http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/asiapcf/02/27/australia.snake.ap/index.html Snake eats family dog as kids watch 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. 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 ยป "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. ..........wtf? Why would you let that thing run around your backyard as a pet? With children small enough to be eaten by that thing? I thought I was having a bad day with Yao's injury. Poor kids. How traumatizing. 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.
Man....to know that thing was hanging out in the dog's bed. Now that's just creepy. What's next? You see the snake hanging out in your kid's crib? These parents are idiots for allowing something 16ft long, play with your kids.
I don't think the snake was the family pet. I would have intorduced the snake to my friend Mr. Glock.
That's awful. I would've got in my car and ran over that thing. Then I would find that snake's wife and kids and kill them too to send a message. Then I would find his parent's home (nest?) and burn it down.
You people are crazy. If I see a 16 FOOT LONG FRIGGIN' SNAKE, it can have my dog. I'm ****ing running away. Fast.
What a moronic family. You see a gigantic python slithering around your family pet's bed and you don't do ANYTHING about it?
I would have tried to snipe it from the roof or something. If you get within shovel range, you're asking for death.
If they knew the damn thing was there, why not call and have it removed. I know for if I saw that thing anywhere near my house, there would be a call to someone to get that MF'er removed immediately. Not 3-4 days later after it snacked on my dog.
I'm not arguing that, so I don't know why you are bringing it up, I'm just pointing out that the snake wasn't the family's pet to LFE171, unless I read his sentence too literally.
I'm not arguing with you either. I'm more shocked that the people are making a big deal out of it since they were too stupid to do something about it. What a bunch of idiots.
