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

I want to live in an exciting place with snakes, or bears, or cougars etc.

I'm team Mr Hissy!
Awesome name, by the way 😃

Tell them that you got rid and it’s ok now. Then if she sees him again say it’s not Mr Hissy but his uncle, Mr Slithering come for a visit.

😂

Suggest she emigrate to Ireland.
Literally no snakes here, none, zero.

Bluey does all that work to bridge the divide and make us mindful that we’re all the same… and then this thread comes along and I remember we’re in totally different worlds! 😂

(This is meant as self-deprecating humour from a UK MNer btw. Insofar as I can get my head around the idea of a carpet python under a house, I do appreciate the conservation argument and think YANBU.)

Loving this thread. Live in UK. Am always fascinated by how people live calmly alongside all kinds of potentially very dangerous animals. Have read a couple of fab books about Australia and its fauna. I had a chat once with an African friend who talked about teaching his children how to run away from snakes…

But your neighbour is surely living in the wrong place if she has a snake phobia. Not just Australia but Northern Queensland to boot. That’s just silly!

I love this expression! 😂

Team Mr Hissy here - Don't get why ppl who have phobia's would move there. Considering they are wild critters that come and go when they want.

I feel sorry for your neighbours. The snake has to be rehomed. How inconsiderate of you.

This. I guess this is why I can never move to Australia... that and the spiders.

Team Hissy.

Best AIBU ever.

This. I'd make it clear to them he's a protected species in case they try to do something shifty.

All of this I could cope with- but I have a fit of the vapours at the thought of a snake… which is why if I ever emigrate it will be to Canada and not Australia!

@MrHissyLives Mr Hissy is on your property so if you like him he stays! Your neighbour can move somewhere more sensible for a snake hater.

What about the bazillion other snakes that live all around anti snake woman?

@Sounreasonable - I think Canada have lots of snakes (and bears) ?

I spent 6 months in Australia and reluctantly accepted I might see snakes (massive phobia and I live in UK adder country).. I saw 2 ..well I didn't see the second as I closed my eyes (ordered to stand still and not move by Aussie cousin).

People saying why did she move there.. I guess she was born out there? That said I think I would live in a built up area.

Despite phobia I actually feel sorry for Mr H..

Snakes creep me out a bit, but when Iwas working up a mountain for a summer in northern California, the guy who owned the property used to go out and shoot the snakes if one was spotted. I was very quiet if I ever saw one, because whilst it did terrify me to almost step on a rattlesnake in the path once, I still didn't agree with killing them just for existing.

Team Mr Hissy! And I like his name.

I am terrified of snakes but am still Team Mr Hissy. Why move somewhere like that when you are terrified of snakes??!

Ah bugger, no moving to Canada then (although I like the idea of bears as neighbours).

I have only spent 6 weeks in Australia (including QL) but didn’t see a single snake or spider!

And to add to your post… that I too am grateful for the damp, mild summers of south west England where the biggest problem is generally wasps in your pint of beer!

I vote for Mr Hissy to stay. It’s his home after all right?

I do appreciate though that people are scared/nervous of snakes. He’s probably more scared of her than she is of him.

I’m team Mr Hissy stays!!

Team Mr Hissy here too. Poor bugger, just chilling out, popping out to do some shopping, minding his own business, and this is what he gets.

I'd definitely reiterate to them that he's a protected species, and that you absolutely do not give permission for anyone to interfere with him. I'd also probably get a security camera - maybe even one of those you can talk through, so you can yell at them to leave poor Mr Hissy alone if the cousin does come looking for him.

That's a heatwave in Scotland 🤣. Amazing what we get used to!