Bird-eating tarantulas discovered in a Somercotes car park

The babies were contained in some of 10 pots found discarded at the side of the car park at Bateman’s Yard Stable, Birchwood Lane, in July last year.

Two of the larger pots had been run over by a vehicle and it is thought the adults may have been in these and escaped.

Stephanie Jayson , RSPCA senior scientific officer for exotics, said: “Although their numbers are small compared with more common pets, we have real concerns about the welfare of reptiles and other exotic animals kept as pets in this country.”

The RSPCA received more than 300 calls about exotic animals last year in Nottinghamshire

Members of the public in the county contacted the charity about exotic animals 302 times in 2018.

Nationally in England and Wales, the charity received a total of 15,790 calls about abandoned, stray, sick, suffering and neglected exotic reptiles, mammals, birds and fish - more than 40 a day, or more than one every hour.