Snake Thrown Out With the Trash

I ran the Charm City Reptile and Amphibian Rescue for 14 years (no longer in operation). Here is a story about a snake thrown out in the trash.

The phone call

A call came into the rescue from a kind gentleman. Let’s call him Jeremy, since that’s his name, from somewhere in Baltimore County. He went to the dumpster in his apartment complex to throw out his trash. He found a complete aquarium enclosure, including a live snake, sitting next to the dumpster.

Jeremy brought the entire enclosure, which was a very tight fit in his back seat. Despite having no idea what species it might be, Jeremy bravely took the snake anyway. He said he had a bearded dragon at one time and was someone who could appreciate reptiles.

When I first peeked into the car, it was obvious the snake was a harmless corn snake.

Not only did the person throw away the snake, but also a large aquarium with two hide boxes (a cozy place where a snake can hide), water bowl (empty) and three light fixtures.

Jeremy to the rescue

This is wrong on so many levels. While corn snakes are found in some counties in Maryland, they are not found in the area where this snake was. It could not escape from the aquarium as it was securely closed.

Another fact: releasing pets into the wild is illegal. Pets might have parasites or other contagious illnesses that can be transmitted to local populations of their species or other species.

The snake had no water. There were dried feces in the water bowl, which led me to believe that the water bowl had been empty for quite some time.

When animals don’t have food or water it can result in organ damage. Once organ damage starts, there is no reversing the process.

Two full sheds and a little bit of a third shed lay in the tank. That implies that the cage had not been cleaned in a very long time. Usually, snakes shed about once every four to six weeks. Snake feces have kind of a tangy, spicy odor. It stunk, big time!

Don’t throw your pets in the trash

Fortunately, the weather was cool. If this snake had been out in a glass enclosure on a hot day, it would have died from the heat. A glass enclosure acts like a magnifying glass in the hot sun and can quickly reach temperatures over 100° F. That would have been a horrible and cruel death.

Animals are not garbage to be thrown away without a thought! The police would have been called if Jeremy had any idea about who did this. This act was the definition of animal cruelty. Reptile friend Jeremy is a hero, the person who threw the snake away is a criminal.

It is an unfortunate event when people throw living creatures in the garbage. It is so sad that this type of thing keeps happening. We never received a call from a person trying to place a corn snake. So, they never even tried to find a home for it. They definitely didn’t call us.

The tank that held the snake was a 40-gallon aquarium, providing ample space for this beautiful creature to move around and thrive. With all of the supplies sitting at the dumpster with it, including heat lamps, substrate, and decorative hides, there was probably about a $200 investment originally made, reflecting the owner’s initial commitment to caring for the snake. Corn snakes, known for their vibrant colors and docile nature, are the most common of all pet snakes and typically make great companions for both novice and experienced snake owners. An ad online would probably have resulted in selling the snake as well as the enclosure in a matter of a few days, particularly given the snake’s well-maintained condition and the accompanying setup which appealed to potential buyers.

A good home at last

You would think that with that large of an investment, the owner would have made more of an effort to find this poor snake a home rather than abandoning it. Thankfully, we placed it the following week, ensuring the corn snake found a loving and responsible family that could appreciate its unique charm and care for it properly.

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Read more by Holli Friedland.