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ARCHIVED - Slippery customer for Archena local police
A large ladder snake was found in the street by a local resident
The last two years have provided near-perfect breeding conditions for rodents, the result being an explosion in rat populations all over the region, leading to multiple complaints from residents in various residential areas.
Although town halls have been busy dealing with their uninvited guests, for other residents the population growth in rodents has provided a welcome additional food source, the result being a growth in the number, and size of, snake-related incidents, rats a favourite “hot snack” for several varieties of snake.
All of which has lead to an increase in sightings of snakes outside of their normal habitats.
The latest report comes from the town hall of Archena, where a large ladder snake was found in Calle Marquesa Villa de San Román, the offending reptile a very plump and well-fed specimen, around 1.5 metres long, which was promptly removed by the Policia Local and returned to a habitat more suitable to its needs.
Ladder snakes are common in almost the whole of the Iberian Peninsula and feed on a diet of insects and small mammals.
The ladder snake can appear intimidating but is not poisonous, and if it feels threatened behaves in an apparently aggressive manner, raising its neck and head, hissing loudly.
Images: Ayto. Archena