Snake Hunter Mark Pelley catches 2m python in Wantirna South chicken coop

A TWO-METRE python has been caught after trying to eat chickens in a Wantirna South backyard coop, but where the snake came from has puzzled the experienced catcher. WATCH THE CAPTURE.

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A WANTIRNA South woman got the shock of her life when she found a 2m python in her chicken coop.

The woman went to collect her chickens’ eggs about 5am on Sunday, January 21 when she found the unexpected visitor.

The Snake Hunter Mark Pelley was called and said the python had blood and feathers in its mouth but, incredibly, all the chickens were still alive and huddled together in the corner of the coop.

Mark Pelley with the python he rescued from a house in Wantirna South.

Even more remarkable for Mr Pelley was the species of snake — a Centralian carpet python — is usually only found in the Northern Territory.

Mr Pelley said in his five years as a professional snake catcher he had never seen a species like it in Melbourne and was eager to find out its origins.

“It’s one of two options — either it’s an escaped pet, whether lawfully or unlawfully kept, or it’s hitched on back of a truck from somewhere like Alice Springs and had been eating fauna on its way,” Mr Pelley said.

“They pose a threat to chickens and native fauna and could even eat small pets if they wanted to, like a small dog or cat”.

The python, which is non-venomous, is being kept in Mr Pelley’s Diamond Valley home.

“I’ll give people a couple of days to get in touch and prove ownership otherwise I’ll hand it into the Department of Environment.”

The 2m Centralian carpet python.