A Sunshine Coast truckie was in for a shock when he did his pre-start checks on the Kenworth T409 he drives – only to find a 10-foot python wrapped around the turntable.
It was 4am when Rick Denning, who works for Sommers Sawdust Supplies in the Glass Mountains, spotted the well-fed snake.
His employer, Mark Sommers, told Big Rigs: “Rick thought it was a little bit out there – it’s probably not the sort of thing you want to be encountering at that time of the morning.
“He took it for a run to get it out of the depot and said he would try to get it off the truck at the next stop.
“But the thing did not want to leave the truck. It ended up doing about 300 kilometres.”
Snakes are drawn to trucks because they provide a warm place for them to rest while they digest their food. Image: Mark SommersBack at the depot in the afternoon, with the python curled up under the cab, Denning and Sommers admitted defeat.
“We tried to get it off ourselves and he decided to go for a wander up underneath the cab.
“There was no way we were getting it out, so we called the Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers.”
Professional snake catcher Heather McMurray was quickly on the scene, unfazed as she did what she does best.
She said the python, which measured approximately 3.2 metres, was quite difficult to remove from the rig.
“I had to do the head grab, and we don’t really like grabbing python’s heads because we’re a predator, and they just assume that we’re going to hurt them.
“So they start moving in strange ways and trying to get us.
“But in some situations like that, there is no choice.
“It’s the easiest and safest option just to grab their head, but we do it very gently and make sure not to strangle or hurt the snake.”
The python went for a long drive in the truck. Image: Mark SommersHeather said snakes are drawn to trucks because they provide a warm place for them to rest while they digest their food.
“It’s pretty warm up here at the moment anyway, but after they eat, they do need that heat to digest their food items.
“Under the truck would have been just perfect for him that day.”
She said breeding season for snakes has started early this year, and said truckies and operators should be on the lookout.
“We are flat out, doing back-to-back jobs all day long,” she said.
“I think we’ve got probably another month like this, and then we’ll start seeing some eggs and babies around the place.
“It is very common to see snakes around trucking yards and warehouses.
“We get several snakes in trucks every year, often in the engine bay. I’ve actually had them inside the trucks a few times too.”
Pythons are not venomous, but can still be dangerous.
“A bite from a Python that size would put you in hospital,” she said.
“They have approximately 90 teeth in their mouth, and they all slope backwards.
“Their teeth could easily go through an artery.”
Heather said that if you spot a snake in or around your truck, you should call a professional to have it removed.
“Call the nearest snake catcher for a couple of reasons,” she said.
“It’s actually illegal to relocate wildlife without a permit, and for the safety of the snake and yourself, it’s much better just to give us a call.
“We can do it a lot quicker and a lot easier.”
She said you might think you’re dealing with a non-venomous snake, but you could be wrong.
“We’ve had people calling us saying they’ve got a tree snake in the truck, and it’s turned out to be something a little more venomous!
“Especially if you don’t get a good look at it, it can be hard to tell.”
You can contact Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers on 0409 536 000.
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