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Five gargantuan 16ft pythons have sent shockwaves through the British countryside after being discovered by horrified locals in north Lincolnshire.
The world’s lengthiest serpents, known as reticulated pythons, were cruelly abandoned in the wild by an anonymous owner, with four of them found writhing in the underbrush around Twigmoor and Cleatham on June 13 and 14.
Following the spate of sightings, consternation ensued, leading to a stark warning from Humberside Police advising dog owners to keep pets leashed due to the threat posed by these formidable constrictors.
A fifth imposing snake made an unexpected appearance before a startled driver last Saturday (21/6), with all five now being cared for at RSG Reptiles in Alford, where they’re currently recuperating.
Inhabiting South East Asia in their natural habitats, reticulated pythons are known to prey on sizeable mammals, and can tip the scales at a hefty 75kg.
Rob Stokes, who helms RSG Reptiles alongside his family, shed light on the probable origins of these abandoned behemoths, attributing their presence to a heartless pet enthusiast who’d grown weary of them.
The 45 year old reptile rescuer, aided by son George, aged 15, recounted the moment they discovered one of the pythons camouflaged amongst shrubbery near his vehicle following a call for assistance from the police.
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Rob, a dedicated father who manages the reptile establishment with his wife Susan, 41, couldn’t hide his admiration, remarking: “They’re all reticulated pythons, the longest species of snake in the world, they’re pretty impressive.”
A resident was left stunned after discovering a massive 18ft, 50kg snake, which appears to have been abandoned as a pet. “The first one was 18ft and 50kg. They’re clearly somebody’s pet and unfortunately people struggle with money and they did the wrong thing and dumped them.”
the local explained.
“They dumped them in two locations, three in one and two in another. They were basically left to fend for themselves in the woods.”
The risk to the public was minimal, but there were concerns: “In terms of risk to the public, they were pretty low. If someone was poking it or interfering with it, there is a possibility of it turning around and biting. It would bite and let go.”
The snakes, not naturally aggressive, posed more danger to pets and wildlife: “Snakes don’t want to attack, the last thing they want to do is bite. The biggest risk is people’s pets and wildlife. Small animals, small dogs would be a nice meal for them.”
One of the snakes was found by the individual themselves: “I found one in the bushes myself, George and I went to have a look around the bushes and found one ourselves. It was in the bushes near our van.”
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Most of the snakes were in relatively good health, albeit dehydrated: “The first four weren’t too bad, one lump we needed to check out, but they were mainly just dehydrated.”
However, they required treatment for mites: “They had mites which is not uncommon but we’ve had to treat them for that. We usually treat them with a flea treatment, which can be quite costly at £30ish a bottle.”
After rescuing four, the fifth snake was found in a dire state: “We did think we had got them all but felt there could be one more outstanding. When we got the call from the police for the fifth one, we were quite happy but horrified it was left out there.”
This last snake suffered from respiratory issues and parasites: “This fifth one has some respiratory issues and has maggots on it as well. It’s very difficult for these animals to get rid of parasites if there’s no water for it to swim in.
“We’ve had a warm couple of weeks here which would’ve helped but the night temperature drop off isn’t good for them.
“Such a big snake needs a lot of antibiotics, we have to give it an antibiotic injection every three days. It’s a long process and will take a month, maybe even longer.”
Rob says they are now faced with a staggering £15,000 cost to create suitable cages for the massive reptiles.
He continued: “We’ve now got to build some massive enclosures for them. We’re fundraising for them and the vet bills as it gets expensive when you add it all up.
“I think they’re going to stay with us, they just need a forever home.
“We’re reptile people so we’re quite happy for them to stay with us. If we do rehome, they’ll be going to a professional, not a hobby keeper.
“These animals are huge. An 18ft snake needs ideally an 18ft enclosure. The bigger ones get dumped first as they’re the most expensive.
“They’re really simple to look after, you spot clean it after they go to the loo. And then you clean it once a month. You probably spend £20.
“If you hit hard times, that becomes a big chunk. The cost of everything has gone up in the last few years, your life can change overnight.
“There’s loads of us out there in the reptile community who can help out, dumping them in the bushes like that was unacceptable.”
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Humberside Police said its rural task force was investigating offences under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
A police spokesperson has issued a statement: “Inquiries are continuing to establish the circumstances surrounding the reports and identify those involved, and we would appeal to anyone who has information to contact us.”
When the first four were found, the force had previously stated: “They are believed to be Reticulated Pythons.
“The reticulated Python is the longest species on earth. It is a non venomous constrictor snake. In the wild, they will kill their prey by biting it and then coiling around it to literally squeeze the life out of it.
“In the event that you find one in the wild in the UK, please call police immediately. DO NOT try to catch it yourself, keep an eye on it and give a What3Words location to the police so it can be assessed by an expert and collected appropriately.
“We would advise keeping dogs on a lead in the areas where these snakes were found.
“These Snakes will not attack you. They will only try to defend themselves if they feel threatened.”