Staff at a UK McDonald’s were left shocked after a 5ft-long boa constrictor was discovered outside their restaurant - maybe he just fancied a milksnake.
Although usually found in tropical rainforests of Central and South America, this fella must have been on holiday to the seaside town of Bognor Regis in West Sussex, where a local resident spotted him outside and handed it over to McDonald’s staff.
The staff placed the animal in a box and called the RSPCA - initially believing it to be a British adder.
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RSPCA Inspector Hannah Nixon, who answered the call, said: “Based on the report that was phoned in, I was expecting an adder, which is a fairly common native British snake.
“But when I peeked in the box, I was confronted with a full 5ft of boa constrictor – a full, non-native snake and not what I was expecting at all.
“The poor animal did look like he had been in the wars a bit, with a few scratches and cuts, so I have taken him to our Stubbington Ark animal centre in Fareham, Hampshire, to get him checked out.”
The inspector said snakes can become more active when the weather heats up and this animal is most likely an escaped pet.
The RSPCA said many owners take snakes outside in the summer and that while sunlight is good for the reptiles, owners should make sure their pet is secure as they can warm up and move quickly on hot days - and they could make a dash for the nearest McDonald’s.
Nixon added: “Snakes are excellent escape artists and will take the opportunity of a gap in an enclosure door, or a loose-fitting lid to make a break for it.
“Last year, we took over 1,200 reports about snakes, with the highest number of calls coming in during the summer months. This is not surprising, as snakes become more active during hot weather.
“So we would urge all pet snake owners to be extra vigilant at this time of year, invest in an enclosure suitable for the particular species and make sure that enclosure is kept secure and locked, if necessary, when unattended.”
Although things turned out okay for this snake, the RSCPA warned that most exotic pets are unlikely to survive in the UK without human care and recommends that anyone wanting to keep a boa constrictor as a pet should make sure they are fully able to care for its needs as they are completely dependent on their owners.
Claire Reid