Boa constrictor free to any loving home

When I worked for a local council housing department, I had lots of encounters with animals. I could almost guarantee that if I wore a navy suit on a visit to a tenant, a cat would sit on my lap. They always seemed to be white and moulting.

The proud owner would say, ‘he really likes you’ as their pride and joy rolled on its back for a tummy rub. They didn’t seem to notice my rictus smile. On one occasion I investigated a report of a crocodile in a neighbouring garden. The beast was big and fortunately made of plastic!

The same could not be said of a snake I encountered.

The tenant invited me into her living room. My attention was immediately focused on a large, glass-fronted cage. Inside, staring at me with unblinking eyes, was the biggest snake I had ever seen outside of zoos and david attenborough documentaries. The woman told me that it was a boa constrictor. she said it belonged to her husband and added that it didn’t like her. I was unaware that snakes had these kinds of feelings and just smiled weakly.

To demonstrate that what she had told me was true, the woman walked over to the cage and the snake became extremely agitated. It came right up to the glass, which I hoped would hold. Fortunately, the snake calmed down immediately when the woman stood back. she then told me that her husband was trying to rehome the snake and it would be free of charge.

I imagined an advert saying: ‘Big boa constrictor free to a loving home.’ as I was leaving, the woman said: ‘I don’t suppose you know anyone who would rehome it?’

I said I didn’t and left. I realised hairy white cats aren’t really a problem after all.

Don Townshend, Chelmsford, Essex.