Invasion of the Rat Snakes II - UK Press Item

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Posted by Wes von Papine�u on June 14, 2000 at 20:06:12:

Steven Cooper and daughter Jayde, 2, welcome back Rock, their beard rat snake who went missing for six months.

SOUTHERN REPORTER (Selkirk, Scottish Borders, UK) 08 June 00 Missing snake had just slipped into something more comfortable (Duncan Smith)
A Tweedbank woman got the shock of her life at the weekend when she opened her underwear drawer to be confronted by a six-foot long snake coiled amongst her knickers.
Anne Todd, a domestic at Galashiels Nursing Home, was getting ready for work on Saturday morning in her new home in Stobshaw Terrace when she made the startling discovery. Still trembling from the encounter, Mrs Todd immediately called the police and SSPCA, who arrived and removed the unwelcome serpent to an animal rescue centre at Earlston.
After the drama had died down, it was discovered that the snake was in fact a harmless copper-coloured beard rat snake owned by the previous occupant of the house.
Steven Cooper, 32, took the 1-and a half-year-old snake as a pet from the Reptile Rescue Centre at Penicuik last July. However, Rock, as he was called, went missing in December, sparking a frantic search.
"We looked high and low for a number of weeks but couldn't find him anywhere," said Steven this week. "I even pulled up most of the floorboards and took apart our fitted kitchen but to no avail. We assumed he must have got out and, because it was so cold, we were resigned to the fact he had probably died."
Four weeks ago, Steven, his wife Irene, and five children, moved to a new house at Hareshaw Bank in the village, little realising that one member of the family had been left behind!
Anne Todd, husband David, and daughter Sharon moved into the Coopers' old home only last Saturday.
Anne explained: "It was early in the morning, my husband was already away to work, and I was getting ready. I opened my underwear drawer to find this muckle snake just lying there. My first thought was that it must be a rubber one, but I soon realised it was real.
"I carefully closed the drawer and went through to my daughter's room and told her I'd found a snake, which caused her to uncharacteristically leap out of bed and sprint down the stairs. I then called the police.
"We had been redecorating and removed one of the heating vents in the dining room so we think it must have been in there, crawled out and made its way upstairs to the drawer. I got a real fright because I've never seen a live snake before, and I must admit I've been having nightmares since. The thought of it crawling about the house sends a shiver right through me."
While Steven is extremely sorry for the distress caused, he is also delighted to have his pet back.
"I'm just so glad it's alive. Obviously it's not in the best shape and hasn't been eating. It's a lot smaller than it was and I've been getting advice from the centre in Penicuik. He's very dehydrated and I've been bathing him in water."
He said he was dismayed by the treatment the story was given in a tabloid this week. "They got all their facts wrong. They made it out to be some sort of monster, but he's harmless really. Obviously we are sorry that Mrs Todd had to find him in this manner and my wife phoned her to apologise and we sent her some flowers."
He added that Rock would definitely be kept under close observation from now on.

Missing snake had just slipped into something more comfortable

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: Steven Cooper and daughter Jayde, 2, welcome back Rock, their beard rat snake who went missing for six months. : SOUTHERN REPORTER (Selkirk, Scottish Borders, UK) 08 June 00 Missing snake had just slipped into something more comfortable (Duncan Smith) : A Tweedbank woman got the shock of her life at the weekend when she opened her underwear drawer to be confronted by a six-foot long snake coiled amongst her knickers. : Anne Todd, a domestic at Galashiels Nursing Home, was getting ready for work on Saturday morning in her new home in Stobshaw Terrace when she made the startling discovery. Still trembling from the encounter, Mrs Todd immediately called the police and SSPCA, who arrived and removed the unwelcome serpent to an animal rescue centre at Earlston. : After the drama had died down, it was discovered that the snake was in fact a harmless copper-coloured beard rat snake owned by the previous occupant of the house. : Steven Cooper, 32, took the 1-and a half-year-old snake as a pet from the Reptile Rescue Centre at Penicuik last July. However, Rock, as he was called, went missing in December, sparking a frantic search. : "We looked high and low for a number of weeks but couldn't find him anywhere," said Steven this week. "I even pulled up most of the floorboards and took apart our fitted kitchen but to no avail. We assumed he must have got out and, because it was so cold, we were resigned to the fact he had probably died." : Four weeks ago, Steven, his wife Irene, and five children, moved to a new house at Hareshaw Bank in the village, little realising that one member of the family had been left behind! : Anne Todd, husband David, and daughter Sharon moved into the Coopers' old home only last Saturday. : Anne explained: "It was early in the morning, my husband was already away to work, and I was getting ready. I opened my underwear drawer to find this muckle snake just lying there. My first thought was that it must be a rubber one, but I soon realised it was real. : "I carefully closed the drawer and went through to my daughter's room and told her I'd found a snake, which caused her to uncharacteristically leap out of bed and sprint down the stairs. I then called the police. : "We had been redecorating and removed one of the heating vents in the dining room so we think it must have been in there, crawled out and made its way upstairs to the drawer. I got a real fright because I've never seen a live snake before, and I must admit I've been having nightmares since. The thought of it crawling about the house sends a shiver right through me." : While Steven is extremely sorry for the distress caused, he is also delighted to have his pet back. : "I'm just so glad it's alive. Obviously it's not in the best shape and hasn't been eating. It's a lot smaller than it was and I've been getting advice from the centre in Penicuik. He's very dehydrated and I've been bathing him in water." : He said he was dismayed by the treatment the story was given in a tabloid this week. "They got all their facts wrong. They made it out to be some sort of monster, but he's harmless really. Obviously we are sorry that Mrs Todd had to find him in this manner and my wife phoned her to apologise and we sent her some flowers." : He added that Rock would definitely be kept under close observation from now on. :

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