Irish Women Untucks Her Bed Covers and Is Shocked to Find a Snake Tucked In

As a child, you may have had your parents inspect your room for monsters under the bed. After all, that was one of the prime places for them to hide and terrify unsuspecting kids. But, one would expect those bedtime terrors would cease during adulthood. Unfortunately, a woman in Dublin discovered that was not the case. On September 8, an unsuspecting woman pulled back her bedsheets only to discover an unwanted visitor. Instead of cozy sheets waiting to get slept in, she found a large California kingsnake. The yellow creature had crawled into her bed while she was away.

The woman called the local police, who responded and retrieved the animal. They brought it to a pet store. All parties involved suspect the snake belongs to someone in the city and escaped its cage. So, the pet store hopes to find the kingsnake’s owner.

They put out a Facebook post requesting that everyone spread the word about the missing California kingsnake. Hopefully, someone will come forward to collect their pet. 

For now, those in Dublin will likely check their beds a little more closely than usual just to be sure another one isn’t out there.

Where Do California Kingsnakes Live?

As you may suspect from the name, California Kingsnakes (Lampropeltis californiae) aren’t native to Ireland. Aside from any pets, they don’t live overseas. This slithering animal is native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico.

While they are commonly found in California, the California kingsnake also lives in neighboring states. They live in Nevada, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Colorado. It also isn’t picky about its environment. This snake enjoys deserts, wooded areas, marshes, and grasslands. 

There is only an estimated population size. No one knows exactly how many there are in the world. And that estimation varies greatly. Some suggest 10,000, while others believe the number is closer to 100,000. 

How Big Do They Get?

This reptile looks like it is on the large side. It is actually only a medium-sized snake, though. Juveniles are around two feet long when they hatch. Adults typically reach between two and four feet (60.96 to 121.92 centimeters) long. However, some have grown as long as seven feet! 

Since most only reach medium-size, they make popular pets. Many people find this snake species is happy in a larger aquarium, which is likely what the Dublin snake escaped from!

But don’t let their size or appearance fool you. California kingsnakes are not venomous. So they are safe to have around, just not in your bed.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © MattiaATH/Shutterstock.com

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