An escaped snake often causes a lot of commotion, for example when a red rat snake was found in Veghel on Monday evening. Yet it happens more and more often that a snake slips through. Those animals are all taken to De Oliemeulen reptile shelter in Tilburg, where it is now packed with found snakes. “Every month there is another one,” says animal caretaker Lars Vermeeren.
The snake that was found in Veghel on Monday was also given a place in the shelter. A few days later, the owner of the animal has not yet reported. “And that is probably not going to happen,” says Lars. “We would like to, but that doesn’t happen very often. People are ashamed or think it’s fine that way.”
According to Lars, De Oliemeulen already has 50 to 60 rat snakes. “Every month there is another one. Found or brought by people.” And that’s just the tip of the iceberg, because snakes are also brought to pet stores or other shelters.
“It’s like a retirement home for snakes here.”
The red rat snake is the most commonly kept species in captivity and can easily live to be twenty years old. According to the animal caretaker, people often do not realize this. “Often they come to us when they are a few years old and they are never picked up again,” says Lars. “It’s like a retirement home for snakes here.”
This has become even worse in the past year due to the energy crisis. “Those reptiles live in an enclosure with a heat lamp. That costs a lot of electricity and so people decide to get rid of their animal. And it will come back here.”
If this continues for a long time, they will eventually have to say no at the shelter, because there is no longer room for all the snakes. “Think carefully if you want a snake,” Lars urges people. “It’s not a stuffed animal and realize that you have to take care of it for twenty years. If you can’t, don’t get one. And if you read up on how to keep them, they won’t escape.”
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