What Would You Do if You Found a Snake Hiding in Your Kitchen Cupboard?
Published Aug. 31 2023, 9:58 a.m. ET
Of all the places where you might expect to see a snake curled up, your kitchen pantry is likely not the first one to come to mind. According to A-Z Animals, its estimated that around 85 percent of global snakes are non-venomous, but that doesn't make them any less welcome inside the home.
In August 2023 in Queensland, Australia, one homeowner found a snake in a kitchen cupboard. If the idea of a snake in your kitchen makes your skin crawl (at least that's my reaction), don't worry! The homeowner wasn't harmed. Here's what happened to the carpet python and the people involved.
The coastal carpet python after being captured.
There was a snake found in a kitchen cupboard in Australia.
On Aug. 24, 2023, the Brisbane North Snake Catchers and Relocation organization posted about a snake found in a kitchen cupboard on their Facebook page. The group identified the snake as a coastal carpet python. Thankfully, these are non-venomous snakes.
The Facebook page didn't give the homeowner's name, only that their home was in Joyner, in Queensland, Australia. Steve Brown, a snake catcher with the Brisbane North Snake Catchers and Relocation, told Newsweek that it was unclear how long the snake had been in the house. "The snake was in the kitchen and ventured into the pantry where they shut the door to make for an easy catch."
If it sounds like this homeowner was unusually calm about finding a surprise resident in the kitchen, Brown explained to Newsweek that "The customer was a little startled when it was first seen." It sounds like they didn't interfere with the snake since it moved into the pantry on its own, and then they had the presence of mind to close that door. Brown said, "The snake was fairly easy to remove."
Another snake was found in a kitchen in the U.K.
Also in August 2023, a two-foot snake was found in a kitchen in Waterhead, Oldham, according to ILoveManchester.com. David Cottingham, an animal rescue officer with the RSPCA, responded to the incident.
In this instance, the kitchen critter was a corn snake, and Cottingham looked for the snake's owner by canvassing the neighborhood and checking for a microchip. This snake ended up being adopted into a new home.
Here's what to do if you find a snake in your home.
Fortunately for this Australian resident, the coastal carpet python in their home was non-venomous, so the people weren't in great danger. However, the average person might not be able to distinguish between a venomous and non-venomous snake, so it's best to leave all snakes alone.
The Humane Society of the U.S. states that if you encounter a snake you should contact your local animal control agency. In addition, the Humane Society notes that if a snake is outdoors and non-venomous, you can leave it alone, but a snake found indoors needs to be removed.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, or RSPCA, agrees that you should not disturb native snakes found in the wild. However, the group advises to contact the RSPCA and "keep your distance" if you find a non-native snake.
