Ahh, it’s a bright sunny day — the perfect day for a nice barbecue. Surprise! That’s not a stukje worst, it’s a snake! 😳
A Dutch family in Zeddam had a slithery surprise over the weekend when they opened their barbecue and found a two-metre-long snake taking a lil nap inside. 🐍
Many would freak out, but this family kept their cool long enough to call the animal ambulance, Dierenambulance Gelderland Oost.
A harmless guest
The sneaky slang was caught and identified as a grey rat snake, which is non-venomous. (Whew, that’s a relief! 😅) He was then taken to the shelter for a check-up, reports Omroep GLD.
Translation: FOUND, Zeddam
This afternoon we received a report that a 2-metre-long snake had crawled into a barbecue at the Vinkhof in Zeddam. Our brave colleagues have gone to the scene. Turns out to be a grey rat snake, these are non-venomous. The snake has been caught and is now staying at a shelter where it has been checked. It’s an exotic specimen, doesn’t belong in nature.
Are you possibly the owner?
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The sun is shining and the weather is great to sit outside. If you’re going to have a barbecue, check if there are no nests or animals inside!
Dare we say he actually looks pretty cute for a reptile — if you can look for long enough without getting the heebie-jeebies.
Anyone missing a snake?
Snakes like this one are exotic species and not naturally found in Gelderland.
So, what was the little guy (or the not-so-little guy in this case) doing there? As the dierenambulance is currently looking for a possible owner, he is likely a lost pet.
Hmmm… just how exactly do you lose a two-metre-long pet snake? 🤔 Or better yet, how do you not notice it’s missing? No owner has come forward yet, so our questions go unanswered.
Snakes in Gelderland
Unlike one Dutch family’s exotic barbecue guest, several other snakes do call Gelderland their home. Snakes like the adder, grass snake, and smooth snake can be found in vegetation and along the road.
READ MORE | Barbecuing in the Netherlands: how do the Dutch do BBQs?
With the rising temperatures, more snakes and other critters will be creeping out to soak up those sunbeams and find a cosy spot to doze.
“If you are going to have a barbecue, check whether there are no nests or animals in it,” suggests the organisation.
Advice that I’m sure we’ll all take on board, all the while hoping that we never find a snake in our own barbecues.
Have you ever found a surprise critter in your home? Tell us all about it in the comments!
