Neighbours freaking out about my under house python- Mr Hissy

[MrHissyLives]

I live on tropical northern Australia and have had a resident carpet python living under my house. My kids call him Mr Hissy. I’ve been here 15 years and have seen him about half a dozen times, usually sliding in or out between the slats that close off the under side of my house. Carpet pythons are famously zen and most Aussies are happy to have one in their shed as they won’t bother you and keep the rats sorted.

Anyhow, I heard dramatic screaming last evening and rushed out to see my terrified neighbour frozen in fear, looking over our fence as Mr Hissy went back in under my house. I explained he has been there forever and is harmless but she was having a proper freak out and shouting that she couldn’t sleep ever again knowing he was next door. I said that there would be dozens mores snakes in our tropical gardens that she had never seen and she had lived there for three years and clearly Mr Hissy had never bothered her. This did not help. Her husband arrived home and said his wife was terrified of snakes and Mr Hissy Had.To.Go. In fact, he would call his cousin to come and remove Mr Hissy. I said no. Mr Hissy was on my property and was welcome to stay. They gave me death stares and left.

I do understand that phobias are irrational but fuck me, Mr Hissy has never done anything to them. I’m certainly not letting some random cousin come and get Mr Hissy- he will either take him away and kill him or release him somewhere where he won’t survive. In fact pythons are a protected species and only authorised wildlife removalists can move them as they will know the release places where the snake will most likely survive.

I’ve always got on well with these neighbours up till this point. Should I tell them that if they pay for an authorised wildlife remover to come and get Mr Hissy, I will allow it? Would that be a reasonable compromise? I really don’t want Mr Hissy to go, but is it worth falling out with my neighbours over?

So YABU- let neighbours pay to remove Mr Hissy
YANBU- Mr Hissy stays

Reading these does remind me of something.

When I was a teen, I was out in the garden playing out on my bike. My dad was cutting the hedge and grandad was out there nattering away. Suddenly my dad dropped the hedge clippers and legged it, my grandad legged it, and I had never seen him move to fast, and I confused followed. The door was quickly slammed behind me. A huge swarm of bees had landed in our garden. I went upstairs to look out the window and the entire garden was black. It sounded like a football match with all the audience buzzing in the background.

I know EXACTLY what you're saying about spids...!

I read some years ago that when during rehearsals of Prisoner: Cell Block H, filmed in Melbourne, the original with Bea etc. there was a scene in the laundry room, fight between a couple of prisoners and as the actors fought one of then saw a HUGE one on a wall next to the large washing machines and she actually fainted! There was a mad scrabble to get rid of it fast!

I have absolutely nothing against Australia or Florida etc. at all but I'll never go there ...for any reason!

I’m Team Mr Hissy. He’s a harmless wild animal and should be left where he is. He isn’t living on her property.

Obviously it’s hard to have a phobia (I have a spider phobia even though we have no harmful spiders in the UK) but that’s her issue, not yours.

My mum’s got grass snakes living in her garden (much smaller than a python, admittedly!) and would be absolutely furious if anyone suggested getting rid of them. They’re native wildlife and she loves them.

Yes I was telling DH about this just recently. I'm 51 and it was pretty normal as a child at school to be taught what to do when you see a snake (Don't run!) and what to do if you are bitten by a snake.

I actually really like snakes and lizards. I was thrilled to bits when I was first in the UK and I saw a slow worm. I did not know it was a slow worm at first- I was heavily pregnant and I was right up close looking at it. DH said what sort of Australian lunatic am I to be really pregnant and getting up really close to something that I did not know was a snake or not!! (I knew it wasn't because it had eyelids and snakes don't).

I'd love to see a grass snake here. Bucket list.

I lived in Taiwan for a few years and there were what we called 'king cockroaches'. I didn't mind them much as we enjoyed watching geckos hunting them. Someone told me a story about a group of westerners sitting together one evening and one of these cockroaches appeared. Everyone picked up a magazine, rolled it up and went for the cockroach, but it flew into a fan and they all got sprayed with minced cockroach and apparently a couple of people threw up 😬

Give them some printed information on Pythons.
that they are harmless, keep down the rodents. Etc.
Any other good things about said snake.

Point out the laws regarding Pythons
Im also from south, Tiger Snake country, and wouldn’t catch me within 5 km if I knew there was a snake about.
Good luck with Mr.Hissy.

I’m terrified of snakes but even I can see you’re right here.

I don’t live in Australia though!

I’m not sure how a diagram will help, but some PPs have requested one. I don’t do diagrams so here is apple map.

Green is Mr Hissy’s exit point. Hatched red is my house, under which I believe Mr Hissy lives.

I don’t have a photo of Me Hissy. If I ever get one, I will add it to thread, but I only see Mr Hissy about every 2 years.

You don’t see that in the ads either: “come to Florida and have the ground swallow you up”

Unless they've been out for days - caught out by a storm or something - you don't need to worry about bee swarms. Before they set off for their new home, they all eat as much honey as they can stuff down which means they can't bend their bodies to sting, but they're intent on the queen anyway and ignore anything else unless it's a threat. I've stood in the middle of a swarm a couple of times and it's absolutely amazing.

You've just reminded me why as amazing as it is, I don't want to live in Australia 😅

At the time we wasn’t aware they were bees. Thought they were wasps.

We called a bee keeper to come and get them and he just…shook the branch and they all fell into the box

Also in the UK. Adders are partial to the odd rat if they get the chance 🙂.
PS. I'm also on Team Hissy. I love how cool you all are in Australia about our slithery friends.

Please, protect Mr Hissy at all costs!!!

Tell your neighbour that you have seen Mr Hissy's brother moving in under her house

Who eats quiche warm, full stop?! I'd always have it cold with a nice green salad, and some new potatoes and mayo... Is this a gastronomic delight I have been missing out on?

Nah, tell her Mr Hissy is a baby snake who’s looking for his 45-foot mum, who lives nearby, but you’re not sure where.

See this ^^ and the spiders is why I'll never visit.

If I ever did (nope) I would have to accept that the country is full of creatures I am terrified of and there's nothing I can do about it

On a practical note - if you blocked up access on that side, would he be stuck under your house or able to get out on another side?

Thank you. The thread is now perfect. 😁

Agree, if you don't know what's going on then it's pretty scary!

I do a bit of swarm catching and they really do just walk into boxes, or drop into them. Bees like a particular sized space to move into (approx 40L) so if the box is the right size, they'll go straight in. Before swarming, scouts got out to look for suitable spaces and pace them out beforehand, then they tell the others and as soon as the weather is right they all set off and move in. Clever buggers, bees.

@isthismylifenow glad that brought you some joy ;)

I am envious of your chongololos though, those things are adorable

Glad they were concerned about you...!!

This has also reminded me of something! I was holidaying in the lower Pyrenees with my parents, when we heard and saw an enormous black cloud of bees heading towards us through the valley from the higher range across from us. It was a spectacular sight and sound! We ran inside and closed all the windows, doors and shutters as we heard them pass overhead. They were migrating and thankfully didn't use our gite as a pit stop!

I love Mr Hissy and don't even know him. You must protect him from your evil snake killing neighbours!!