Snake alert - you might want to skip this
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (341752)
Rockingham, Australia
March 23, 2020 5:16am CST
I’m sure we’ll all a bit tired of hearing about the coronavirus. There seems to be nothing else on the news at the moment. However, I did find this little snippet.
A little old lady (probably a bit like me) living in Queensland, Australia, opened her door to find a five-metre (16.4 foot) albino Burmese python on her doorstep. It’s believed that the snake would have been imported illegally and has somehow escaped.
The 80 kg snake poses a threat to local pets and native wildlife as it has a girth the size of a man’s thigh and can swallow prey three times its girth. It seems the python has had a tough life. It has several scars and the tip of its tail is missing. I’m not sure what the authorities are going to do with it. It took two men to lift it. They called it a ‘big slug’ which seems a bit of an insult.
Photo courtesy Wikipedia: William Warby from London, England / CC BY (
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
24 people like this
26 responses
@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
23 Mar 20
That big python has no venom but it is scary to think that it can swallow a big animal.
3 people like this
@Alexandoy (65308)
• Cainta, Philippines
23 Mar 20
@JudyEv yes, and it will constrict its victim first. So scary.
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (83074)
• United States
23 Mar 20
Seeing that on my doorstep would have given me a heart attack!!
2 people like this
@Marilynda1225 (83074)
• United States
24 Mar 20
@JudyEv I don't like snakes of any size so this one would really freak me out 
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54402)
• United States
23 Mar 20
Pythons and other "imported" snakes are killing massive numbers of wildlife in the Everglades.
it is sad.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Mar 20
@DocAndersen That has happened here too with introduced species.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54402)
• United States
23 Mar 20
@JudyEv they are driving native species out. it is really sad.
1 person likes this
@lazydaizee (6735)
• United Kingdom
23 Mar 20
Where was this snake found? I mean what country, I see it is something to do with a man from London.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Mar 20
It was found in Queensland, Australia. I've edited the discussion now as I meant to mention that. The photo was taken by William Warby from London.
@rappeter13 (8608)
• Romania
23 Mar 20
I don't like reptiles at all. I would have fainted if I would have opened my door to such a python.
1 person likes this
@rappeter13 (8608)
• Romania
24 Mar 20
@JudyEv I once freaked out from a little snake, too, which eats only small animals. Imagine how I would react to such an enormous one.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Mar 20
@rappeter13 I know some people are very, very frightened of them so you are not the only one to be afraid of such a big one. I would be too.
1 person likes this
@xFiacre (13122)
• Ireland
23 Mar 20
@judyev Thanks for the warning in your title. I read it anyway and will now be checking my front door step before exiting. You remind me that I have a tale to tell about a little old lady With a similar wildlife encounter. I’ll go now and write about it. Keep safe.
2 people like this
@moffittjc (121659)
• Gainesville, Florida
23 Mar 20
We have the same problem here in Florida with Burmese pythons that have escaped into the wild and have bred voraciously. With no natural predators in this area, these giant snakes have established dominance in the wild and are literally eating everything in their way. Even our alligators seem to be no match for these giant snakes! And yes, "big slug" really is an insult to these snakes!
I imagine the snake in your discussion would probably be relocated to a zoo.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (121659)
• Gainesville, Florida
24 Mar 20
@JudyEv We're trying our best to get rid of them, but sadly I think it's a losing proposition for us.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Mar 20
@moffittjc I can imagine it would be very difficult now to clean them out.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341752)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Mar 20
I feel sorry for the poor lady. What a shock it would have been.
@snowy22315 (181986)
• United States
23 Mar 20
Oh wow...glad it was outside instead of in.
1 person likes this
@Mavic123456 (21893)
• Thailand
25 Mar 20
@JudyEv Be safe then, we have lots of snakes here as well.
1 person likes this
@Juliaacv (51471)
• Canada
23 Mar 20
That is huge.
I think that I would freeze if I opened my door and saw something like that.
Clearly someone was not doing their job at the check point to allow such an animal into your country. I hope that they figure out a way to deal with it, and I really hope that there aren't any more. Just to be safe, try to get Vince out the door before yourself. 
1 person likes this
