Snakes slither their way to recovery

Paddington and Bert were found separately by members of the public and were taken into the Proteus Reptile Centre to be looked after.

Paddington, who measures around 4ft in length and is orange, was found dumped in a box at a railway station in Staffordshire which is why staff at the centre gave him his name.

Bert, who is slightly smaller and brown, was found in a back garden and had suffered burns to his body.

He is continuing to receive veterinary treatment and is now settling into life at the centre.

Both of them are currently in quarantine at the site, in Catholic Lane, to ensure their health improves and they are eating properly.

Because of his injury, Bert will need to remain in quarantine for a little longer than Paddington.

But experts at the centre said the aim was to eventually find both snakes a new home with a loving family.

Corn snakes are not native to Britain, hailing from America but they are a popular pet in this country. They are not poisonous and they mainly eat dead mice.

Spokeswoman for the centre, Amy Taranaski, said: "Both are settling in here at the centre.

"Bert understandably was not a happy snake at first but he has now received treatment.

"The snakes were brought to us by the RSPCA to be looked after once they had been rescued.

"Once they are fully fit we will look at re-housing both of them."

Amy added it was not known how Bert received his burn or came to be found in the garden.

"It could be he was injured first and his owner could not afford the bill and released him," she said.

"This is something which does happen unfortunately."

Weekly re-housing sessions of reptiles are held at the centre with people interested asked to call first on 01902 218005.