TWO PYTHONS discovered in an abandoned caravan in Kenilworth are recovering following their ordeal.
The Royal Pythons – around four foot long – were discovered by Mike Hitchens who described the experience as ‘frightening’.
Mr Hitchens was helping a friend to clear out the caravan on the Meadow Farm site when he noticed a box with a dumbbell on top.
He told the Observer: “When you lift the lid of a box and you see a live snake it’s absolutely frightening. I just panicked and slammed the lid down and got out sharpish.
“I went back in eventually and took out the box. They didn’t seem reactive because they were cold so I tipped them on the grass to get some heat into them. I actually thought it was just one snake because they were curled up but it was two.”
Mr Hitchens called specialist Coventry reptile shop KBN Reptiles.
Expert Katie Hodgkins arrived shortly after to collect the snakes which she explained had shut down.
She said: “They were as cold as a can out of the fridge. The box they were balled up in was just a little bit bigger than they were and had a mouldy wet towel in. They were also very dehydrated.
“They’re OK but they are in quarantine at the minute.”
Katie said the shop had answered ten call-outs so far this year. Six of them were to rescue snakes – mainly Corn snakes – which had got loose either because they had escaped or been dumped.
She added: “A lot of it is because of the internet. The information is very one-sided and most people who decide they want to buy reptiles don’t know how to set them up properly. They don’t look at the right information and they don’t get the heating and lighting right. A lot of pets end up dumped outside.
“It’s better to speak to someone in person who has a broad range of knowledge on the subject.”
The shop plans to vet potential owners before re-homing the snakes.
Royal Pythons are naturally found in central and west Africa. They are the smallest of the African pythons, and also have a docile temperament, which makes them popular as pets. They typically live around 30 years in captivity.
