New South Wales police have charged a man after two pet pythons were allegedly dumped on to the street in Coogee, in Sydney’s eastern suburbs last week.
The 2.5-metre snakes, named Bagel and Mango, have been missing since last Saturday, with the pet’s owner posting on a Facebook group that they were dumped in an alleged fit of anger by her former partner during their break-up.
“He dumped them on Mount Street, Coogee, the snakes are domesticated and won’t survive in the wild,” she posted.
“I’m really scared for their safety, so please if anyone has seen them let me know.”
On Saturday morning, NSW police confirmed a 25-year-old man had been charged over the incident.
“The snakes were allegedly placed in an unsecured box on the footpath at the front of the premises where they were unable to be later located,” police said.
“The owner of the snakes – a 25-year-old woman who is known to the man – reported the incident to officers from Eastern Beaches Police Area Command who commenced an investigation into the matter.”
He was arrested at Randwick police station at 5.50pm on Friday evening, and charged with two counts of destroy or damage property. He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta local court later on Saturday.
The snakes remain missing, with fears for their ability to survive in the wild. Australian Snake Catchers professional reptile handler Sean Cade said the NSW climate was very different from what the snakes would be used to in their native warmer climates through the Kimberley region of Western Australia and top end of the Northern Territory.
“They should not be out there in the environment, because they’re captive animals, they don’t survive well because they’re not from here,” he said.
“The temperature’s not right, they don’t know how to find food, so it’s quite a precarious situation for the snakes, more so than the community.”
A spokesperson for NSW Parks and Wildlife said abandoning animals can potentially spread disease, and poses welfare concerns for such animals.
“While these animals are not considered dangerous to humans it is best not to handle the animals. Please call a local snake catcher or WIRES for assistance.”
Cade said pet snakes tended to be “more cranky” than wild ones as they were outside their native environment.
He predicted the snakes would stay in a relatively contained geographic area of about a 500 square metre radius, unless they could not find food or water sources.
Neighbours have been on the lookout for the snakes – Bagel is brown in colour, while Mango is albino – but Cade said the clock is ticking as they need to seek food and water.
“They’ll go for a little while, a couple of months, but every day is worse if they don’t eat,” he said.
“If this thing goes to a back yard with guinea pigs, the kids will be pretty disappointed.”
