Family 'devastated' by little-known snake skill which killed beloved pets
The family are worried the snake will attack other pets since it is yet to move on.
WARNING — DISTRESSING IMAGES: A family are heartbroken after a python managed to contort its way through small gaps in their birdcage and have a "good snack" on their two beloved pet birds.
Worst of all, the family thought the birds were secure and out of harm's way.
Early Tuesday morning Jake Spriggs went to feed his cockatiel and peach-faced lovebird in their backyard enclosure but instead only found one, lying dead in the cage, with the snake by its side.
"He was absolutely devastated! They were his birds, he searched for many months to find the right ones," Jake's wife Brittany told Yahoo News Australia. "It took us by surprise to think a snake that size could possibly fit through the cage slats that small. Something we never thought was possible."
The couple are relieved their three young children — all aged under 10 — did not encounter the snake at their home in Tamborine Mountain, Queensland but fear it will return for their other birds after they "let it out down the back of our property where the natural bush land is".
"Other times we just let them move along but this time it's different being in the cage and knowing there are other birds to snack on," Brittany said.
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Snakes can fit into 'tightest gaps', snake catcher warns
Snake catcher Cory Kerewaro explains it depends on the species of snake but overall they can wiggle their way into small crevices and tight spots, able to slide under doors, garage roller doors and even into the crevices of door frames.
"They can fit into the tightest gaps and a lot of birdcages are made of flimsy materials," Kerewaro from Reptile Relocations Sydney told Yahoo News. "If you push your finger in there it'll often stretch so really a snake can push on it and get in. They can also flatten it to an extent."
The snake catcher said there are a few things bird owners can do in order to minimise the risk of a snake getting to their caged pets.
"Make sure the bird cage is a secure one, make sure the metal is a bit thicker," he said. "If it's a small bird cage keep it inside, it's better to keep it inside than outside if you can."
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