MOSCOW MILLS, Mo. — A two-day snake show near St. Louis was forced to close down Sunday after a deadly Egyptian cobra was discovered missing, organizers said.
The “Venom Fest” show in Moscow Mills, Missouri, showcases between 200 to 300 snakes, some of them venomous, KTVI reported.
Snakes were not allowed out of their containers for any reason at the Tri-County Sports Center in Moscow Mills, the Riverfront Times reported.
Mickey Meyers, of Show-Me Reptiles, believed that the snake did not escape on its own.
“They’re all in sealed containers. That’s what’s making it very difficult to believe that this was a mistake,” Meyer told KTVI. “The snake didn’t put the lid back on and the snake didn’t move its container two feet.”
The Venom Fest event was previously held in Festus, but the Festus City Council voted not to bring the festival back to the city, located south of St. Louis, the Times reported.
The St. Louis Herpetological Society, which focuses on educating the public about reptiles, has had education booths several snake shows, but not at Venom Fest events, KTVI reported.
“They’re beautiful animals … We just didn’t want to be associated with it,” Bill Keith, a member of the St. Louis Herpetological Society, told the television station. “We thought it was a bad idea because so much can go wrong. We support these guys wanting to keep these animals, that’s fine.”
Missouri snake show 'Venom Fest' shut down after cobra disappears https://t.co/DPAbJTICDF
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While Venom Fest officials have not specifically commented about any snakes getting loose, its Facebook page on Sunday had a message that stated, “We are experiencing difficulties at the venue today and will be opening later.”
Vincent Price, who operates Vincent Price Venomous Exotics, told the Times, “It would make a lot more sense if the entire container was missing.”
“When it comes to venomous snakes, you don’t just pocket them,” Price told the newspaper.
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