Eight-foot snake crawls into bed with south man

That was Meschac Ramcharitar’s experience Thursday night, when a boa constrictor, locally known as "macajuel," crawled into bed with him.

The bizarre incident happened in Rousillac Village while Ramcharitar was asleep at his home at National Mining Road, Grant’s Trace.

Ramcharitar, 24, made a hasty retreat from his bedroom when he discovered the snake in his room. He returned shortly after to find that the snake, with its middle section showing a bulge, had taken up a comfortable position on his bed. Showing hospitality to his surprise guest, Ramcharitar slept elsewhere in the house while the snake spent the night in his bed.

Yesterday, Game Warden II Samsoondar Ramdeen, Game Warden I Steve Seepersad and Tajoor Ramdass of the Forestry Division, took the reptile from Ramcharitar’s home. When foresters arrived at the house, the snake had wrapped itself on top of a bed post. Seepersad held on to the snake’s head then lifted its eight-foot body.

Ramcharitar’s brother, Darrel, 20, said a neighbour had noticed the snake earlier that day on a coconut tree. "But we didn’t pay any attention to it," Darrel said.

Ramdeen said he believed the snake was searching for a comfortable place to sleep, as it had already eaten. He said the macajuel was not a poisonous snake, and it usually shies away from people. "This is first time I have ever removed a snake from someone’s bedroom," Ramdeen said. He expressed relief that the forestry team had arrived in time to capture the reptile. Such snakes, he added, are protected by law.

After placing the snake in a bag, the game warden released the snake into the Oropouche forest.