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SOUTH WALES ARGUS (Gwent, UK) 21 December 05 Have you s-s-seen my snake?
There's a two-foot snake on the loose in a Gwent village, but don't panic, it's not poisonous.
Owner Sarah Wilkins, of Llanmartin, near Newport, has lost her pet, called Snakey, and is offering a reward of £50 for its safe return.
The two-foot red and yellow corn snake escaped via her front door ten days ago into Waltwood Park Drive.
The reptile measures only half an inch in circumference and is tame, non-venomous, and happy to be handled. Ms Wilkins, a 31-year-old civil servant, is desperate to be reunited with her pet.
"He's such a gentle thing," she said. "He used to snuggle around my neck and we'd sit and watch TV together.
"I keep on coming back from work and thinking he'll be waiting at the front door for me."
The wandering reptile made its bid for freedom when the door of its enclosure was opened at feeding time. "I went to the bathroom to fetch some water and when I came back he'd gone," explained its owner. "That was when I realised I'd left the front door open."
She said it had a reputation for being an escapee, and was in fact a stray when she took it into her home two months ago.
"My friend's cat discovered him hiding under rocks in his back garden in the Barrack Hill area," she explained.
Ms Wilkins offered advice on how to capture the snake if found: "All you need to do is cover it with a large container such as a washing basket and give me a call."
The corn snake is native to the woodlands of Central America. Naturally shy, it likes to hide under rocks and logs during the day and is known to be an excellent climber.
If you have spotted Snakey call Ms Wilkins on 01633 412358 or 07773 786227.
Have you s-s-seen my snake?

its probably still in the house. no snake would go outside into the cold if under a bookshelf was so much more warm and cozy

Plus if you put it into a laundry basket, it MIGHT possible crawl out through those holes on the side. Ever wonder why this snake escaped?
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phflame
kingsnake.com host

"woodlands of central america"

Yep, not the most accurate report. But considering the normal anti-reptile-keeping propaganda rife in the UK press, this report is really benign and sympathetic.

The usual routine is for the RSPCA to contact the press and feed them some guff about 30 foot, baby-eating escapees that shouldn't be approached for fear of attack etc.

If the RSPCA had been anywhere near this story, you could have expected some statement along the lines of "The escaped snake isn't THOUGHT to pose a danger to humans". Neatly implying that:

a) there is some doubt and it could actually still be deadly
and
b) it's probably dangerous to everything other than humans and will therefore stalk, maim, kill and eat your cat/dog/Vietnamese Pot-Bellied Pig if left unattended.

Merely getting the snake's home territory wrong, is a pretty forgiveable error under the circumstances!

n/p
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phflame
kingsnake.com host