Mom thinks snake in empty gift box is fake until its tongue starts moving: 'I thought it was a toy'

While cleaning up after her daughter's birthday, a mother in Liverpool, England, discovered that an empty gift box wasn't empty after all — it contained a bright orange snake inside.

What happened?

According to a report from BBC News, the discovery came when Jennifer Baker went to move the box from her daughter's new toy car to the recycling. She had set it on top of the oven after opening presents for the child's third birthday, and later noticed it felt heavier than expected. Baker quickly learned that the weight difference was due to a live snake that had found its way into the box. 

"I thought it was a toy," Baker said. "It's only when its tongue started moving I realised it was a real snake and I started screaming, 'it's real!'"

Baker told BBC News that the snake "just fell out" when she lifted the box.

Her first thought was that her sons were playing a prank, but she said the situation quickly became more serious as she and her mother tried to get the snake into another box while it was "trying to wrap itself around my arm."

Luckily, according to BBC News, the animal turned out to be a pet from the same street and was later returned safely to its owner.

Why does it matter?

Unexpected encounters with animals can quickly turn into safety hazards, especially in homes with young children.

In a moment of panic, people can fall, get bitten, or accidentally injure the animal.

Rather than a wild snake making its way into the home on its own, this was reportedly a pet belonging to someone on the same street.

In this case, the encounter involved a homeowner and a lost pet, but wildlife can also end up in human spaces as development and activity increasingly overlap with natural habitats. When situations like this occur, it's important to stay calm and contact wildlife officials so the animal can be safely removed without putting yourself at risk.

"I just was in shock," Baker said, recounting the initial event. "Walking into the kitchen to find a snake on my oven. I was thinking how has a snake got in my kitchen?"

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips, smart advice, and a chance to earn $5,000 toward home upgrades. To see more stories like this one, change your Google preferences here.