Stockport couple find snake in their oven
The escaped African Brown House snake was attracted to the heat
An elderly couple in Stockport have had a fright after they found a three foot snake in their oven.
The 82-year-old woman was about to put some chips on when she spotted the reptile wrapped around the grill.
They called the RSPCA and an inspector was sent to their home in Hazel Grove, but he couldn’t find the runaway reptile. So he advised them to call again if it re-appeared.
Two days later on Friday (Sept 28) they went to cook some chips and as they opened the oven door, the African brown house snake was back.
The 82-year-old woman, who does not want to be named, said: “When I opened the oven door and saw it I got the shock of my life. I have recently had a cataract operation and was wondering if my eyes were deceiving me - but my husband saw it too
“We are big animal lovers and just wanted to make sure the snake was safe so we were pleased that he was rescued by the RSPCA.
“I gave the inspector a big hug and a cup of tea afterwards but I went off the idea of oven chips so sent my husband to the Fish and Chip shop instead.”
Inspector Andy Harris was called to the scene and was surprised to see the size of the snake.
He said: “When I arrived I expected to find a small corn snake but this snake was quite long - at least three foot. It was an African brown house snake, which is a non-venomous species, so I suspect that he is a pet that has escaped or been abandoned.
“I managed to coax the snake from the oven and was able to safely get hold of it with specialist equipment and then contain it securely.
“It must have squeezed through a wall cavity of this couple’s home and there is a hole at the back of the oven where the gas jets come up so was probably attracted by the warmth. It was lucky the couple didn’t pre-heat the oven first.”
Many of the snakes that the RSPCA’s officers are called to collect are thought to be escaped pets. The RSPCA would always recommend owners invest in an enclosure suitable for the particular species and that the enclosure is kept secure (and locked if necessary) when unattended to prevent accidental escape.
This species of snake is often very nervous, but is not prone to biting. They are frequently found in and around human dwellings in Africa, where they consume rodents, small lizards, and even birds.
It is not known if the snake is male or female at this stage so it has been given the unisex name Sammy by a reptile keeper who will now care for the snake (pictured on their hand).
The RSPCA would always recommend that anyone who sees a stray exotic snake - to keep a safe distance, call our helpline on 0300 1234 999 and monitor the animal until we can get there.