Couple find Californian King Snake in their luggage after trip to Spain
British holidaymakers are known to have brought some pretty strange souvenirs back from trips abroad, but few can have unwittingly imported a Californian King Snake.
But that is exactly what happened to one family who flew back to the UK after a visit to Spain. John and Jean Cox discovered the four-foot-long beast when it slithered from their suitcase after they returned to their home in Hampshire. Though the Californian King Snake is harmless, its appearance certainly caused a concern.
Mrs Cox told reporters: “I thought I was seeing things or having hallucinations. We still can’t understand how the snake got into our case. I can only think that it must have slithered inside while I was packing it and then hid in one of the inner pockets or amongst the contents. I am terrified of snakes so it sends a shiver down my spine thinking how long it might have been loose in the apartment before crawling inside the case.”
Californian King Snakes come from the western United States but are commonly kept as pets in Europe. Our stowaway is now being cared for by a snake specialist living in Portsmouth.
