A pet shop owner has been banned from keeping exotic animals for 10 years after half a dozen snakes died from probable starvation and dehydration.

Andrea Darnell, 59, of Wivern Road, Hull, who ran Diamond Exotic pet shop on Saville Street, in the city, admitted causing unnecessary suffering to six snakes.

The RSPCA visited the shop in May 2023 after being alerted to concerns about the animals and found “inappropriate” numbers of reptiles caged in small vivariums. Inspector Laura Barber said: “Many - including iguanas, snakes, bearded dragons and a Chinese Water Dragon - were being kept in dirty, inappropriate conditions or showed historic injuries.”

An iguana was running free, while a large python was in a too-small vivarium, and a Chinese water dragon seemed to have a historical healing mouth issue.

Six of the snakes were in particularly poor condition

The shop was issued with animal welfare notices but a visit in late June found no improvement.

On the second floor 18 young snakes were being kept in a racking system with no thermostats and no water available to most of them. Five corn snakes and one Royal python were “cold to the touch, underweight and close to death”.

The owner stated that the python had never eaten since she acquired it nor it had been taken to a vet. The six snakes were signed over to the RSPCA and the council revoked the owner’s licence. The six – which were all dehydrated and extremely emaciated - died over the next few days

Ms Barber said: “There was no excuse for not providing those poor snakes with their basic needs and failing to seek veterinary care for them when it was abundantly clear that they so desperately needed it.”

One of the snakes found by the RSPCA at the shop

Darnell was sentenced to 250 hours of unpaid work, and ordered to pay £400 costs and a £154 victim surcharge. Four tarantula spiders were confiscated.

Pet shop owner banned from keeping animals after six snakes died 'from probable starvation and dehydration'