There are many things we would assume to find in the kitchen. Things like bread, eggs, and milk. However, a five-foot python didn’t seem to be on this family’s shopping list! However, when they got home, that’s exactly what they found in their kitchen!
Python Sighted in South London
Red-tail boa can live up to 30 years in the wild.
©Jan Hejda/Shutterstock.com
It was reported that on September 13, 2023, a family found a python curled up in their kitchen in South London. The family’s nanny was the fortunate one to find this python. He found his way to the boiler in the kitchen, most likely looking for the warmth this boiler brought to it.
The nanny called the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA). The RSPCA sent out an animal rescue officer, Abigail Campbell, to safely remove this python. It was reported that this was a red-tailed boa.
“I gave him a nudge just to make sure he wasn’t aggressive, but he was very calm and allowed me to pick him up with no problem, although he did cling on to the boiler pipe very tightly. He was very strong,” Campbell continued.
They assumed this python could have come in from the garden because there was a hole in the wall nearby.
“He was very chilled and became somewhat lively once he had been picked up, looking around and smelling the air,” Campbell said, adding that “he was placed in a snake bag, where he chilled out again and curled up.”
How Many Snakes Are in the United Kingdom?
Common European adder (Vipera berus) is the only venomous snake in the U.K.
©Holm94/Shutterstock.com
When we look at snakes in general, we would probably be amazed to find out there are 3,500 species of snakes in the entire world. Don’t worry; we won’t go through all of those today. But you can read about them here if you’re interested!
The RSPCA states that there are three native snake species in the United Kingdom, one of whom is venomous. The three are the following: adder (Vipera berus), grass snake (Natrix helvetica), and smooth snake (Coronella austriaca).
Of these three, the adder (Vipera berus) is the venomous species. They are also commonly known as the common European viper.
Woodland Trust in the U.K. adds the following about adders, “These snakes are shy creatures that will naturally retreat from humans. It is rare for adders to bite people, but this can happen if humans try to handle them or accidentally step on them. Adder bites are rarely fatal, but can be very painful.”
