From a snake hiding underneath a washing machine to a snake seeking shade outside a Deptford pub – here’s a roundup of al the encounters people have had with loose snakes in south London this year.

Being a nation of animal lovers you often expect to see a dog joining its owner for a pint outside a beer garden or a cat perched on the wall of a garden, but you’d rarely expect to see a snake.

However, you wouldn’t normally expect to encounter a snake on your daily travels. But here in south east London there have been three cases where people have encountered escaped or wild snakes on their travels.

Below is an interactive map of all the snake sightings reported in the UK in 2023.

And we’ve rounded up all of the snake encounters people have had in south east London this year so far:

An American corn snake under a washing machine

In May, a man from Balham got quite the shock when he discovered his neighbour's American corn snake Cecilia hiding under his washing machine.

The snake had managed to gain access to his home through the pipework of the house two doors along from where she was being kept.

Cecilia was successfully caught and returned to her rightful owner after that little escapade.

An American bull snake outside a pub

In Deptford last month, an American bull snake was found taking shade outside The Little Crown Pub.

The snake was discovered by police officers from Telegraph Hill taking shade from the 26 degrees heat the UK was basking in that day.

The species can reach up to eight foot in length, although they aren’t known for being aggressive.

The wild snake attack on a dog in Sidcup

Sometimes it’s not just domestic snakes that can cause some drama, but wild snakes can also pose some issues to our own domestic pets.

In March this year, a vet in the Eltham area treated a dog for a snake bite after it was bitten by what vets believe was a wild snake during a walk in Foots Cray Meadows.

Parkvets Veterinary Hospital took to social media to warn of the risks posed to dogs if bitten by a snake.

According to the veterinary practice there are three native wild species in the UK, with most sightings being reported between June and August, although some sightings have been confirmed between February and October.