Milk snake Spooner causes a stir

A snake has been rescued after a woman found it in her cutlery drawer as she made a cup of tea.

The woman encountered the reptile when she reached in to find a teaspoon at her home in Coningham Terrace, Aberdeen.

She initially rang police, who called in the Scottish SPCA, which is now caring for the red, black and brown striped milk snake at its Aberdeenshire Animal Rescue and Rehoming Centre in Drumoak.

It is thought that the reptile, which staff have named Spooner, is a pet who may have escaped from somewhere nearby.

Animal rescue officer Lynne Craib said: "The poor woman got a real fright when she reached into the drawer to grab a teaspoon and found Spooner the snake instead. Spooner is in good condition, so we think he has been someone's pet until recently.

"Snakes need heat to survive and it was quite warm in the lady's kitchen, so that may be why Spooner went inside the drawer. We've rescued snakes from all sorts of unusual places over the last few months, including behind a washing machine and around a lamppost, but this is the first one found in a cutlery drawer.

"Snakes are really good escape artists, so there's every chance Spooner has an owner nearby who is missing him."

Meanwhile, in Falkirk three lizards have been stolen from a pet shop. The Bearded Dragons were taken from a specially-designed cage at Pets at Home in Grahams Road, Falkirk, between 3.15pm and 3.40pm on September 21. They are around six inches long and are green and brown in colour.

Central Scotland Police warned that the lizards will suffer if they are not kept in the right conditions and appealed for information about the theft.

A spokeswoman said: "The natural habitat of lizards is in hot, dry countries. Due to this, the lizards need to be kept in special glass cages where the temperature and lighting is specifically controlled. Without this, the lizards will clearly suffer. We are keen to hear from anybody with any information or who may have been offered the chance to buy them."