North American Corn Snake Found In Britain Home's Dining Room

KEY POINTS

The orange corn snake was spotted in the corner of the dining room
An RSPCA inspector said it must have been someone's pet
Corn snakes resemble the venomous copperhead but they aren't typically harmful to humans

A North American snake that slithered into the dining room of a home in Britain has been rescued after terrified residents called the police.

The authorities responded to the scene after someone called them about the sighting in the Lincoln, England home. The caller told authorities that the reptile had settled itself into the corner of the dining room and was not moving, UPI reported.

Cops informed The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) about the sighting. An inspector from the organization arrived and identified the orange-colored foot-long snake as a corn snake, a North American species which vaguely resembles the venomous copperhead.

Corn snakes aren't venomous and are rather helpful to humans because they prey on pests that destroy crops. However, corn snakes are often killed by people who mistake them for the deadly copperhead.

"It must have been a bit of a shock for this member of the public to find a snake inside their house. I think it was probably the last thing they were expecting to find! He's a little underweight which makes me think he's been missing or possibly abandoned for a while and had probably been living under their floorboards," UPI quoted inspector Kate Burris, who rescued the snake, as saying.

The RSPCA assumed that the corn snake might be a pet of someone living nearby, who it hoped would reach out to them soon to claim the reptile. It also reminded snake owners to be more responsible and ensure that their pets won't be able to escape.

"As there is a possibility that this snake has escaped, it is a timely reminder to snake owners that they must ensure that their animals' accommodation is secure," Burris said. "We would always recommend owners invest in an enclosure that's suitable for the species and that the enclosure is kept secure (and locked if necessary) when unattended. Corn snakes in particular can be extremely good escape artists and will take the opportunity of a gap in an enclosure door, or a loose-fitting lid."