Northampton man grabs towel after a shower... only to find a snake in it

It is believed the snake may have travelled up the water pipes of the Mr Holmes house in Glebeland Gardens.

Rob Holmes, 31, was in the bathroom of his home in Glebeland Gardens, Northampton, at about 4pm on Sunday when he went to grab a towel from a wicker basket - and as he did a snake fell on the floor.

Despite his initial shock he kept his calm and shouted for his wife to bring up a plastic box so he could safely contain the snake.

He then alerted the RSPCA and Animal Collection Officer (ACO) Rebecca Frost was sent to the scene to retrieve the reptile - which has now been identified as a rosy boa which is non-venomous and native to the south-western USA and parts of Mexico.

Rob Holmes said he was shocked to see a snake fall out of the towel he went to grab following a shower.

Rob, a personal trainer, said: “I was just getting ready to go out with my wife Emily-Rose and five-month-old son Tommy as it was Father’s Day. I just went to grab a towel when the snake dropped out on the floor.

“I was a bit bemused and just thought ‘wow what is a snake doing on my bathroom floor?’ I then shouted to my wife to bring up a plastic box so it wouldn’t escape under the exposed floorboards and she was equally puzzled. She said: ‘What is a snake doing in our house?’

“I wasn’t sure if it was venomous or not so kept a safe distance but managed to place a box over it to stop it escaping under our floorboards or the water pipe from the sink.

“We think it probably came in the house by following the water pipes and I guess it found the towels in the wicker basket a warm place to stay.”

The 30cm-long snake was taken for a health check-up and is now in the care of a specialist reptile keeper.

It is not known at this stage whether the snake escaped from a nearby home or was abandoned as an unwanted pet - however no-one has come forward to claim him yet.

RSPCA officer Rebecca said: “Mr Holmes seemed quite calm considering you don’t expect to see a snake when you have just showered and he had no idea if it was venomous or not.

“We would always advise that if anyone finds a snake they believe is non-native to keep a safe distance, monitor the snake and call the charity’s helpline on 0300 1234 999.

“Sadly it is not unusual for us to be called to collect an abandoned snake. We believe many people are unaware of how much of a commitment these animals are when they take them on, and we suspect the reality of caring for them has become too much in these cases. This is why we would encourage anyone thinking of getting an exotic pet to find out as much as possible about the animal’s needs and whether they’re the right pet for them.

For more information on what to consider before adopting a snake or other exotic pets, visit the RSPCA’s website: https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/other

Anyone with information about who owns the snake should call the RSPCA appeal line on 0300 123 8018.