Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Man finds screaming flatmate 'handcuffed' and bitten by pet black-headed python

'She was handling the snake when it bit her on the thumb and proceeded to constrict her hands together,' says snake catcher

Matt Payton
Thursday 14 January 2016 17:00 GMT
Comments
The black-headed python 'handcuffing' its owner
The black-headed python 'handcuffing' its owner (The Snake Catcher 24/7/ Facebook)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A man woke up to find his flatmate screaming - after her pet python had bound itself around he hands and bitten her repeatedly.

The woman had been petting the black-headed python at 3am on Thursday morning when the snake attacked at their home in Sunshine Coast, Australia.

The man called snake catcher, Stuart McKenzie, who recounted the story after going to the pair's aid.

Mr McKenzie wrote on his Facebook page: "So I received a call at 3am this morning from a guy who woke up due to the screams of his roommate who had been bitten by her pet black-headed python.

"She was handling the snake when it bit her on the thumb and proceeded to constrict her hands together so she was basically handcuffed and couldn't get it off.

"The guy had no real experience with snakes and they couldn't get the snake to loosen its grip. After the snake had stopped biting her it continued to constrict her hands together like you can see in the photo."

With the snake catcher's advice, it took 20 minutes to uncoil the snake and return it to its enclosure.

Mr McKenzie said the snake may have thought a small mammal was in her hands or that it was unused to being handled late at night.

He told Brisbane Times: "It might have been a food response, maybe it wasn't used to being handled that late at night, something might have set it off, it might have been a bitey snake.

"It can be a response, showing aggression, it could have thought her hands were a small mammal, they do it for a variety of reasons, but usually it is a show of aggression."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in