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The Phoenix Herpetological Society removed four large pythons from a Northern Arizona home for the Animal Planet show "Confessions: Animal Hoarding" on Monday.
The cable TV network called the north Scottsdale-based society to assist with the hoarding situation, hoping to remove 30 snakes, lizards, turtles, salamanders and other reptiles from a man living in a trailer.
Debbie Gibson, vice president of the Herpetological Society, said she could not name the town where the rescue took place or the owner of the animals, as part of an agreement with Animal Planet.
The rescue will be featured on the network's show, which has family, friends and experts intervene to help owners overcome their hoarding.
When rescuers Russ Johnson, Wendy Cassidy and Daniel Marshand arrived at the home, the man, who is in his twenties, refused to give up all but one of the reptiles. They spent three hours trying to persuade him otherwise.
Johnson, the president of the Herpetological Society, said the owner was visibly upset over the loss of his pets. He cried as rescuers removed his albino Burmese python, Johnson said.
After the rescuers evaluated the health of the reptiles, they realized that most were underweight, malnourished and had bacteria build-up.
"We expressed our concerns, and that's when he said, 'Yeah, you're right,' " Johnson said. "When people hoard, they emphasize with these animals and it's hard to give them up."
Johnson, Cassidy and Marshand were able to remove seven of the 30 reptiles by the end of the day: four pythons between 11 and 16 feet long and two sickly collared lizards. Three of the snakes are reticulated pythons, which Johnson called the "world's lousiest pets."
Johnson said the owner had some of the reptiles for less than six months. Many had been dropped off at his doorstep because local residents knew he was familiar with reptiles.
However, the man did not have proper access to food and could not get local veterinarians to care for the reptiles when they started to become ill. He would hunt jackrabbits to feed the snakes, but that was not enough.
According to Johnson, it would take about 240 pounds of rabbits each month to sufficiently feed the four pythons. He estimated the largest python was 70 pounds underweight. Another python continually struck at its surroundings as it was removed from the society's truck Monday night, as a means to get food.
Marshand said the owner did not have a job and had only limited funds to care for the animals, which is why the society was needed to step in.
"We're in the position where we've got the ability to take care of these animals," he said.
Although Johnson said the owner was not doing anything illegal, he was not sure if an animal control agency would have removed all of the animals if it had handled the situation.
"I've seen much worse, where there are more dead animals than living animals," Johnson said.
All the reptiles were kept in cages and totes that were too small, but Johnson said removing the four pythons would leave more room for the remaining animals. He said the reptiles also needed more exercise and access to sunlight and water. There was no water in the home, and the man only removed the animals from their confinements for a few times a day.
Both Johnson and Marshand insisted the man is not a "bad guy," just an owner who did not have the proper knowledge and became overwhelmed with the amount of care required.
The rescuers with the society advised the owner how to take care of the 23 remaining reptiles and returned to Scottsdale.
They placed the pythons and lizards in proper cages, providing water and food and beginning medical treatments.
Johnson said it could take up to six months for the rescued snakes and lizards to fully recuperate, but the pythons will only be available for zoos to adopt. However, Johnson did not think one of the lizards would be able to survive much longer despite the society's care.
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