A FRANTIC snake owner has urged residents to be on the look-out for a surprise after his beloved pet escaped.

Dave Gooderham

A FRANTIC snake owner has urged residents to be on the look-out for a surprise after his beloved pet escaped.

The search is on for Sliver, an African house snake, amid fears it could be lurking somewhere on a town centre estate. However, residents have been urged not to worry too much - Silver may look a little frightening but is, in fact, totally harmless.

Owner Sean Turner admitted he his starting to fear the worst after Sliver disappeared on Wednesday and is now hoping his neighbours in Talbot Road, Sudbury, can help reunite him with the “family pet”.

He said: “We noticed him missing on Wednesday but it is possible he could have been out of his cage for a couple of days before that.

“After shedding his skin, he is normally very active and I think that has caused the problems. The whole family is gutted and we just hope someone finds him.”

Sliver, a three-foot brown snake described as slim and slender, escaped from its vivarium on Wednesday.

Mr Turner, his wife, Lorraine, and distraught 11-year-old daughter, Kimberley, have spent the past few days desperately searching their home for any sign of the snake, which they have had for seven years.

They have now turned their attentions to outside the property handing out leaflets to neighbours in a bid to spread the word about the disappearance.

Mr Turner said: “When snakes shed their skin, they normally go into hiding in the vivarium for about two weeks as it can be quite stressful. But when we went to look, we noticed he had gone missing.

“There is always a chance it is still in the house because he is quite small and often curls up in a ball. But we have searched constantly for three days and we are starting to worry as he could be anywhere.

“If it is quite warm, he will probably be somewhere curled up basking in the sun.

“But if it is chillier, then he will look for somewhere warm and can often be found underneath something or in a flower pot.”

Anyone with information about the snake should contact Mr Turner on 01787 310377.