Monty Python

Imagine the surprise of our customer Julie Watson of Everton Park when she saw this visitor in her garden. At two metres long, this carpet python was eyeing off a few old cats for his next meal before he was apprehended by the team from Possums ‘n’ Pythons.

Julie takes up the story:

“Apparently this python had a car accidentally reverse over the tip of his tail and decided to take shelter at my front door. I had a phone call at 9pm to say ‘don’t panic, but there’s a snake outside your door!’ Somebody kept an eye on him until Possums ‘n’ Pythons came to rescue him.”

Although Australia is home to many different snake species, encounters like this in the suburbs do happen. Carpet pythons are not venomous and in fact they are good to have around as they eat rodents which are a much greater threat to a building, as they chew through wiring (and so can cause electrical fires) and are a health hazard.

Whether you encounter a non venomous snake like Julie’s python, or a venomous one, in your home or on your property, it’s important to know what to do.

David from Possums ‘n’ Pythons, who rescued Julie’s python, recommends the following:

Don’t panic - a snake only wants to get away if it knows it’s been spotted - a snake will not approach you unless it is provoked
Do not try to catch the snake or kill it - all Australian native fauna, including snakes, are protected species
Keep a sharp eye on the snake, particularly if it is inside your home - snakes are very good at hiding in often inaccessible parts of a room - keep an eye on it and you’ll know where it is for when the snake catcher arrives
Keep pets and people well away from the snake - most snake bites happen when people try to catch or kill them
Snakes outside are generally temporary visitors that will leave of their own accord if left alone
Keep the number of your local 24 hour snake catcher handy - you don’t want to be trying to find the number and trying to watch the snake at the same time
Don’t assume you can easily identify the snake and know whether it is venomous or not - individual snake species vary greatly in colour

For more information on what to do if you find a snake in your home or garden go to www.wildlifeqld.com.au, where you can find a list of snake catchers in Queensland.

Photo: David from Possums 'n' Pythons with the carpet python.

< Back to News