Race against time: Experts say missing Quebec pythons won’t survive cold temperatures

Two pythons on the lam in Quebec are in a race against Mother Nature as temperatures begin to dip in the coming weeks.

One expert said it’s already pretty cold for the two fugitives and that their survival depends on them being found before the first frost, which typically comes in early October in Montreal.

“With the first freeze, [they’re] going to freeze, [they’re] not going to make it,” said Bry Loyst, curator at the Indian River Reptile Zoo near Peterborough, Ont.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "With the first freeze, [they're] going to freeze, [they're] not going to make it," said Bry Loyst, curator at the Indian River Reptile Zoo near Peterborough, Ont.

“If it doesn’t freeze to death it’ll catch pneumonia and die shortly thereafter.”

This week, authorities informed residents of a second python on the loose in Quebec – this time in Saint-Eustache, just north of Montreal.

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Local police spokesman Normand Brulotte said the orange and beige snake is less than one metre long and is not venomous.

It is believed to be trying to find a warm place to hide.

“The specialists have told us that with colder nights, the chances of survival are slim,” said Brulotte.

“They need a lot of heat so it won’t survive too long on the streets.”

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READ MORE: Lady the python lost inside walls of Verdun home; opens a Twitter account

The snake is the second to have disappeared in the Montreal area since late August.

A royal python named Lady was reported missing on Aug. 25 after escaping from a home in the Montreal’s Verdun borough.

Lady was seen a few days later but gave animal-control officials the slip after they thought they had it cornered under a home.

While on the loose, Lady opened a Twitter account that has since garnered hundreds of followers (there is no word yet on whether the Saint-Eustache python will follow her lead).

WATCH BELOW: Python lost in wall of Verdun home

2:00 Python lost in wall of Verdun home

Royal pythons, also known as ball pythons, are not considered dangerous and often eat small rodents.

They are generally kept as pets in a terrarium or enclosure, Loyst said.

When snakes are on the loose, they are not necessarily looking to secure their freedom, Loyst added.

“A ball python that gets out doesn’t necessarily want to get outside, it just wants to go somewhere that is fairly warm and comfortable and wait for food to come along,” said Loyst.

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Snakes can go long periods without eating – months and months in some cases.

Most pet pythons are fed weekly by their owners.

Even current temperatures are cold for snakes who originate from Africa.

“He’s probably not looking to eat, he’s probably just looking to hide,” Loyst said, referring to the Saint-Eustache snake, whose gender has not been identified.