SNAKE owners are being advised to be extra-vigilant by an animal charity as it braces for a rise in stray pets due to the hot weather.
Last year, the RSPCA received 1,031 reports involving snakes in need of help, with numbers of calls averaging highs of 110 calls per month between May and August.
In the West Midlands there were 36 reports made to the charity about serpents found, including a boa constrictor under a garden shed.
This year, as the heatwave continues, the charity is advising snake owners to be particularly careful and to double-check that the animals’ enclosures are securely fastened.
RSPCA senior scientific officer Evie Button said: “Snakes are excellent escape artists and will take the opportunity of a gap in an enclosure door, or a loose-fitting lid to make a break for it.
“Last year, we took more than one thousand reports about snakes, with the highest number of calls coming in during the summer months. This is not surprising, as snakes become more active during hot weather – so as the UK continues to swelter this summer, we’re braced for another influx of calls.
“The RSPCA urges all pet snake owners to be extra vigilant at this time of year, invest in an enclosure suitable for the particular species and make sure that enclosure is kept secure – and locked if necessary – when unattended.
“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 why more snakes escape in the summer is that some owners take them outside to take advantage of the natural sunlight. While sunlight is good for reptiles, the RSPCA urges owners to ensure that their pet is kept secure when doing so, as they can warm up and move very quickly on a sunny day.
Evie added: “Many of the snakes the RSPCA’s officers are called to collect are thought to be escaped pets.
“But sadly, we also have to deal with a lot of abandoned snakes. We find that many people are unaware of how much of a commitment these animals are when they take them on, which we believe contributes to the hundreds of animals every year who have sadly been abandoned when their owners can no longer meet their needs.”
