The escaped Mexican black kingsnake has been detained in Elephant and Castle after a young family discovered it in their study.
Anthony Poggo was visiting his daughter Faith Poggo at her Oswin Street home when he “almost stepped on” the three-foot-long constrictor at around 8pm yesterday evening (Friday, June 30).
The “totally harmless” jet-black serpent had been evading residents ever since it was first spotted slithering through a back garden on Tuesday, June 27.
Despite experts’ assurances that the snake was not dangerous to humans, it had still been putting local residents on edge.
Anthony’s wife Jane Namurye said: “It was so scary. It has been in the neighbourhood for quite a while… so we were all very alert and on the lookout and suddenly it came to the house.
“It was next to the study and then my husband spotted it… he almost stepped on it… my husband was making sure it didn’t go anywhere and we closed it in the bathroom.”
She called local councillor Maria Linforth-Hall for help who said: “It was panic because people were very frightened. When I arrived, the whole family were in the street.”
Cllr Linforth-Hall called the National Centre for Reptile Welfare who sent out their local contact Peter Prodromou – a conservationist and adventurer.
He and his eleven-year-old son Mason arrived at the home and found the snake coiled around a bathroom door handle.
Peter said: “I’ve been rescuing my snakes my whole life. We don’t often have problematic snakes in the UK – it’s disproportionately dogs and cats!”
His son took the snake and carefully put it into a box before transporting it to the reptile centre.
“The community were lovely, the councillor was lovely and Mason was really happy nobody tried to hurt the snake. The snake is captured,” he said.
Chris Newman, from the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, received the snake, which lives off small animals like mice, this morning (Saturday, July 1).
He said: “The snake is very tame and very docile so it’s obviously somebody’s pet.”
They are still waiting for an owner to come forward to whom they will return the snake if they can prove ownership – once assured that it won’t escape again.
“They’re worth about £300 so sometimes people will try and claim a snake that doesn’t belong to them,” Chris explained.
Mexican black kingsnakes, which are native to Central and North America, do not have venom and kill their small prey by strangulation.
According to everythingreptiles.com, they make good pets because they have simple diets and don’t mind being handled.
If the snake belongs to you call the National Centre for Reptile Welfare on 07897692060.