RSPCA finds seven snakes abandoned at house in Rochdale

The RSPCA has issued a warning over keeping exotic pets after finding seven snakes abandoned at a home in Greater Manchester.

The animal welfare charity was notified of the reptiles when owner contacted them alongside his landlord to say that he would be leaving them behind as he was moving home, and the seven snakes were then later discovered in a front room and an upstairs bedroom of the property.

The seven snakes – which were identified as a royal python and six corn snakes – were found in the town of Heywood in Rochdale.

The RSPCA inspectors that attended the property, Catherine Byrnes and Ryan King, found that, despite being kept in makeshift plastic tubs and containers, all seven snakes were healthy and in good condition, and were subsequently taken into the care of a specialist reptile rescue near Knutsford on 25 April.

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Giving a little more insight on the situation as they found it, Inspector Catherine Byrnes said: “While the needs of the snakes weren’t being met when we found them in this property they were in a good condition and the owner had clearly been feeding them, to look after snakes you do need to provide a living environment for them with adequate heating, lighting and humidity.

“We did find some heat mats in a bedroom, but obviously the owner hadn’t got around to using them or housing his snakes properly.”

Now, the RSPCA has issued a warning to those looking to keep exotic pets.

The charity fundamentally says it wants anyone wishing to own reptiles to research the needs of the particular species, before deciding if they can meet those responsibilities, as many people are unaware of the commitment needed to keep a snake as a pet.

“Potential owners need to think carefully before they adopt snakes and other exotics because they are specialist animals,” Ms Byrnes added.

“You need to have the correct set-up to look after them and you need to understand you are responsible for finding them a suitable home if you are unable to continue caring for them.

“We can help out, but it is not that simple as animals like this can be difficult to rehome.”

Featured Image – RSPCA