A Python
A reticulated python is seen at a snake farm ahead of the Spring Festival in Tainan, southern Taiwan, February 5, 2013. Image Credit: REUTERS

Canadian police officials on Thursday evening rescued 40 distressed pythons from a motel room in Brantford, a city about 100km (60 miles) southwest of Toronto.

According to a BBC report, the snakes, ranging from one foot to four-and-a-half feet long, were found in plastic storage bins.

The manager of the Bell City Motel said the snakes belonged to a couple who had checked in the previous night.

He told police that the couple had been thrown out by their landlord, who also informed police about the snakes.

The couple were apparently out at dinner when the pythons were seized by the police.

According to Reuters, the seized reptiles were in poor condition.

"The snakes were not being suitably cared for and were in distress," police said.

However, they are expected to make a rapid recovery at an animal shelter run by the Brant County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

The news comes a week after two young boys form New Brunswick were strangled to death by a giant python that escaped from a pet store.

The 16-foot African rock python strangled the brothers aged five and seven, as they were sleeping above their mother's best friend's pet shop.

Owning pythons is not permitted by Brantford city bye-laws.