Scotsman Freaked Out by 4-Foot Corn Snake Living in Late Aunt's Kitchen Sink
Rebecca West
So, a kind man in Scotland went over to his dead aunt's house to help clear it out when he got the fright of his life: an encounter with a brightly-colored and fairly long corn snake that had somehow gotten into the home's kitchen sink. While they are not poisonous, a snake's a snake, and they freak most people out.
Highland Fling
Scotsman Paul Lawrie was inside the dwelling on Market Street in Musselburgh with his daughter one day recently when he spotted what he believed to be a rubber toy. The 53-year-old had been in and out of the property for weeks collecting mail, ensuring the place was secured, and that the heat was working while it was unoccupied. After it was brought to his attention, Lawrie walked up to the reptile and "immediately" backed away after touching it and realizing it was very much alive.
He told The Record, "It was my daughter who asked me why my aunt had a toy snake in her sink. It didn't look real, so I touched it, but that's when I knew it was the real deal. My daughter freaked out. She doesn't like them at all. It's all well and good being told they're not venomous, but you're still scared they might bite you. The last time I saw a snake was in the zoo 30 years ago. It was quite the shock to see it in my aunt's kitchen basin!"
SPCA to the Rescue
Lawrie wasted no time in calling the Scottish SPCA, which soon sent out an inspector to confirm the reptile was indeed alive and slithering among his aunt's remaining belongings before removing it from the property. Lawrie added "The inspector said it wouldn't have been there for long because it was still fat and healthy-looking. She picked it up and put it in a pillow case. I didn't want to handle it at all. There was no chance I was going anywhere near it."
Corn snakes are a variety of rat snake named for the brightly-colored pattern on their scales which supposedly resemble maize, an early form of corn from the Americas. They're known to be excellent climbers and escape artists while keeping rodent populations down. If you see one, do not try to hurt it or kill it, as it's actually keeping the number of critters on your property in check. Instead, let it go its own way while you go yours.
