[BartSimpson]

A good reason why Aussies need to have guns. Oh, and there's a video of the snake at the website.

From http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/0 ... nnSTCVideo

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) -- A 16-foot python stalked a family dog for days before swallowing the pet whole in front of horrified children in the Australian tropics, animal experts said Wednesday.


A 16-foot python swallows a family's dog on Monday night in Kuranda, Australia.

The boy and girl, aged 5 and 7, watched as the scrub python devoured their silky terrier-Chihuahua crossbreed Monday at their home near Kuranda in Queensland state.

Stuart Douglas, owner of the Australian Venom Zoo in Kuranda, said scrub pythons typically eat wild animals such as wallabies, a smaller relative of the kangaroo, but sometimes turn to pets in urban areas.

"It actively stalked the dog for a number of days," Douglas said.

"The family that owned the dog had actually seen it in the dog's bed, which was a sign it was out to get it," he added.

"They should have called me then, but (the snake) got away and three or four days later, I was called and went around and removed it" after the dog had been killed, Douglas said.

By the time Douglas arrived, all that could be seen of the dog was its hind legs and tail.

The zoo manager, Todd Rose, said pythons squeeze their prey to death before swallowing it whole. The 5-year-old dog would have been suffocated within minutes. Watch snake handler show off dog-eating python »

"The lady who was there threw some plastic chairs at the snake, but you've got to remember that this is about 50 kilograms (110 pounds) of aggressive muscle," Rose said.



Removing the half-swallowed dog could have harmed or even killed the python, Rose said, because dogs have sharp teeth and claws that could do the snake internal damage if it were wrenched out.

The snake was still digesting the dog at the zoo Wednesday. It will soon be moved to the bush, Douglas said.

[Ripcat]

It was probably fed up with all that yappy barking. Time to get a beagle.

[saturn_656]

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

The boy and girl, aged 5 and 7, watched as the scrub python devoured their silky terrier-Chihuahua crossbreed Monday at their home near Kuranda in Queensland state.

Thats not a dog, its a bloody rat.

[SwanJun]

saturn_656 saturn_656:

BartSimpson BartSimpson:

The boy and girl, aged 5 and 7, watched as the scrub python devoured their silky terrier-Chihuahua crossbreed Monday at their home near Kuranda in Queensland state.

Thats not a dog, its a bloody rat.

That line made me chuckle - so very Australian. I can almost picture Paul Hogan snorting with a raised brow as he whips out a Blue Heeler and drawls "THIS is a DOG"

I used to live around that area - You'd probably be more familiar with Cairns, which is only about a 20 minute drive down the mountain - and I can say with all honesty that Far North Queensland is not a good place to have a dog.

Crocs bark like dogs to attract them and ultimately eat them.

Snakes apparently eat them.

Queenslanders drive like Montrealer's (I know, not a word) and not too many people have big fences ... You get the picture

Sharks, too, seem to like canine meat.

If you're in the Sunshine State of Queensland, get yourself a decent mutt, like a Heeler or a Kelpie. Those dogs can't be taken down by anything!

It tends to bum me out that the only news I ever hear from back home these days involves our wildlife doing bad things. I grew up "Outback" in the hottest part of the country, and I certainly never had any real problems, well except with those damn kangaroos - the REAL reason Australians need guns. I get more freaked out by the critters you get here in Canada...I would jump into a pit of pythons before wanting to take on a skunk or raccoon.

:shudder:

Thanks for sharing the article, though. I'll add it to my growing list of reasons not to move back to Australia...

And to think: The Australian Travel Advisory Board claims that Canada is a dangerous place to go...

Oh, BTW, Hi! I'm SJ, Aussie by birth, but will hopefully be a naturalized Canuck by the end of '08.

SJ

[sasquatch2]

Actually the pythons although creepy never got on my nerves....those little black krats (two-steps) were to be avoided. They were aggresive.

[JayRoc]

"Removing the half-swallowed dog could have harmed or even killed the python, Rose said, because dogs have sharp teeth and claws that could do the snake internal damage if it were wrenched out."

I wonder if my axe and work boot woulda caused the snake any discomfort!








meet Luci, safe from snakes

[Kiwigirl]

SwanJun SwanJun:

And to think: The Australian Travel Advisory Board claims that Canada is a dangerous place to go...

Perhaps because the government is scared that all the Australians (and NZ'ers that live there) will realise that Aus isn't that great and perhaps Canada is better?

[Regina]

Don't worry Luci.......Taiga and Luca will protect you.....or have you over for dinner.

[newfette]

WDHIII WDHIII:

OK gotta say Im not the biggest "small breed" fan in the world but.... man..... what a way to go

but just think of the kick ass story he gets to tell in doggie heaven..


pit bull: i died in a dog fight.. how did you die??

black lab: i was hit by a car.. how bout you??

terrier-Chihuahua crossbreed: i was swallowed by a python

[JayRoc]

beautiful dogs Regina!

Luci would feel safe with them...I think.

This is my Dads Sheppard, Mocha

[JayRoc]

pit bull: i died in a dog fight.. how did you die??

black lab: i was hit by a car.. how bout you??

terrier-Chihuahua crossbreed: i was swallowed by a python

pit bull and black lad together..Cooooooooooooooooooool

[Bacardi4206]

"Removing the half-swallowed dog could have harmed or even killed the python, Rose said, because dogs have sharp teeth and claws that could do the snake internal damage if it were wrenched out."

Haha, if I were the family owner of that dog. I would have pulled it out as slow as I could just to get revenge on the snake.

Still, they knew that snake was stalking the dogs for days and yet diddn't do anything about it. Diddn't keep the dog inside, diddn't call any wildlife experts to remove the snake. They just let it happen, and even watched it .

[xerxes]

What an awful thing for the kids to see. A friend of mine's brothers kids ( I hope that makes sense) saw their dog get run over by a car. I think this is worse.

[Bacardi4206]

xerxes xerxes:

What an awful thing for the kids to see. A friend of mine's brothers kids ( I hope that makes sense) saw their dog get run over by a car. I think this is worse.

Not entire sure about that, dog getting run over by a car is harsh but picture seeing your dog's legs kicking as hes being eaten by a snake, he can't breath so hes wimpering and crying for like 5 minutes because hes in pain and can't breathe.

The snake one would be more tramatic for me.

[TattoodGirl]

Beautiful dogs Regina and Jayroc!!!