By Sharon Richards
In December I was greeted at the back door by a young South West Carpet Python. I initially thought it was dead. It was very small, probably only 45 cm and not moving.
When I got a little closer, I could see it had a small partially furred mouse in its mouth,
with a dead one lying a few inches away. I had clearly interrupted breakfast. This just has to be the best kind of rodent control a person could have.
On closer inspection, the snake had a significant bulge further along the body.
It seems there had been a third mouse. Young growing pythons usually need to eat
every 5-7 days, approximately 15% of their body weight, unlike their older parents who
might have weeks between feeds.
I didn’t disturb it. I put a plastic chair over it as it was daylight and I felt it could be vulnerable to bird aerial attack.
By the time I got home from work, both mice and python were gone. I hope it comes back and keeps up the good work. It will always be welcome here.
The main diet of the Carpet Python is vermin – rats and mice. The use of rat poison will have devastating effects on the python. The infected rat will pass the poison on to
the python.
If it is suspected you may have a Carpet Python in your ceiling, sheds and especially
a hay or poultry feed shed, contact the Shire and have a person trained in the area of snake control to check.
If it is a python, you are so fortunate as it keeps vermin under control.
This article was published in the March 2025 edition of the Toodyay Herald, p. 34.
The Toodyay Naturalists’ Club welcomes sightings and observations of flora, fauna and all areas of natural history. To add your sightings, email secretary@toodyaynats.org.au or submit a sighting via our online form.
