SICKLY snakes are becoming a more regular sight at the surgery, a Swindon vet has said.

Vets Now, based off Shrivenham Road, say they are seeing more reptiles coming into their care.

The comments come as the Greenbridge-based veterinary hospital expands its ward specially created to care for poorly reptiles.

Dr Thomas Dutton is the referral clinician responsible for caring for the sick snakes, lizards and tortoises that come through the hospital’s doors.

Dr Dutton, 29, who as a student in Edinburgh kept reptiles in his digs, said: “I think the availability of good veterinary services encourages people to seek out vets. Reptiles are an increasingly popular pet.

“Overall numbers are relatively stable but, we’re seeing an increase in people coming in.”

To cope with demand, Vets Now have expanded the number of reptile enclosures in their specialist ward from three up to eight.

With an ambient temperature of 26 degrees celsius, the ward boasts cases that can be separately heated to keep their cold-blooded inhabitants happy.

Among the common complaints seen by vets at the practice are reptiles off their food, stomach complaints and regular pre-hibernation check-ups.

On Wednesday morning most of the reptile cases were full. Their inhabitants include a tiny leopard dragon lizard whose mate bit his leg and a snuffling tortoise in for hibernation checks.

Dr Dutton said that tortoises remained one of the most popular reptiles – although with a hard shell, they can be a difficult patient for foxed vets to diagnose.

“They’re a very interactive pet for a reptile,” he said.

“We’ve had some that are 90 or 100-years-old. Our clients have got pictures of their tortoises in the 1930s. They’ve been passed down three or four generations of a family.”