to be really scared and pissed off with the RSPCA.

[HelenaDove]

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

[Lurkedforever1]

And no, apart from concerns for its welfare and the novelty of an unusual to me species, it wouldn't bother me in the slightest having a harmless snake loose, because I'm not phobic about them. If you are phobic though it's absolutely fine for you to run round screaming, move out, emigrate or whatever else way you wish to do. It is not ok though to expect outside organisations to make special exceptions for you because of your phobia.

[HelenaDove]

OP Here Phew this thread really exploded overnight.
Re, housing association......despite not wanting to come out last Weds night the RSPCA were making noises about wanting to take up my kitchen floor last Thursday. And the HA would have needed to know because....err its their property.(as many MNers are so ready to remind us social housing tenants. ) So i had to tell them And why should i risk eviction for a pet thats not mine or my choice to have.

As for putting cat food in containers. My cat gets hungry in the night and wants to get up and eat SHE COMES FIRST SHE LIVES HERE!

Putting up posters asking if anyone is missing a snake. .....usually if its any other pet that goes missing the OWNER puts up posters asking if anyone has seen their beloved pet.
I wasnt aware that the rules for reptile owners were different and absolves them of any personal responsibility.
Last night the snake had curled up under the eaves outside the window of communal hallway. I rang RSPCA this morning who told me to monitor it and that they MAY be able to come out.
The council rang me back this morning and told me it was being passed to Environmental Protection.

I rang Environmental and then the council dog warden phoned me and told me he has a friend who works in a reptile house and within minutes of this call they were here to rescue it.

The young man from the reptile house managed to lean out of the window and touch it and said "Its dead i think.

But he wanted to make absolutely sure so he touched it until it finally moved slightly. He had to wait for the warden who turned up seconds later and then he deftly but gently removed it from the eaves where it curled around his arm trying to get warm. "its really too cold for it " he said

As they were leaving around the other side of the flats i saw them talking to someone who had obviously called out to them from an upstairs window. Warden rang me later It turned out this was the owner so they returned the snake to him.

Its only three windows down which means the owner must have heard me last Weds night when i opened my living room window and shouted out TWICE "if anyone has lost a snake can they come and get it back please"


But i now have the number of the reptile house in case it happens again.

[HelenaDove]

i cancelled the RSPCA while the snake handler was here just in case they decided to come out after all.

im STILL trying to get hold of the HA to let them know that their property wont have to taken apart after all but they are busy.

[FenellaFellorick]

I'm glad that the snake is gone. You must be hugely relieved.

[gamerchick]

Poor thing I hope it's warming up nicely now.

[sweetgrape]

The RSPCA might have a policy of not coming out to stray animals.However in the case of a snake exceptions should be made. It's a rare occurrence and snakes aren't exactly top of people's choice of pets. Many many people are repelled by snakes and the RSPCA should realise this and act on it. They're saying they won't come but at the same time telling her not to harm it. What do they want her to do, play music to it and sit up all night waiting for it to slither past so she can stroke it's head.

[sweetgrape]

Sorry, cross post. Glad it's all sorted.

[HelenaDove]

No worries sweetgrape Completely agree.

[Icimoi]

How do you know your neighbour must have heard you when you shouted? They might not have been in, they might have had their windows closed, they might have been on the other side of their property/in the loo/asleep.

Now, if you had done as suggested and put a few posters up, there's an excellent chance that the neighbour would have seen that and this whole issue would have been resolved days ago. It's pointless saying the neighbour should have put a poster up, you're the one who is making an issue of it.

[MotheringShites]

Just offering my sympathy OP. I am utterly phobic. Just reading some of this has set my pulse racing. It would be my nightmare. Glad it's sorted.

[CrabbyTheCrabster]

Its only three windows down which means the owner must have heard me last Weds night when i opened my living room window and shouted out TWICE "if anyone has lost a snake can they come and get it back please"

Or he might have been
a) out
b) in the bath
c) listening to music
d) half under the floorboards looking for his snake?

[CrabbyTheCrabster]

Cross-posted Ici.

[HelenaDove]

Icimoi they waited until the warden and the handler were leaving and then called out to them from their window.

Now either they are psychic or they were watching and waiting for everyone else to run around after them and their choice.

[NadiaWadia]

Glad it's sorted out for you at last, Helena. I would have been absolutely freaking out too!

[HelenaDove]

The snake was cold Why didnt THEY put posters up. Could it be because they are worried about what the HA might think.

[Lurkedforever1]

Glad the snakes ok op and for all I've said yabu glad you've got it resolved.
Because sweet even if we make the wild assumption the rspca is living up to its aims, it's aims do not and should not include considering what is best to individual people.

[CrabbyTheCrabster]

I'm starting to regret taking the time and effort to post helpfully upthread now.

waiting for everyone else to run around after them and their choice.
WTF is that supposed to mean?

If he'd looked out of the window prior to them catching the snake, how would he have known what they were doing?

He might not have put posters up because a lot of people get hysterical at the thought of a loose snake and would have a go at him. Plus, most escaped snakes don't leave their own house/flat and he was probably hoping it would turn up.

Many years ago I lost my royal python for 3 months. It never occurred to me to put up posters. She was in my flat the whole time, I think.

[HelenaDove]

I never wanted anything bad to happen to the snake.

[CrabbyTheCrabster]

Oh and btw, in relation to your thread title, YABVU to be pissed off with the RSPCA. They are not a 24hr callout service for ophidiophobics.

[gamerchick]

Or maybe THEY didn't know it was missing till that morning.

its a really sucky attitude I'm gleaning from your posts OP. Aren't you glad that it hasn't died? If it was your cat that was missing and somebody phobic allowed it to freeze to near death then blamed you would you understand why they didn't help it?

[sweetgrape]

Well what are it's aims then Lurked?

[HelenaDove]

I didnt ALLLOW it to freeze to near death. I told the RSPCA it was outside. When i told the council this they acted quickly There was also the possibility that my cat might attack the snake. And my cat was indoors by this point because thats where she wanted to be.

[BarbarianMum]

Glad it's been caught. I actually quite like snakes and I still wouldn't relish the thought of one loose in the house. And blaming the OP for any harm it came to whilst on the loose is frankly ridiculous - she didn't club it or poison it or anything.

[No134]

I think next time you need to avail yourself of this service:

newsthump.com/2015/07/14/government-advises-using-pack-of-hounds-to-remove-mice-wasps-and-bats-from-homes/

[SilverBirchWithout]

I really regret trying to offer sensible advice earlier in the thread.

Shouting out the window - has anyone lost a snake , really?

Actually the RSPCA were quite helpful. Able to identify the snake for you, offering to come and dig up the floor etc.

Sounds like the OP is quite self-entitled in my opinion, particularly with the comments about not her responsibility to check neighbours hadn't lost a snake.