Our homes are our haven—maybe from the unpredictable weather, our ever-interesting flora and fauna, and possible dangers looming around.

Imagine reaching for an apple and instead finding a scaly surprise nestled among fruits.

That's what happened to a family in the northwest, where an unexpected guest greeted them cosily curled up near their fruit bowl.

The Kenhurst homeowners were startled by the sight of a diamond python in their home.

Quickly thinking, they secured their dog to prevent potential wildlife-pet confrontations. They also opened the back door and hoped to entice the python back into the great outdoors.

'We've got diamond pythons where we live,' Donna Sweeney, one of the homeowners, explained.

Diamond pythons are non-venomous snakes, but may deal painful bites if agitated. Image Credit: Australian Museum/Stephen Mahony

Despite the initial shock, the family was accustomed to the presence of these reptiles in their area.

'I said, "bugger, how are we going to get you out? It was only a small one. We've seen a lot bigger",' Sweeney added.

This close encounter is not an isolated incident.

Snake catchers across the region reported an uptick in slithery sightings, particularly this year, due to rainfall.

The weather encourages snakes to move around more, sometimes leading them into unexpected places like suburban homes.

This story reminds us to be vigilant about our surroundings, even in our homes.

Australia is home to various wildlife, and while encounters like these are rare, they are not impossible.

In previous news, another resident shared her experience with an unexpected guest.

Ellie, a British expat, took a video of a snake as it peeked into her Sydney home.

With the recent spike of snakes coming out of their habitats, remain calm and keep a safe distance if you find one in your home.

Do not attempt to handle or harm the snake, as this can be dangerous.

Instead, contact a professional snake catcher or your local wildlife rescue service to remove the visitor safely.

In the meantime, there are preventative measures you can take to minimise the chances of a snake visit:

1. Keep your garden tidy: Overgrown vegetation can provide perfect hiding spots for snakes.
2. Seal gaps in your home: Check for and seal any cracks or holes where a snake could enter.
3. Be cautious when moving objects: Snakes can hide under tarps, woodpiles, or outdoor furniture.
4. Educate yourself about snakes: Learn about the types of snakes in your area and what to do if you encounter one.

While the experience of finding a python near your fruit bowl is certainly a story to tell, it's also an excellent opportunity to brush up on how to coexist safely with the wildlife around us.

After all, these creatures are a vital part of the Australian ecosystem.

Key Takeaways

• A Sydney family found a diamond python in their fruit bowl.
• The homeowners took precautions as they locked up their dog and opened the back door, allowing the snake to exit.
• Despite the encounter, the family acknowledged the presence of diamond pythons in the area, noting that they had seen larger ones before.
• Snake catchers reported an increase in snake sightings, attributing the rise to recent rainfall.

Have you or someone you know ever had a surprise visit from a local critter? Share your stories with us in the comments below, and let's discuss the best ways to handle these unexpected encounters.

 

[MariaG]

Might be good not to have a doggy door.
Who knows what lets itself in through the day.
I must say, I would not have been cool and calm. I guess if you live with it, you learn to accept it.

 

[MelanieJune]

That’s so cute! When I lived in the FNQ I had one settled in my kitchen, I swear it smiled for me

 

[Gsr]

Years ago our cat brought home a small brownish colour snake from the creek. Hubby put it in a jar with a tightly fitting push lid on and put it in the entrance in our house. He was going to take it to get identified the next day. Next morning it had escaped, it was hard to believe such a small snake could have enough strength to push the lid up. We could not find it anywhere but hoped it had gone out of the house under the front door. After the kids reporting they had heard scuffling noises in their bedrooms at night over the next couple of weeks we kept looking for it, to no avail. About three weeks later there was a scuffling noise in a plastic bag in our bedroom at three in the morning, hubby got up and yes, there was the snake, a bit bigger and very much alive. Hubby managed to pick it up by the tail. He grew up on a farm and had handled snakes before, and put it in a jar with a screw lid on it. Next day we relocated it further away from our home. Our cat never found it in the house as he was an outside cat and was locked up in a cat run at night.

 

[Luckyus]

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