Venomous snake found lurking in family's Christmas tree By Lianne Kolirin, CNN Dec 14, 2021 Dec 14, 2021 Updated Dec 21, 2023 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save kAm%96C6VD FDF2==J 2 D6?D6 @7 6I4:E6>6?E 23@FE H92E =:6D 36?62E9 E96 r9C:DE>2D EC66[ 3FE 7@C @?6 76DE:G6 72>:=J E96 3:886DE DFCAC:D6 H2D =FC<:?8 :? E96 3C2?496D FA 23@G6]k^AmkAm#@3 2?5 |2C46=2 (:=5 H2DE65 ?@ E:>6 :? 42==:?8 :? 2 AC@76DD:@?2= 27E6C E96J 5:D4@G6C65 @?6 @7 p7C:42VD >@DE G6?@>@FD k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^4??]4@>^a_`h^`a^`b^2FDEC2=:2^E9C66\>6E6C\AJE9@?\49C:DE>2D\EC66\:?E=\D4=:^:?56I]9E>=Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmD?2<6Dk^2m 9:5:?8 36EH66? E96 E:?D6= 2?5 32F3=6D 2E E96:C 9@>6 :? $@FE9 p7C:42 @? uC:52J]k^Am kAmw2G:?8 564@C2E65 E96 EC66 ;FDE 9@FCD 62C=:6C[ E96J DA@EE65 E96:C 42ED DE2C:?8 2E :ED 3C2?496D]k^Am People are also reading… 82-year-old man charged in Rocky Mount homicide 3 takeaways from Virginia Tech football's loss at California Ferrum park hosts haunted trail starting this weekend Police raid 8 massage parlors across Roanoke County Franklin County takes first steps in superintendent search SML Center purchases Westlake Cinema to create community center New Virginia Tech president Linton is 'all in on athletics' Community meeting on 1% sales tax set for Monday Boones Mill awarded $5,000 grant for informational signs 10 best cities to rent rather than own a house in 2026 Hemp businesses hurt by new state law drop lawsuit in Roanoke's federal court Noise complaints prompt Roanoke to require 'quiet pickleballs' at several city parks In need of a forever home: Maple and Olive What is the Russell 2000 index, and how does it compare to the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100? Lots of rain hit the Roanoke Valley, but didn’t reverse drought kAmk6>mkDEC@?8mz66A D4C@==:?8 7@C 2 =:DE:?8 @7 E96 36DE r9C:DE>2D >@G:6D @7 2== E:>6k^DEC@?8mk^6>mk^Am The boomslang snake was hiding in a family's Christmas tree in the Western Cape, South Africa. Gerrie Heyns kAm#@3 (:=5[ 2 qC:E:D9 DE@4< >2C<6E EC256C H9@ >@G65 H:E9 9:D r@DE2 #:42? H:76 E@ $@FE9 p7C:42 `g J62CD 28@[ E@=5 r}} @? %F6D52Ji Q%96 42ED H6C6 A66C:?8 :?E@ E96 EC66 2?5 >J H:76 D2:5 VE96C6VD AC@323=J 2 >@FD6 :? E96C6 D@>6H96C6]VQk^AmkAm%96J D@@? 5:D4@G6C65 2 C2E96C 5:776C6?E 2?:>2= DE2C:?8 324<[ 9@H6G6C \\ 2 3@@>D=2?8]k^Am kAmQx 5:5?VE <?@H H92E :E H2D 2E E96 E:>6 3FE E96? x v@@8=65 H92E D?2<6D 2C6 :? @FC 2C62 2?5 :E 42>6 FA :>>65:2E6=J 2D 2 3@@>D=2?8] x E9@F89E V9@=J |@D6D[ E9:D :D E96 <:?8 @7 2== A@:D@?@FD D?2<6D[VQ E96 dd\J62C\@=5 D2:5]k^Am kAm%96 3@@>D=2?8 :D <?@H? 2D 2 D9J DA64:6D[ 3FE :E :D @?6 @7 E96 >@DE G6?@>@FD :? p7C:42] %96 2?:>2=VD G6?@> 42FD6D 96>@CC9286D 2?5 42? 36 72E2= E@ 9F>2?D :? D>2== 2>@F?ED]k^AmkAm$?2<6 42E496C v6CC:6 w6J?D 4@?7:C>65 E96 2?:>2=VD :56?E:EJ H96? 96 2CC:G65 2E E96 72>:=JVD AC@A6CEJ :? #@36CED@?[ E96 (6DE6C? r2A6[ D@@? 27E6CH2C5D] %96 D?2<6 H2D 76>2=6 2?5 36EH66? `]b >6E6CD Wc]b 766EX 2?5 `]d >6E6CD Wc]h 766EX =@?8[ w6J?D E@=5 r}} @? %F6D52J]k^Am Snake catcher Gerrie Heyns recovered the animal from the family's tree. Gerrie Heyns kAmw6 D2:5 96 :?DECF4E65 E96 72>:=J E@ DE2J 2H2J 7C@> E96 EC66[ 3FE E@ Q<66A E96:C 6J6D @? E96 D?2<6Q F?E:= 9:D 2CC:G2=]k^AmkAmQ%96 D?2<6 DE2J65 :? E96 EC66 7@C EH@ 9@FCD F?E:= x 8@E E96C6[Q w6J?D D2:5] w6 FD65 QD?2<6 E@?8DQ E@ A=246 :E @? E96 7=@@C[ H96C6 :E H2D Q62D:6C E@ 92?5=6[Q 96 25565]k^Am kAmQ~?46 x 925 :E F?56C 4@?EC@= E96 72>:=J 42>6 C:89E FA E@ D66 E96 D?2<6] xE 5:5?VE ECJ E@ 3:E6 @C 36 5676?D:G6 3642FD6 x 82G6 :E ?@ C62D@? E@] p D42CJ >@>6?E EFC?65 :?E@ 2? 6I4:E:?8 >@>6?E 7@C E96 49:=5C6?[Q w6J?D D2:5]k^Am kAmw6 E96? 96=5 :E 369:?5 E96 ?64< 2?5 A=2465 :E :? 2 QD?2<6 EF36]Q pD :E H2D 86EE:?8 52C<[ w6J?D E@@< E96 C6AE:=6 9@>6 H96C6 96 E6>A@C2C:=J 9@FD65 :E :? 2 D?2<6 6?4=@DFC6 367@C6 C6=62D:?8 :E 324< :?E@ E96 H:=5 @? $F?52J]k^AmkAmw6J?D D2:5 E96 D?2<6 H@F=5 92G6 =:<6=J 6?E6C65 E96 AC@A6CEJ :? D62C49 @7 7@@5[ H2E6C 2?5 D96=E6C]k^Am kAmQ!C@323=J H96? :E D2H E96 7:CDE >@G6>6?E :E EC:65 E@ 6D42A6 :?E@ E96 ?62C6DE 9:5:?8 A=246 H9:49 H2D E96 EC66[Q 96 D2:5]k^Am kAmw6J?D[ H9@ 92D C6>@G65 9F?5C65D @7 D?2<6D 7C@> $@FE9 p7C:42? 9@>6D[ D2:5 E92E 3:E6D 7C@> 2 3@@>D=2?8 2C6 C2C6]k^AmkAmw6J?D D2:5 E92E :? 9:D 6:89E J62CD 2D 2 AC@76DD:@?2= 42E496C[ 96 92D @?=J 366? 3:EE6? @?46 \\ 2?5 E92E H2D 3642FD6 96 925?VE C62=:K65 E96 2?:>2= 925 366? D9@E 2?5 H2D 24E:?8 5676?D:G6=J]k^AmkAmQ%96J WD?2<6DX 2C6 G6CJ C6=F4E2?E E@ 3:E6 3FE 92G6 ;FDE 366? 56>@?:K65 D@ >F49[Q 96 25565]k^AmkAmYYYk^Am The-CNN-Wireâ„¢ & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. 0 comments Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Watch Now: Related Video A1 Minute! October 12, 2026: Richmond Folk Festival; Korn Ferry Tour Championship; Henrico’s Cactus House A1 Minute! October 9, 2026: Fall foliage predictions; Behind the scenes at Korn Ferry Championship; Weekend Top 5 A1 Minute! October 9, 2026: Fall foliage predictions; Behind the scenes at Korn Ferry Championship; Weekend Top 5 A1 Minute! October 5, 2026: Crab festival pulls in $30,000 in three hours; Famed doughnut makers return; Top 25 RVA employers A1 Minute! 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