UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL 22 July 06 Stray snakes turn up in snake-free Ireland
Dublin, Ireland: Snakes are increasingly popular pets in Ireland, and escaped snakes are showing up in the notoriously snake-free country.
The Dublin Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is seeking new homes for 10 snakes whose previous owners have not stepped forward, the Irish Times reports. All the animals are non-venomous and range in size from 5 inches long to more than 6 feet.
A 6-foot bull snake turned up in a kitchen cupboard in Tallaght, a suburb southwest of Dublin.
Orla Aungier, the society's education officer, advised anyone who finds a snake to try to remain calm and not frighten the animal, because frightened snakes are likely to slither into hiding. She said finders should, if they can, put an overturned pot or basin over the snake and weight it before calling for help.
Owning non-venomous snakes is legal in Ireland and the animals can be purchased at pet stores. But the owners of lost snakes are sometimes reluctant to let their neighbors know their pets have gone astray.
"Owners are often afraid to tell their neighbors they've lost their snakes and so they are often not claimed," Aungier said. "We are looking for new homes for them, or indeed if anyone is missing a snake please call us, we may have it."
http://www.upi.com/NewsTrack/view.php?StoryID=20060722-071850-4069r

IRISH TIMES (Dublin, Ireland) 22 July 06 Warning that stray snakes can leave some people rattled (Fiona Gartland)
The Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (DSPCA) is seeking new homes for 10 stray pets of the slithering kind.
Some 1,500 years after snakes were supposed to have been banished from Ireland, the society is experiencing an upsurge in the number of stray reptiles turning up in unwelcome places.
In part due to the warm weather, the snakes are escaping from their owners and wandering into other people's homes and gardens.
In recent weeks the society rescued 10 snakes in the Dublin area, varying in size from 12cm (5in) to 2m (6.6ft). The reptiles are being kept at the society's shelter in Rathfarnham, Dublin, and include bull, rat, corn, garter and grass snakes. These varieties are not poisonous, but some can be aggressive.
The snakes are imported into Ireland mainly from the US and sold through pet shops for between €80 and €300. Young snakes are cheapest, with larger, older snakes fetching bigger sums. There are also some breeders in Ireland.
The society has asked owners to ensure their pets are kept in a secure enclosure with an escape-proof top, particularly during warm weather when snakes are more active.
Orla Aungier, education officer with the DSPCA, said they answered a call this week from a woman in Tallaght who was greeted by a 1.83m (6ft) bull snake when she opened her kitchen press.
"The bull snake is aggressive and has an incredibly loud hiss and it can also bite. The woman closed her kitchen door and called us for help."
She advised that anyone who finds a snake should not disturb it because if startled they escape and become hard to find. She suggested that if possible a basin could be put over the reptile and weighted down to prevent its escape. Otherwise, if it is in a room the door should be shut.
The society also appealed for new homes for the snakes in their possession.
"Owners are often afraid to tell their neighbours they've lost their snakes and so they are often not claimed," Ms Aungier said. "We are looking for new homes for them, or indeed if anyone is missing a snake please call us, we may have it."
The DSPCA can be contacted at 4935502.
Meanwhile, in Ketchum, Idaho, USA, veterinary surgeons operated on a 3.7m (12ft) Burmese python which swallowed a electric blanket, complete with flex and switch. After a 12-hour operation, the vets said the prognosis for Houdini the python was great.
http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/front/2006/0722/1152913531950.html

EVENING ECHO (Cork, Ireland) 22 July 06 10 escaped snakes captured by DSPCA
The Dublin Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has rescued 10 escaped snakes in various parts of the capital in recent weeks.
The normally docile reptiles are making bids for freedom because they are energised by the high temperatures.
Orla Aungier of the DSPCA recommended that people not try to catch the snakes if they see one, nor scare them off.
She said people should, if possible, drop a bucket or basin with a stone on top over the snake to trap it, then ring the DSPCA to come for it on 01 493 5502/4.
http://www.eveningecho.ie/news/bstory.asp?j=4033650&p=4x33665&n=4033742