Bonzer Words!: Vipers In Paradise
Elaine Lutton tells of "serpentine friends''.
It would seem that St Patrick never visited Bribie Island.
Now that the cooler weather has arrived and the snakes are snoozing I feel I can recount a few snake stories without tempting fate.
The first of my tales is not about a snake at all but a magnificent lace monitor which was quietly minding her own business whilst basking in the sun halfway up a tree in our yard. The recently arrived European grandmother from next door was attending to her flowerbeds when she looked up and saw this large reptile just above her head. Elderly though she was, she took to her heels crying 'Viper, viper!'
It took some time before she could be persuaded to come out again and appreciate the beauty of this large lizard. Sadly we no longer see them in our yard due, I imagine, to loss of habitat and increased development in the area.
The latter has not removed our more venomous 'pets'. The eastern brown snake is a common visitor and in the summer months we keep the yard mowed and watch where we put our feet. Even so we have had our fair share of excitement. Entertaining friends at a BBQ we took shelter in the shed from a shower. An uninvited guest also decided to escape the rain and join the throng and so we had the privilege of seeing twenty or more folk simultaneously levitate with many a panicked squeal.
Of course there is always the sceptic who will claim your venomous rough-scaled snake is nothing more exciting than a harmless keelback. Identification can be tricky. Most snakes are a little shy when asked to roll over so you can count their ventral scales. Certainly my husband Don did not wait on such niceties before diving to snatch the bouncinette complete with infant grandson and placing both on the high outdoor table as Joe Blake slid by.
The tree-snakes in our yard can vie with the lorikeets as regards their beautiful colouring. The slender olive green snake with its stunning yellow throat and belly set off with turquoise flecks that curled up on the chairs set out for our English visitors caused quite a stir.
Romance is alive in Paradise. My neighbour and I were entranced at the sight of two snakes twisted around each other in a tight embrace apparently, amongst other things, dining together on an unfortunate frog. We left them to their honeymoon.
Finally a tall but true tale. Two houses down from us in an old-style fibro cottage live the professional fishermen and their two dogs, one a poodle and the other a large Alsation. Around 11 pm we heard the dogs yelping and barking and the sound of shouting. A large carpet snake, a python, had the poodle in its coils and was squeezing the life out of the poor dog. The big brave Alsation was reduced to jelly, knees knocking. The owners rushed out and tried to unwind the snake and save the poodle but without success. The python was not about to give up its supper without a fight and whilst not venomous nobody was keen to risk a bite from the angry reptile. Lateral thinking saved the day. The vacuum cleaner was brought out, the hose pushed over the snake's head and the power switched on thereby immobilising the toothed end. Beginning at the tail end the snake was forcefully unwound-no mean task. Eventually our poodle friend was free, albeit with bruised ribs, and later made a full recovery. We trust the python also recovered from his ordeal.
Where is a camera when you need one?
An obvious entry for Australian Funniest Home Videos.
We never attempt to kill our serpentine friends. Not only would that be illegal since Bribie is a Fauna and Flora Reserve, but it can be dangerous—being threatened with a large spade would no doubt bring out the aggression in you too. We give them the respect that we feel they deserve as another fascinating part of our wildlife and allow them to go on their way unmolested, whilst teaching our grand children to look but never touch.
© Elaine Lutton
Elaine writes for Bonzer! magazine. Please visit www.bonzer.org.au
