Two abandoned giant snails 'lucky' to survive

The dumped snails were found in a vivarium with old food

Two giant albino land snails were "lucky" to survive after they were abandoned by a previous owner.

The pair were found in a vivarium that had been dumped in the bushes near Ingram Avenue in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.

The food left for them was old, their water dish was upturned and the temperature had dropped far below the 20C the snails needed to survive.

The RSPCA said the pair were now in the care of a reptile specialist in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, where they will be rehomed.

The exotic pets are not native to the UK, and it is illegal to release them into the wild

The species' usual habitat is among tropical wetlands and forests in sub-Saharan Africa, and because they are hermaphrodites, they can multiply quickly.

They are not native to the UK, and it is illegal to release them or their eggs into the wild.

RSPCA Inspector Malwina Gasiorek said: "This was quite an unusual find - but it is lucky they were discovered when they were, as they would not have survived much longer.

"It is sad to think that these were once cared-for pets, who were simply dumped and left in a very vulnerable position.

"As with all pets, it's really important that anyone thinking of taking on a giant snail is aware of what is involved in taking care of them and do their research first."