The young woman kept a huge python at home. One day, her pet began acting strangely: it stopped eating and started wrapping itself around her waist more and more often — until, at last, she discovered something terrifying about her beloved companion.

The python’s name was Saffron — for the golden spots on its smooth scales. The girl had taken it in three years earlier, and soon the snake became almost a member of the family. Her relatives warned: “It’s a predator, be careful.” But she laughed: “Don’t worry, she’s tame and gentle.”

Over time, the python’s behavior changed. It stopped eating, slept beside her at night, and stretched its body along hers — head near her shoulder, tail near her feet — sometimes wrapping around her waist as if “measuring” something.

During the day, it lay near her bed, motionless, watching her breathe. At night, it climbed up, touched her skin with its tongue, and pressed on her chest. One night she woke up to a loud hiss and rushed to the vet.

The vet explained calmly:

“She’s not showing affection. She’s measuring you to see if she can eat you. Those hugs are constriction practice.”

Terrified, the woman handed Saffron over to reptile experts, where the python would be safely cared for — and she finally free from danger.