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This story was corrected on Sept. 10, 2009. An explanation is at the end of the story.

A 3-foot-long snake is on the loose in Gaithersburg.

Christian Pitillo of Gaithersburg was pet-sitting for a friend and noticed one of the animals, a Columbian red-tailed boa, had gotten out of its cage when he went to the apartment to feed it Friday, Pitillo said Monday. The snake was in a homemade cage that had weights on top but no latch, he said.

The snake exited the apartment in Rosewood Condominiums on Streamside Drive through a sliding door that was cracked for the owner's cat, Pitillo said. The snake was last seen Thursday on Streamside Drive by neighbors, he said.

Neighbors estimated the length of the snake as 3 feet, while Montgomery County Humane Society spokeswoman b j Altschul put it at closer to 4 feet.

Columbian red-tailed boas are found in Central and South America and on average grow 6 feet to 9 feet long, according to the Oakland (Calif.) Zoo's Web site. They are not venomous.

"A 4-foot snake is not dangerous. It can bite, as can other snakes," said Glenn Therres, associate director of Maryland's Wildlife and Heritage Service. "It's a fairly common animal in the pet trade. It can get much bigger, but if it's not caught it's unlikely to make it through the winter here."

Pitillo is offering a $100 reward for the snake. Residents who spot the snake should call Pitillo at 301-370-5252 and should not attempt to catch it themselves. Residents who know the exact location of the snake can also contact the county animal emergency number at 240-773-5900.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly reported what type of snake was missing.