The caution follows the animal charity rescued a roaming six-foot boa constrictor from under a garden shed in Ilkeston, Derbyshire. As no owner might be determined, the snake, which was healthy and in good condition, was required to a professional centre and has actually now been rehomed.
This year, as the heatwave continues, the charity is encouraging snake owners to be especially mindful and to confirm that the animals’ enclosures are safely attached.
RSPCA senior clinical officer Evie Button said: “Snakes are exceptional escape artists and will seize the day of a space in an enclosure door, or a loose-fitting cover to make a break for it
“Last year, we took more than one thousand reports about snakes, with the greatest variety of calls can be found in throughout the summer season. This is not unexpected, as snakes end up being more active throughout heat – so as the UK continues to swelter this summertime, we’re braced for another increase of calls.
“The RSPCA prompts all pet snake owners to be additional vigilant at this time of year, buy an enclosure appropriate for the specific types and make certain that enclosure is kept secure – and locked if essential – when ignored.
“We received nearly 1.1 million calls to our emergency line in 2022 – an increase of 1.6% on the previous year, and our frontline officers are flat out trying to rescue animals that may be in life-threatening situations. So a few extra minutes checking that your snake is secure could help save our officers’ time and allow them to save an animal that’s in danger.”
Another reason that more snakes leave in the summertime is that some owners take them outside to benefit from the natural sunshine. While sunshine benefits reptiles, the RSPCA prompts owners to make sure that their family pet is kept secure when doing so, as they can heat up and move extremely rapidly on a warm day.
Evie continued: “Many of the snakes the RSPCA’s officers are contacted us to gather are believed to be left family pets.
“But unfortunately, we likewise need to deal with a great deal of abandoned snakes. We discover that many individuals are uninformed of just how much of a dedication these animals are when they take them on, which our company believe adds to the numerous animals every year who have actually unfortunately been abandoned when their owners can no longer fulfill their requirements.
“Exotic pets such as snakes often end up in the RSPCA’s care after people realise they’re not easy to care for, or the novelty wears off. Others are rescued after they have been abandoned or been released on purpose, which then could pose a risk to our native wildlife.”
The caution comes days after a dog was killed following a wild adder bite in Weymouth, Dorset.
There are 3 types of snake discovered in the UK: turf snakes, adders and smooth snakes. Of these, just the adder is poisonous and a threat to dogs.
Adders are normally more active in the spring and early summertime having actually simply come out of hibernation, and their venom is more powerful.
The adder is grey in colour and has a dark zig-zag pattern down its back, and a red eye.
If you think your dog might have been bitten by an adder, professionals encourage you to speak with a veterinarian right away.
