a response from management in regards to the massive python. On Wednesday, KFOR tried several more times to get a response or answers but was eventually kicked off the property.

The park is owned by Yes! Communities. An email and a phone call were made to their media relations department, but KFOR has yet to hear back.

Off the property, a man in a Yes! Communities shirt spoke with KFOR saying that staff only knew about the snake when the picture was posted and gained traction. He also said the length of the snake was more likely 5 feet long and that it was contained to a single trailer home.

As of Wednesday, the snake was still on the property somewhere.