Interactive map shows where snakes including boa constrictors have been found recently in Shropshire
An interactive map shows where snakes have been discovered in Shropshire in recent weeks.
It all started when a 6ft-long albino boa constrictor was found far from home on a Shropshire road on August 20.
It was spotted just outside Baschurch by a number of motorists, and taken to Abbie's Pets & Exotics in Shrewsbury by Ben Hawkes.
It was reportedly underweight and poorly, but is now said to be making a slow recovery.
Then, a few days later on August 25, another boa constrictor was discovered not far from the first one.
This led to fears amongst the locals that snakes were "being dumped."
The "very dehydrated" snake was found by Andy Bucknall, who was out walking his dog when he came across the coiled up snake near Eyton Lane.
"It was a bit of a shock," he said. "I nearly stood on a six or seven-foot boa constrictor while walking the dog. It was curled up by my feet.
"I live 100 yards from where the first one was found, I didn't think there would be another one. It seemed in a pretty bad way, it was coiled up tightly and was not moving. I nudged it but it was rigid, presumably because it was cold.
"It was about 50 yards from where the other one was found."
More recently, on Monday 5th September, a third snake was found, prompting more fears that exotic pets have been dumped in the county.
The brown corn snake was also handed in to Abbie's Pets & Exotics in Shrewsbury on Monday after being found at Haughmond Hill, roughly 11 miles from where the two boa constrictors were discovered in August.
"It does sound like it was dumped", said Sarah Smout, who works at the family-run shop.
Sarah said it's unusual for so many snakes to turn up in such a short amount of time - she could only recall one instance in three years where staff were asked to rescue one - and said people normally phone up to ask about rehoming their animals.
As we've previously reported in Shropshire Star, according to the RSPCA, it can be difficult to determine whether a snake has been been abandoned or if it's escaped.
Snake owners have also been advised to be extra-vigilant of their pets slithering away when the weather's hot.
They are said to be excellent escape artists but if another one turns up where it shouldn't be in the county, perhaps it becomes more likely that these animals are indeed being dumped.
