Wild video shows a brave reptile wrangler calmly climbing into a dumpster in just jeans and a T-shirt to capture a 20-foot python with his bare hands.
Joseph Hart was seen casually hopping into the dumpster after locals spotted the terrifying-looking snake slithering loose last week in a Los Angeles apartment complex.
With no tools or protective clothing, Hart then calmly steps over to where the python sat on top of the dumpster — patiently waiting for the right moment to gently grab it just below the head, so it could not bite him.
He then hopped out, tenderly allowing the rescued reptile to wrap around him as onlookers marveled.
Hart shared video of his amazing capture to social media, excitedly talking about the chance for “some good old-fashioned reptile wrangling.”
“This poor snake, who we’ve named ‘Apples,’ was left in a small bin container in a dumpster at an apartment complex in downtown LA,” he wrote.
The stunned resident who discovered the slippery intruder originally called the cops and the fire department, before Hart was alerted.
The snake may have been abandoned by her owner because she was suffering from a bacterial infection known as mouth rot, said Hart, 24, who calls himself the “Reptile Hunter” on social media.
“This breaks my heart because the previous owner was most likely overwhelmed with the idea of treating the medical condition, as vet bills can be pricey. But dumping or abandoning the animal is no solution either,” he said.
Apples was due to be put down, but is now set to make a full recovery in just three months.
“Apples is on her way to a fast recovery and I promise I will do everything I can to make sure she does. I hope that she spends the rest of her great long life as an educator animal with us here at Reptile Hunter,” Hart said.
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