A man removing an electric fire in a house renovation was left 'gobsmacked' at what he found behind the fireplace.
The landlord, who was developing a property on Peckers Hill Road in St Helens, went to remove the electric fire to replace it - and was "gobsmacked" to find a 4ft desert kingsnake curled up behind it.
The snake, which is native to Arizona, New Mexico, Texas and Mexico is known for consuming small mammals, birds and reptiles, such as rattlesnakes.
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Unsure what to do, the landlord called the RSPCA for advice and animal rescuer inspector Anthony Joynes was sent to the scene.
The ECHO understands that this is the third snake the RSPCA have collected in recent days - with one being spotted on top of a fridge in another house in the town.
Anthony said: "I was quite surprised at the size of the snake, which is a non-venomous species, and the fact that it is in such good condition makes me suspect that it is a pet that has escaped.
"It is a more unusual species of snake for us to see and their diet consists of rodents, small birds, frogs, lizards and smaller snakes including rattlesnakes.
"I am not sure how it managed to get behind the fire but snakes are adept at squeezing through gaps and getting into wall cavities."
On Wednesday, the RSPCA were called to collect a snake from a house on Pimblett Road, St Helens, after a shocked member of the public spotted a rat snake on top of a fridge in the kitchen
Inspector Helen Smith was sent to the scene to collect the snake, which feeds mainly on rodents. The snake was found to be in good condition, but was very cold so needed warming up.
The rat snake’s worried owner later came forward and said the snake had "escaped when she was cleaning out her vivarium."
On July 6, a Royal Python was also seen slithering across a road at Mowpen Brow in Knutsford. A member of the public saw the python and placed a container over it to keep it safe and again Anthony was sent to collect the snake.
Anthony said: "The two snakes have been taken into RSPCA care and will be rehomed soon with a specialist keeper if we’re unable to find their owners."
Have you ever discovered any exotic animals in your home? Let us know in the comments section.
The RSPCA said it collects more snakes over the summer months and that it is possible that some of these are escapees becoming more active in warmer weather.
It is also possible that this could be due to snakes having more opportunity to escape, if owners take them outside to take advantage of the natural sunlight. It is good for reptiles to be allowed the opportunity for natural sunlight, however we would urge owners to ensure that their reptile is kept secure when doing so, as reptiles can warm up and become very quick to move on a sunny day.
The RSPCA would always recommend owners invest in an enclosure suitable for the particular species and that the enclosure is kept secure (and locked if necessary) when unattended to prevent accidental escape.
It is possible to microchip snakes and the RSPCA would recommend that owners ask their exotics vet to do this, so that snakes can be easily reunited if lost and found.
The RSPCA would always recommend that anyone who sees a stray exotic snake - to keep a safe distance, call our helpline on 0300 1234 999 and monitor the animal until we can get there.
For more information about snakes and their care, please visit the RSPCA’s website.
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