Unexpected Visitor: See This Woman's Encounter with a Giant ...

A surprise guest drops in – quite literally. In the short clip below, we get to see a diamond python make a rather undignified exit from a tree and land on a family’s table. They all got quite a shock!

The stunning diamond python (Morelia spilota spilota) is a subspecies of the carpet python and has a bright and distinctive coloring. They are a native species of Australia and are found along the eastern coast from East Gippsland north to near Coffs Harbour in New South Wales. The populations in East Gippsland live at the highest latitudes of any python in the world.

In New South Wales, it is found only east of the Great Dividing Range. It is not just found by the coast, its distribution extends inland along some of the larger river systems. These pythons are also found in the bushland suburbs of Sydney.  

They are termed a semi-arboreal snake which means that they spend a lot of their time in trees. This means that they are comfortable living in forests and heaths but they are also frequently seen in urban areas. Residents may find them in attics and wall spaces in both urban and suburban neighborhoods. Their chosen habitats can vary with the season.

These are large carnivorous snakes. Adults can reach 10 feet in length and are accomplished hunters. They are ambush predators waiting in a typical coiled ambush posture for some unsuspected prey to scuttle past them. Then they strike. Younger snakes have a diet of small mammals, birds and reptiles. Mature diamond pythons feed almost entirely on mammals – including mice, rats and possums. The larger the snake, the larger the prey. They can lie in wait for days in one ambush site before moving to another. Most of their feeding takes place during the warmer months.

Many residents who discover a diamond python in their home choose to leave it where it is. They can be a great help with controlling rodents. These are not venomous snakes but they can give a painful bite so it is best to keep your distance!

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