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Mum left shocked after
finding a snake in her bed

by Jamie Stephens

jstephens@thekmgroup.co.uk

A mum got more than she bargained for when she turned in for the
night, and found a 2ft Californian kingsnake in her bed.

Terrified Alex Gosbee, from Wincheap, saw the menacing reptile
just seconds before switching off her bedroom lights.

The 44-year-old said: “I just froze. I’m terrified of snakes,
especially snakes that are a few inches away from my foot.

“I very slowly climbed off the bed and, without making any noise
got out, closed the door behind me and then freaked out in the
kitchen.”

Frantic Alex ran next door and called on the help of two
friends, who returned with her to see the snake disappear down the
side of the bed.

She said: “They spent over an hour pulling my bedroom apart but
couldn’t find it so they gave up and went home.”

A nervous Alex eventually climbed back into bed, leaving the
lights on, but unsurprisingly couldn’t sleep.

It was then she saw a familiar face poking its head out from the
side of her hairdryer bag.

She said: “It was flicking its tongue out at me and then
disappeared back into the bag. I nearly had a heart attack. I
jumped up, immediately zipped the bag up and went downstairs.

“I was then really afraid it might suffocate so I crept back up
and carefully unzipped the bag enough so it could breath, but not
enough so it could escape.”

Alex called her neighbours back and the snake was tipped into a
pillowcase in front of stunned people at the nearby Esso
garage.

She said: “My friend thought the snake would be better off in a
pillowcase, which we could tie up, but I wasn’t having him empty a
snake out in my house, so we went and did it on the petrol station
forecourt instead.”

After discovering the snake wasn’t venomous, Alex was persuaded
to pick it up and found it quite tame.

She said: “I’ve kind of got used to it now. I never would have
wished for it but I think this experience has cured me of my
phobia. He’s really cute and I’d keep him if it wasn’t for the cat
being so unhappy.

“Admittedly it was terrifying at the time but I’m now rather
fond of snakes, as long as they’re not sitting on my bed.”

Experts believe the snake, which can grow to 5ft long, may have
escaped from a local pet owner.

It has now set up home in a plastic box at the end of her bed,
complete with hot water bottle to stop it getting chilly.

She said: “I think its been in the house for a while as my cat
Meena has been jumpy for the last couple of months.”

The snake is thought to be about a year old and is in extremely
good health.

• Anyone with information about its owner should call Canterbury Exotics on 01227 786033