THOUSANDS of snakes and other reptiles could be dumped as cash-strapped owners are hit by the energy crisis.
The number of adverts for lizard tanks has rocketed online as enthusiasts struggle to afford keeping their costly UV and heat lamps on.
Experts fear desperate owners may start dumping exotic creatures such as bearded dragons and chameleons in the wild if they can’t sell them.
Reptile owner James Calvert, 36, has seen his energy bill more than double from £70 to £200 a month.
He said: “I’ve kept reptiles for years and regularly check online to see if people are selling vivariums.
“Before the energy crisis, you’d only see a handful. At the moment, Facebook Marketplace is saturated.
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“I’ve contacted some sellers and they told me they can’t afford to keep their pets any more.
“Some even said they’re selling their tanks along with the reptiles — although they can’t say that on the listing.”
The Sun found more than 800 vivariums for sale within 30 miles of central London on Facebook Marketplace yesterday.
Snakes, bearded dragons, chameleons and other exotic pets are expensive to keep because they require UV lights, heat lamps, humidifiers and other equipment to be running.
The RSPCA said: “We are braced for a surge in abandonments once higher electricity bills start landing on doormats.”
