DURBAN – A Pietermaritzburg man who went to investigate why his dogs were barking found a puff adder curled under his stove just before midnight last night.
The man who lives in Merrivale said he had heard a noise in the kitchen at about 10pm, but didn’t pay much attention to it.
“At around 11.15pm, one of our dogs was barking outside and I went to check.
“As as I was walking past the stove I noticed that the tile colour on the floor was not the same. I had to do a double take and from a distance noticed it was a snake.”
Pietermaritzburg snake catcher Dean Boswell said he arrived just after midnight and found the snake in the same position.
He said the tiled floor made it easy to catch the snake because it didn't have any grip and couldn’t move quickly.
Boswell said puff adders were highly venomous with a strong cytotoxic venom.
“They live on mice and rats. So it’s not uncommon to find them near human habitation.”
Boswell said he still had the snake in his possession and would release it later today.
IOL