THE RSPCA has renewed its appeal for information after 16 more snakes abandoned at fire station.

The 16 snakes were found stuffed inside pillowcases inside a bin in Sunderland.

There were 15 corn snakes discovered inside one pillowcase and one male carpet python inside another which had been abandoned inside a bin behind Farringdon Fire Station on Saturday February 15.

This comes after 13 royal pythons were discovered inside a Buzz Lightyear pillowcase on Thursday - sadly one of those snakes died.

The snakes, discovered on Saturday, were rescued by inspector Heidi Cleaver and taken straight to the vets.

She said: “Having heard about the other poor snakes being abandoned earlier in the week, I couldn’t believe it when the call came through to say there had been even more snakes found in the exact same spot.

"I discovered 16 snakes in two pink pillowcases by the fire station. These snakes had been left inside the bin, so they were incredibly lucky they didn’t end up in landfill.”

“It is really concerning to think that someone has had around 30 snakes or more which they have decided to abandon in this cruel and callous way.

"We were in the midst of Storm Dennis at the weekend when these snakes, who need heat and light in order to survive, were left outside in the cold with just a pillowcase to contain them.

"It would have been very stressful for the snakes to be in such close proximity to each other as well.

“We are now renewing our appeal for information and are extremely keen that anyone with any information about this gets in touch with us on the inspectorate appeal line on 0300-1238018.”

The 16 snakes were in a "fairly good" condition. They were taken to a vet to be checked over before going to a specialist reptile centre for further care.

The RSPCA is also urging people in the area to stay vigilant in case there are more vulnerable snakes dumped in the same spot.

Snakes aren’t able to produce their own body heat, so they rely on their environment to maintain their body temperature. If snakes become too cold, they may be unable to feed or move normally, and their immune system will not work properly to fight disease, meaning the animal can become very ill.

Reptiles often end up in RSPCA care after people realise, they're not easy to care for, or once the novelty wears off. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of how much of a commitment these animals are when they take them on, as their needs are just the same as they would be in the wild and are fundamentally linked to certain behaviours, diets or environmental conditions that can be difficult to replicate in a home.

To help the RSPCA continue rescuing, rehabilitating and rehoming animals in desperate need of care please visit our website or call our donation line on 0300-1238181.