Daily Reptile News

Carnage at Coventry’s Hobdays pet shop

burglars went on the rampage in a Coventry pet shop killing fish and even tearing a lizard’s tail.

Intruders squashed fish and mutilated birds and lizards in a raid on Hobdays, in Walsgrave Road, Stoke, early yesterday.

Other animals, including snakes and a parrot, are believed to have been stolen from the shop.

Caroline Hobday, who runs the 43-year-old family business with husband Andrew and brother-in-law Tim, said: “It’s just horrible.”

The distraught owners discovered the carnage just before 5am yesterday.

Six tropical fish had been trampled to death, a Gecko’s tail was torn and feathers ripped from several exotic birds.

The burglars are also thought to have stolen three corn snakes and a Rosella parrot, and tried to take a tortoise and several rabbits.

“These people have not cared about anything. They have smashed things, let the animals out and then trodden on them.”

The burglars also used a broom handle to smash and destroy stock, but no money was taken.

A parakeet called Jack is believed to have bitten one of the intruders after drops of suspected human blood was found in one of the cages.

Scenes of crime officers were at the shop yesterday to dust for prints and check for other forensic evidence, including bits of material thought to have come from the intruders’ gloves.

A spokesman for West Midlands Police said: “Police were called at 5.06am to reports of a burglary at Hobdays pet shop in Walsgrave Road, Coventry.

160 deadly cobras escape in China

Deadly cobras ended up in people’s toilets, kitchens and roads in southwestern China, after more than 160 of them escaped from an illegal breeding laboratory in early September, government officials said.

No one has been injured, and the breeder and a team of snake professionals have since rounded up all but five or six of the snakes in the village of Shijiao, said a county official identified only as Mr. Yan.

The snakes didn’t do much harm or cost the government much money, and they cost a lot to raise, so the government is giving the breeder a break — no fine, no arrest. Just transfer the cobras to a legal breeding laboratory in Guangxi, in southern China, the government told Cai Yong.

Frightened villagers might not be as forgiving.

Government officials had to convene them, to teach them how to avoid being bitten and how to treat a wound if bitten: Stay calm, because boosting your heart rate will spread the venom more quickly. Apply a tourniquet. Get a shot of anti-venom as quickly as possible.

7ft snake found in New Forest

POLICE are trying to trace the owner of a 7ft snake that was found dumped in a Hampshire car park.

A shocked member of the public raised the alarm after discovering a Grey Rat Snake – similar to the one pictured left – at a New Forest beauty spot.

The exotic creature was rescued by the RSPCA, who say it would have died if it had remained out overnight.

Police are attempting to establish if the non-venomous snake was abandoned by its owner or dumped by thieves following a burglary.

It was found in the Crockford Clump car park beside the B3054 Lymington to Beaulieu road last Friday at 3.30pm.

The car park is some distance from the nearest homes, making it unlikely that the snake simply slithered there after escaping from its tank.

Grey Rat Snakes are usually found in southern parts of the US, where they are considered common and are not a protected species.

They defend themselves by raising their head as if they are about to strike.

However, experts say they are less likely to inflict a bite than many other snakes and any wounds rarely require more than a bandage.

Regarded as agile climbers, Grey Rat Snakes are equally at home on the ground and in the treetops. They feed on birds, rodents and lizards.

Anyone with information about the one found in the New Forest should contact PC Alison Tilbury at Hythe police station on 101.

EXCLUSIVE: Blacktown man fined for illegal snake possession

A Blacktown man has been fined $3000 for possessing six exotic snakes. Damien Sherry, 22, was charged with possession of illegal imported regular live specimens under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
Federal environment department spokesman Luke Bond said this was a good result for Australia’s environment.
“This fine shows that people who break our wildlife protection laws will be dealt with seriously.
“These laws are in place to protect our wildlife and environment, to which exotic snakes pose a serious threat,’’ he said.
Mr Bond said they kill and compete with our native wildlife for food or habitat.
“They can also introduce diseases for which our native reptiles have no immunity.
“And it encourages the illegal wildlife trade, which is an organised and notoriously cruel business,’’ he said.
“Smuggled animals suffer stress, dehydration, or starvation, and may die in transit.’‘
Earlier this year, a joint investigation by federal and NSW environment authorities led to the seizure of illegal exotic snakes including corns snakes, king snakes and a boa constrictor.
The maximum penalty for keeping exotic snakes is a $110,000 fine or five years gaol.
For more information about wildlife and wildlife product trade go to www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/trade-use/exoticanimalguide/list.html.

Man leaves window open, wakes up to 4-foot snake in bedroom



A Cambridge man who left her window open before going to sleep woke up to find a 4-foot snake in his bedroom.

The man woke up on Sunday to find the Red Tail Boa and called his landlord, who called police.

The MSPCA removed the python from the Sherman Street apartment.

“She has no injuries, she has no scars, no parasites that I can find. I would guess she hasn’t been out for very long,” Andrea Bessler, an MSPCA veterinary technician. Bessler going to monitor it until it’s healthy enough to put up for adoption.

The snake, which is a Colombian species, is used to hot, humid weather. Bessler suspects the snake wouldn’t have survived much longer in the cold Cambridge weather.

The MSPCA is asking any members of the public who may know the owner of the snake to contact their Boston adoption center at (617) 522-5055.

It’s a year to a year and a half old. It could grow to 15 feet. They want the owner to come forward or it will be put up for adoption.

MAN FIGHTS CROCODILE – Survives attack by poking reptile’s eye

Leonardo Thompson now has a swollen face and stitches to his left eye and thumbs, but he is thankful to be alive after he was attacked by a crocodile in Hell-shire, St Catherine, on Sunday morning.

Thompson told THE STAR that “honestly, I thought I was going to die”, after the crocodile, measuring about seven feet attacked him suddenly from behind, took aim at his head and pulled him with force under the water.

As he recounted the incident, Thompson said initially, he thought he was attacked by a shark, but later realised that it was a crocodile.

He said he went spearfishing and dived in proximity to the Hellshire Beach. Thompson said all was going according to plan until he felt a sudden grab towards the back of his head, followed by a forceful pull which brought him under the water, “mi feel sumthing grab me,” Thompson remarked.

A struggle then developed as he tried desperately to remove his head from the jaws of the crocodile, but it was difficult as the reptile continued to pull him by the head until he was entirely submerged under the water.

As the struggle continued, Thompson said he became breathless as he wrestled to loosen his head from the crocodile’s jaws, “mi could’nt breathe”, Thompson told THE STAR.

During the battle to open the repitle’s mouth, the sharp teeth pierced his fingers and it was at that time that he realised that he had to try another method to free himself.

Thompson told THE STAR that while his head was still under the water, he kept his composure, “no me never panic”, as he remembered a tip he had seen on Discovery Channel and National Geographic which outlined how to survive a crocodile attack.

escape

It was then that he decided to make use of the tip, poking the crocodile in its eyes.

He then removed one of his hands away from the crocodile’s jaw and used it to stick the reptile in its eye. “A just one hand me use and feel fi him eye and him let me go,” Thompson told THE STAR.

As soon as the crocodile released him Thompson made his escape back to shore, but by that time, “mi lose a lot of blood … bleed out”.

Thompson then managed to make his way to the nearby Fort Clearance Beach where he was assisted by lifeguards on duty who rushed him to the Spanish Town Hospital to receive medical attention.

Thompson told THE STAR that he felt that the crocodile “tried to drown me”.

Interestingly, Thompson revealed that he has been diving and fishing in the same area for the past 10 years and this was the first time he had experienced something like that.

The crocodile attack was confirmed by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA).

When THE STAR spoke with wildlife biologist and acting Enforcement Manager of NEPA, Richard Nelson, he outlined that, “it’s under very rare circumstances that crocodiles attack humans.”

Nelson told THE STAR that he had made contact with Thompson who informed him that he had actually had fish attached to his waist while he continued spearfishing.

Nelson explained that the crocodile might have attacked Thompson to get the fish from his waist.

“Based on what I was told, the crocodile might have attacked the man because he was spearfishing which attracted the crocodile” Nelson said.

Nelson added that “the crocodile may have learnt that people come to the area to fish and it’s a possible source of food … it’s a recipe for the animal to move in.”

He said that he was impressed by the evasive action taken by Thompson to secure his escape from the crocodile.

“It is always said if a person is caught by a crocodile, it is always a good method to try and squeeze its eyes,” Nelson explained.

Leo DiCaprio Shells Out Cash for Exotic New Pet

Leonardo DiCaprio just made a long-term commitment — but sorry Bar, we’re talking about a new pet tortoise he bought … that’s expected to live for another 70 years!

Sources close to the actor tell TMZ, Leo picked up the 10-year-old Sulcata tortoise at the North American Reptile Breeders Conference and Trade Show in Anaheim, CA over the weekend — which he attended with fellow “Inception” star Lukas Haas — and get this … the animal can live to be 80 years old!

According to sources, Leo pre-ordered the exotic African tortoise from Prehistoric Pets — a California pet store that specializes in rare reptiles — and it cost him $400.

We’re told Leo asked for the biggest tortoise they had — a 38-pounder — but according to experts, Sulcatas can grow to weigh 200 pounds.

Good thing he can afford 70 years worth of turtle food.

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