Carpet python mistakes tennis ball for food

A NORTH Queensland snake handler has helped a carpet python regurgitate an unsavoury meal after it was found swollen in a residential yard. SEE VIDEO

A TOWNSVILLE snake handler has helped a carpet python regurgitate a tennis ball after it was found swollen in a residential yard.

Trish Prendergast, who is a senior veterinary nurse at Townsville Vet Clinic, was brought the 1.5 metre reptile by another local snake handler, Brian West.

Mr West was called to a home in Belgian Gardens on Monday before discovering the snake had consumed something it shouldn’t have.

Ms Prendergast said she had seen snakes eat many odd things, but never a tennis ball.

“It probably smelt like food, maybe frogs,” she said.

“It was very lubricated when he brought it up.”

A carpet snake ate a tennis ball on Monday. Picture: Trish Prendergast

Ms Prendergast said they were lucky to have been able to x-ray the snake before the ball did serious damage to his stomach.

“I’ll give him a proper feed tomorrow and make sure he’s all good before releasing him on the weekend,” she said.

Mr West said he had seen a number of snakes eat unusual things.

“Maybe everyone six months we’ll find ones with something strange in their stomachs, like golf balls and porcelain eggs,” he said.

Originally published as Carpet python mistakes tennis ball for food