Snakes invade Mississippi courthouse as warmer spring weather arrives, With the arrival of spring warmth, snakes have been invading a Mississippi courthouse.
WAPT-TV reported Thursday (April 25) that five non-venomous brown DeKay's snakes or earth snakes, have been found in the Hinds County Court's basement office since April 8 in downtown Jackson.
Hinds County Circuit Clerk Barbara Dunn said employees at the courthouse are feeling rattled after finding the snakes slithering into their paperwork.
"I am personally scared to death of a snake," said Dunn.
Kelly Phillips, a deputy clerk, said that the largest was as big around as her finger and a few inches long. She said the smallest looked like an overgrown earthworm.
Former zookeeper Percy King, who was called to identify the snakes, said DeKay’s snakes have soft teeth that probably couldn’t even break a human’s skin.
King said it’s not unusual for DeKay’s snakes to sneak into buildings during the springtime as they wake up from hibernation with the arrival of warmer weather.
The courthouse basement has windows, but officials say the windows are tightly sealed.
"They're waking up. They're coming out, they're looking for food. They're hungry, so I don’t think the ladies at the courthouse have anything to worry about," said King.
Temperatures have reached their highest levels of the season this month so far with a max of 87 degrees recorded on both April 9 and 17.
The Art Deco-style courthouse was built in 1930 and is topped by a statue of Moses with the Ten Commandments.
WAPT-TV reported Thursday (April 25) that five non-venomous brown DeKay's snakes or earth snakes, have been found in the Hinds County Court's basement office since April 8 in downtown Jackson.
Hinds County Circuit Clerk Barbara Dunn said employees at the courthouse are feeling rattled after finding the snakes slithering into their paperwork.
"I am personally scared to death of a snake," said Dunn.
Kelly Phillips, a deputy clerk, said that the largest was as big around as her finger and a few inches long. She said the smallest looked like an overgrown earthworm.
Former zookeeper Percy King, who was called to identify the snakes, said DeKay’s snakes have soft teeth that probably couldn’t even break a human’s skin.
King said it’s not unusual for DeKay’s snakes to sneak into buildings during the springtime as they wake up from hibernation with the arrival of warmer weather.
The courthouse basement has windows, but officials say the windows are tightly sealed.
"They're waking up. They're coming out, they're looking for food. They're hungry, so I don’t think the ladies at the courthouse have anything to worry about," said King.
Temperatures have reached their highest levels of the season this month so far with a max of 87 degrees recorded on both April 9 and 17.
The Art Deco-style courthouse was built in 1930 and is topped by a statue of Moses with the Ten Commandments.
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