Monday, April 8, 2013

Python scare at midnight!!

No, it's not my house this time, but Connie's.

There are no snake photos in this post. You can read with that assurance. At the very end of this post, there is a link to the youtube of how the snake was captured. If you are afraid, do not click on the link.

Points to note:

1. Due to too much construction and clearing of lands, we have probably disturbed their nests and they have nowhere to go, so they come into our homes.

2. Keep your pets safe.

3. Call Jabatan Pertahanan Awam 03-8888-1999 if you have a snake alert. Or, call the emergency line, 991, but only from your house phone, not any handphone.

Here's the story:
Hey Dr Chan,

You know you always got snake coming to your house, right?
Tonight it happened to us!

At midnight an Indian passerby (we dont know who he is) insisted that my husband (which he went only reluctantly coz worried it might be a hoax) come to the main gate. Indian man screaming he said he had something to tell. He said he saw big python snake slithering into our compound.

So after the Indian man left (he drove slowly & kept looking at our house), we counted all our doggies & quickly put the outside doggies inside the study room. The inside doggies went into the guest room. Uncle Pluto & Missy went to the carpark near Ah Wong's (the turtles') place.

Husband searched inside the compound while I called 991 emergency (Not 911).

When I look for my husband in the compound, he said he already spotted the python. It was hiding in between the large flower pot. Yikes!

2am - Jabatan Pertahanan Awam came. We showed them where the python was. They grabbed the python (as big as our leg and about at least 2m long) with their tools and quickly secured it inside a sack.

Needed 3 strong persons to carry it to their vehicle. Imagine how heavy it was!

The officer said if next time there is any emergency, call this direct line 03-8888 1999 Jabatan Pertahanan Awam Malaysia. Better save this number!

I attach herewith for you the photos without the python. I will attach the video of the officers in action catching the snake inside a separate email.

No worries. No snake visible in this email.


 Catching...



 Caught!



 Leaving with the snake.


The officers said to put belerang (sulphur) surrounding the house to avoid snakes from coming into our compound.


We thank the Jabatan Pertahanan Awam and especially the Indian man (whoever you are) who alerted us.

Phew! Hope python will be relocated in their natural habitat somewhere far away in the jungle!

Phew! Phew! Phew!

Connie



Connie is still puzzled as to how the Indian man could have seen the snake slither into her house compound. It was so dark at night. But she is so thankful that the man did the neighbourly gesture of alerting her. And the scary thing is that none of Connie's dogs was aware that a python had entered into their territory as the dogs were all asleep at the time.


Advice from the Jabatan Pertahanan Awam officers:




B'coz belerang (sulphur) nowadays is lousy compared to last time, Jabatan Pertahanan Awam advice is to put it in large quantity on the ground surrounding the house. Repeat 3 times in 2 days interval. This is to allow the belerang to seep into our ground.



Updates: Connie uploaded this youtube on the whole process of how the snake was caught as there were requests for it.


http://youtu.be/ot2JIHj3c0E


If you are afraid, please do NOT view it. 

7 comments:

Yen Ling said...

"as big as our leg" and "men to carry" That is huge! It probably ate something/someone already. Is Connie's house in Subang area as well?

Though it is dark, as long as there is some lights coming from a nearby, you can see it. Python scales 'shine' 'reflect' 'glitter' very well even with minimum light. I've seen it twice in the dark while driving - one was slithering across the Lake Garden. We thought we went over a new road bump, we looked back and saw it was a python. 2nd was along Damansara Heights bungalow housing area - there was construction nearby and we saw the foreign workers trying to catch it.It was a dark corner as well.

Rachel said...

Put sulphur around the around the house, would it poison the pet?

chankahyein said...

Connie does not live in Subang. There's a jungle near her house. The python could have come from there.

chankahyein said...

Sulphur is known to be toxic. And a few sources I've consulted said sulphur does NOT work. I've also seen slither marks on the sulphur the last time my house was under a viper attack 12 years ago. The viper slithered all over the sulphur for 2 nights. It did not seem to work.

Connie said...

My house in Bandar Kinrara Puchong. Nearby is the Hutan Ayer Hitam.

Joy E. Saga said...

Sulphur IS toxic, not only to pets but to the ecosystem / plants etc. AND it doesn't work. Was in taman negara pahang once, and a group of friends who was afraid of snakes put sulphur all around their tent ... saw with my own eyes a baby Ular Tiong slithering ON the sulphur. So NOPE.. it doesn't work.

Chen said...

Poor Python ;(