I the 1970's I rented a house built by the German ambassador to the US, on the edge of Indian Hills, a very ritzy suburb of Cincinnati. I was told it was built in early 1900's. It was huge and had a spiral staircase.

A very large basement with 6 different rooms, some very small and dank.

I went down one day, opened the door of a small room, and a fairly large snake hissed at me.
I always carried a 22 automatic in those days. I sot at the snake, the bullet hit him, bounced off 2 walls, and grazed my ear lobe on its way out the door.