Durban - A family’s spring cleaning day took a twist when a black mamba entered the front door of their home in the Maphephetheni area of Inanda.
Snake rescuer Nick Evans said the unexpected visitor didn’t attack, and instead made its way to one of the bedrooms.
Evans says when he arrived he found the whole family outside the home eagerly waiting for the snake to be brought out.
“The caller told me it was under the bed. As I walked in, I was greeted by the unpleasant yet familiar stench of Jeyes fluid. He thought by pouring it, the snake would come out. As usual, it didn't work,” he said.
Evans said he looked under the bed and found nothing.
“I looked around the room, and the wardrobe was the next best bet, I thought. I shone my torch in, and I could see a coil of its body sticking out. The gap between the wardrobe and wall was small, but it squeezed in there,” he said.
Evans says the rescue was difficult as he couldn’t find a way to grab the snake from the back as he couldn’t clearly see its head.
“I managed to pull the shelf, and shift the wardrobe towards me by a few centimetres, while my wife watched for the head.
“The mamba was not happy about all this disturbance, and tried coming out, which is when I grabbed it. Quick and easy catch,” he said.
Evans added that when he pulled the snake out he noticed the scales were damaged and it was about to shed.
He says something must have happened to pull off the skin, which was due to come off, but the new scales underneath weren't quite ready.
"Might have been when it initially tried squeezing in there. Either way, it will be fine, especially after another shed,“ he said.