The images depict a snake devouring a parrot headfirst while suspended from the gutter of a woman’s residence in Agnes Waters, Queensland.
The homeowner captured the photos and forwarded them to Stuart McKenzie, a snake handler, who shared them on the internet.
As per Mr. McKenzie, carpet pythons, capable of reaching lengths of up to three meters, frequently hunt small animals and birds. They opportunistically attack any bird that ventures too near them.
He noted that the python likely bit the parrot after it had come too close while the snake was resting and basking.
Mr. McKenzie had observed instances where these pythons had consumed tiny animals like guinea pigs, and he knew they regularly broke into chicken coops to prey on chickens. On rare occasions, they even consume small dogs and cats.
He explained that before starting to swallow their prey, pythons would bite and constrict them. While not the largest snakes in the country, they held that distinction on the Sunshine Coast where he resided.
He estimated that the medium-sized carpet python in the photographs measured between 1.5 and 2 meters.
After consuming the parrot, the snake would “rest” for a few days to facilitate digestion. Despite their non-lethal nature, bites from carpet pythons could be considerably painful.
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