A high school American football player was left shaken, but not bitten, after finding a deadly cottonmouth snake tucked inside his helmet
An American football player got the shock of his life when he felt a wriggle in his helmet while playing – only to find a highly venomous snake inside.
The teenager, who attends Maumelle High School in Arkansas, did not notice the two-foot cottonmouth snake inside his head gear. Incredibly the boy was not bitten by the terrifying reptile, and animal services were quickly called to deal with the situation and make sure that both snake and player were safe.
In a post on Facebook, Maumelle Animal Services issued a warning to others to always check your clothes and shoes if you are in an area with a high number of dangerous critters.
They wrote: “Today, Maumelle Animal Services responded to an unusual situation at Maumelle High School. A student put on his helmet, only to discover that a venomous snake had taken up residence inside!
“Thankfully, everyone is okay, but this is an important reminder that snakes and other critters can find their way into dark, enclosed spaces—especially helmets, shoes, bags, boxes, and other items that are left outside or sitting undisturbed.”
“Before putting on your helmet, shoes, gloves, or any outdoor gear, always give it a quick check first. It only takes a few seconds and could prevent a very scary encounter—or worse. Stay safe, stay alert, and remember: always check before you put it on.”
The terrifying discovery comes days after another snake was discovered living under a woman’s shed, leaving her horrified and also needing to call the authorities.
Leslie Daley spotted the terrifying python slithering through her Freehold backyard as she was watering flowers and called officials at the nearby council for assistance.
Exotic animal experts then arrived and removed the shed’s floorboards with the help of a local contractor and took it in to be looked over. They identified the snake as an 8-foot-long Burmese Python which had crawled through a hole and taken shelter underneath the floor of the shed.
Experts then took the reptile to a nearby vet. The incident happened in New Jersey in the US, and an X-ray performed by veterinary staff revealed that the rare snake’s last meal was a large possum, according to the Monmouth County SPCA.
The python has since been placed in a secure enclosure with an experienced snake handler while officials work to find it a long-term home. It is believed the snake, which is not native to the area, may have been someone’s pet which got out.
“Exotic pets do NOT belong in the wild! Releasing them harms local wildlife, domestic pets, and the exotic animal itself,” the Monmouth County SPCA wrote in a social media post.