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AIBU?

to be really scared and pissed off with the RSPCA.

242 replies

HelenaDove · 14/07/2015 01:20

Last Weds night a snake found its way into my kitchen. It was on the wall above the cooker.

I heard the saucepans ding and saw it, I freaked out i called the RSPCA. They asked loads of questions. They said it was a corn snake Im incredibly phobic. They told me to go round all my neighbours at midnight and ask if its someones pet. They refused to come out. So did the police when i phoned them. In desperation i phoned the council and got my third refusal. So DH tried to catch it to put it outside It was too fast and got through a hole in the kitchen floor. We filled the holes at the instruction of the RSPCA. My 65 year old husband with a heart condition had to try and deal with it I was and still am a wreck. RSPCA phoned at 8.30 am the next morning (Thurs) to ask if it was still there after telling me to "leave it" (they didnt give a fuck about the cat i told them i have) Didnt ask whether i have young children or a baby in a cot. During The Thurs morn phone call she told me to call again if the snake comes back. Well at midnight DH saw it trying to get through the venty bit in the window of the communal hallway and managed to gently shove it outside.
Phoned RSPCA again who again told me that they cant come out at this hour and can only come out during the daytime. Ive been living in fear since last Weds. Woman on Thurs promised me they would come out if it appeared again.

The guy on the phone tonight warned me that if the snake gets hurt i would be prosecuted.
But they WONT come out Im petrified Snakes are nocturnal FFS! My nerves are fucking bad. DH has had to take extra GTN spray


I googled earlier and found this. And they had the cheek to tell this couple it was "crossed wires" And like this couple we are in Essex too.



www.express.co.uk/news/uk/493358/Man-removes-five-foot-snake-from-kitchen

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HelenaDove · 14/07/2015 01:23

Im petrified crying and shaking

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AlpacaMyBags · 14/07/2015 01:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HelenaDove · 14/07/2015 01:24

I just dont like them Sorry.

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textfan · 14/07/2015 01:26

This reply has been deleted

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Epilepsyhelp · 14/07/2015 01:29

Don't like them is fine but don't panic or get all wound up, it won't hurt you, your family or your cat. Corn snakes are utterly harmless. I would definitely call a reptile rescue rather than the very understaffed RSPCA. I would note though they are an animal rescue charity not a public service.

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TellmeifIABU · 14/07/2015 01:30

The guy on the phone tonight warned me that if the snake gets hurt i would be prosecuted

But how would they know if the snake got hurt, or have sufficient evidence to prosecute you?

Snakes aren't exclusively nocturnal, as far as I know, but you're obviously not going to be able to rest tonight. Have you got anyone you can stay with tonight / cheap local hotel you could go to?

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Topseyt · 14/07/2015 01:37

I am not a fan of the RSPCA. Far too political and big for their boots.

Corn snakes are harmless, though I still wouldn't want one unchecked around my house.

Tell the RSPCA if you speak to them again that you will go to the local press about their treatment of you if they don't get their arses into gear.

Also, was it the Animal Warden you spoke to at the council? They are the ones for this, I would think. They aren't just for dogs. Might have an out of hours number, but otherwise I am afraid it is office hours.

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MidniteScribbler · 14/07/2015 01:41

Whilst I hate the ArseSPCA with a passion, this is not really their role. Try a local wildlife group or reptile rescue group.

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kali110 · 14/07/2015 01:41

Most likely someone has lost their pet Sad
I don't blame you for being scared though, i'm terrified of spiders! Im not the greatest lovers of snakes either though not bad with corn snakes it's the big ones that scare me!
Yanbu about the rspca though.
They.are.shit.
Years ago we found some dogs that had been tied up and dumped in the middle of the roads that resemble a motorway ( sorry non driver here!)
We rang them begging for help. We were worried incase they got loose and got ran over or caused an accident.
Nope. Would not help. Had nobody apparently.
There is an rspca guy a road away from us. We went round to him.
He wouldn't help either. Said couldn't we go get them. Angry
We did. Took them to an animal sanctuary.
Gave them one last chance when we found an injured baby bird. ( too injured to be left for mom)
Yet again didn't want to know.
I will not donate a penny to them.
I give to voluteer run sanctuaries now.
Nobody i know has a good word to
Say about them.

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Lurkedforever1 · 14/07/2015 01:41

Yanbu to point out the rspca as an organisation is useless at what it's meant to do.
Yabu to get annoyed that a fucking charity, ineffective as it may be, isn't pandering to your hysterical demands.
Would you ring the nspcc if there were teens nearby, demanding they come and remove them because you were having some unbalanced reaction to them?
And yabmassiveleyu to post 'petrified crying and shaking' on an online forum to attempt to convince us you are reasonable to hassle a charity under the delusion a corn snake is about to eat your child.

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manicinsomniac · 14/07/2015 01:42

I can sympathise with how you're feeling but, given that it's only a corn snake, the issue is your phobia, not the snake itself.

You wouldn't expect the RSPCA to come out for a spider or a wasp or anything else that some people have phobias of.

If it was a poisonous snake it would be a very, very different matter. As it stands, there is no actual danger and an over stretched charity can't be expected to come out because of an unfounded and unneeded dear (I know you can't help a phobia but that isn't the RSPCA's fault).

Is your husband frightened too? If not, why didn't he pick it up when he saw it and put it in a box? Then you wouldn't have been terrified wondering where it was.

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Username12345 · 14/07/2015 01:43

We have snakes in England now!? Since when Shock

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Lurkedforever1 · 14/07/2015 01:43

Omg just realised you also say you rang the police. Ywnbu to get a grip

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SilverBirchWithout · 14/07/2015 01:44

Corn snakes are very docile - do check out the Wikipedia page on them to set your mind at rest. Although I would be upset too, as snakes give me the willies even though logically I know they are wonderful creatures.

Get a plan of action together:

  1. Put leaflets through neighbours doors letting them know, you can work together to help sort this out and they may know someone who has lost their beloved pet.
  2. Snake proof your house as best as possible, block up vents and keep windows shut.
  3. Contact any local reptile fanciers if you can. Maybe phone the number in the Daily Express article.
  4. Try and keep as calm as possible for your DH's sake.
  5. Make sure all food sources are tidied away in sealed containers. Including your cats food, the smell might be attractive to the snake.
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Ledare · 14/07/2015 01:51

I wouldn't be able to sleep either, in fact it has ramped up my usual nighttime anxiety just reading, so Thanks

Barricade yourself in and arm yourself with a bucket and something to weigh it down with tomorrow. I would suggest a large Wine but you don't drink iirc. Hope someone else can offer more useful advice!

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Ledare · 14/07/2015 01:53

Not sure why people are under the impression that you have a baby either Confused

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Iliveinalighthousewiththeghost · 14/07/2015 02:02

Bit harsh Lurked. That unbalanced reaction is phobia, which does lead to crying and shaking.
Okay corn snakes are harmless as are spiders, but they still terrify a lot of people. Would you want one slithering around your house at night or anytime for that matter.

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TellmeifIABU · 14/07/2015 02:03

Not sure why people are under the impression that you have a baby either confused

I think the OP's inclusion of the detail about the RSPCA not asking her whether she had a baby in a cot has lead people to assume that she has got a baby. I've read the post a few times and I'm still not 100% clear on whether she does have a baby or not Confused

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Topseyt · 14/07/2015 02:06

There have always been snakes in England. Nothing new there. Grass snakes, corn snakes and adders have always been around.

Never had one in my house though.

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mintpoppet · 14/07/2015 02:13

Corn snakes aren't harmful so why would they come out. It would be a bit like me calling to ask them to come and get someone's pet guinea pig. They don't have the resources to do that every time. They aren't nocturnal. They are awake when they are warm. Buy a big plastic box and put some holes in it. Then when you see it again get your husband to catch it. You'll feel better when it's caught.

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Lurkedforever1 · 14/07/2015 02:14

Nothing wrong with having a phobia. But having a phobic reaction is not mutually exclusive with realising you are behaving irrationally. Hence it being a phobia, rather than if op had an anaconda when it would be a logical and reasonable fear. Acknowledging you have a phobia means also acknowledging it is illogical. If op had asked if she wbu to have a phobia I would agree nbu. But hassling a charity and the emergency services for what you admit is an irrational fear is not on, regardless of what emotive words you use to justify it.

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HelenaDove · 14/07/2015 02:14

I dont have a baby Just to be clear.

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Ledare · 14/07/2015 02:15

Oh, it is a bit ambiguous now that I've read it again. I do tend to remember names and facts about posters here but forget that not everyone wastes as much time on MN else does.

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SilverBirchWithout · 14/07/2015 02:27

Corn snakes are not native to the UK and ideally need to be kept at 25c, it is unlikely to be very active in the cooler nighttime temperatures.

I suspect it is an escaped pet. You talked about the communal hallway, have you checked around the neighbours at all?

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HelenaDove · 14/07/2015 02:33

Its not from this block. Each block is a block of 4 flats. The housing association arent too happy either.

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