THE MOTHER of a young boy dramatically attacked in his home near Macksville by a large python has recounted the horrifying incident to the Guardian.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The six-year-old boy’s mother, Tamara, woke to Tyler’s blood-curdling screams after he was bitten several times on his face and hand by a three-metre long python.
She ran into the room and ripped the snake off her son’s body after the reptile managed to slither into their Eungai Rail home.
“It was like a nightmare,” Tamara told the Guardian.
“It was a terrifying scream and I didn’t know what had happened - I certainly didn’t think it involved a snake.
“I have no idea how it even got into the house.”
When Tamara entered the bedroom she said the snake was wrapped around her son’s belly.
“I tried to pull Tyler from the bed but he didn’t come with me ... I had to roll him, then pull,” she said.
“I saw his face and the blood and his eyes were still closed so I don’t think he was fully awake.
“I tried to check him over but he wouldn’t let me touch him anywhere.”
Within five minutes Tamara’s cousins arrived at the property and “dealt with the snake” while Tamara drove to Macksville Hospital.
“Tyler doesn’t remember anything - which is the best part,” Tamara said.
“He was only complaining about his finger hurting. He tapped his head on the way to hospital and he asked me why he was bleeding.
“He wouldn’t know that a snake had bitten him if we hadn’t told him or if people hadn’t been talking about it.”
While at the hospital, Tamara was sent a photo of the snake, which was posted on social media.
In the photo, her cousin is seen holding the snake above his head in the image - but it is so long it drapes on the ground at his feet and is curled around his hand.
The original Facebook post, with the photo of the young boy’s head injury and the dead python, has been shared more than 5000 times since it was posted on Monday.
A Macksville Hospital representative confirmed that a six-year-old boy was brought to the hospital on Friday, February 19, just before 1am. He was transferred by ambulance to Coffs Harbour Health Campus for further treatment and was discharged before 7am.
Owner of Reptile World Coffs Harbour, Steve McEwan, said without knowing the full details of the story it was difficult to comment, however, he urged people to understand that snakes are opportunistic feeders.
“I assume that the lights were off and the child was asleep, and being a python he has detected some warmth and slight movement,” Steve told the Guardian.
“They have heat sensors, and they don’t think about the size of their prey. If it’s hungry it will bite anything, and if it can’t eat it, it can’t eat it.
“But I don’t believe the snake was going to feast on the child ... it’s all instinct, not thought processes.”
Steve said if someone is bitten by a snake, they should try and remain calm, and treat the incident seriously.
“I say to treat all snake bites the same - apply pressure and immobilise and call Triple zero (000),” he said.
“Our snakes are quite bland in colour and pattern compared to some overseas snakes which can be distinguished quite easily - so many of ours look the same, but are different species.
“Education is key - I’ve been doing shows for more than 15 years and get people who come back more than once and tell me they learn something new every time they see me.
“We don’t know anything about them, they are simple animals which are all about instinct.”