The city confirmed Thursday four of the snakes seized earlier this week from a downtown apartment that housed more than 50 reptiles are classified as Carpet pythons.



Winnipeg's Exotic Animal Bylaw prohibits Carpet pythons as pets.



The 33-year-old Assiniboine Avenue resident had more than 50 snakes and snapping turtles in his possession and about 40 of the serpents have been identified as garter snakes, the city said in an email Thursday.



The reptiles were discovered after one of the snakes escaped and slithered into a neighbour's suite at 357 Assiniboine Ave.



Morley Wilson, 75, said he heard a "rumpus" in bathroom around 3 a.m. Saturday and it was a snake crawling up a wall and knocking down some stuff on a shelf.



Wilson said the black and orange snake was about as thick as his arm, and about five or six feet long and probably weighed about 20 pounds."



The snake's owner lives in another suite at 357 Assiniboine Ave. along with more than 50 other reptiles, including snapping turtles.



Nine snakes believed to be prohibited under the exotic animal bylaw were seized. On Thursday, police only released details about four of the serpents, and it is unclear what became of the other five reptiles.



A 33-year-old man is facing charges under the bylaw. Police did not release the name of the man.



The man was allowed to keep dozens of the other reptiles because there appears to be nothing in the city's bylaws to stop a Winnipeg resident from keeping countless reptiles in their home, although there are restrictions on specific species.

www.winnipegsun.com/news/winnipeg/2011/04/14/17996641.html

[ Show Entire Thread ]