Kim Tuckwell was just as surprised as police to learn the snake that he had been keeping in his Singleton Heights backyard was a boa constrictor.
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He was even more surprised to learn that it had apparently eaten a dog and tried to kill him.
“It’s never been in the house,” he said. “My wife would never have let it.”
Two dogs and three cats were roaming in the backyard of his Wentworth Avenue home on Tuesday as police and wildlife handlers seized the 2.3-metre snake.
There are no confirmed reports of a missing dog and Mr Tuckwell’s chihuahua and shih tzu-cross dogs were both still in his yard on Wednesday afternoon, along with his cats, several birds and two guinea pigs.
“The cops were really good about it all and the dogs and cats were just hanging around,” Mr Tuckwell said.
According to a police spokesman, the snake was set to be euthanised and charges were likely to be laid in relation to keeping an exotic species without a licence.
Mr Tuckwell believes that someone phoned police and “made up” the accusations regarding the reptile.
“It’s all a load of rubbish,” he said. “There are neighbours who just want to cause trouble in this street. Someone’s just decided to dob me in. I haven’t told the grandkids yet ... they’re going to be devastated.”
The Singleton Heights man said he was given the snake as a 50th birthday present seven years ago but he had no idea about its true identity.
“We all thought it was a bush python,” he said. “Even the snake handler who came to take it away thought it was a bush python at first.”
The snake, which had no name, was kept in a secure reptile enclosure, which itself was padlocked inside a standalone garden shed.
It is understood that Wildlife Aid Singleton had possession of the reptile as of Wednesday.
The loss of his pet snake has left Mr Tuckwell feeling “devastated”.
“I’ve got [health issues] going on,” he said. “I spend all my time at home. I just hope it could go to a reptile park or zoo or something, not be put down. It’s like having the RSPCA take your dog.”
Mr Tuckwell’s neighbour of 20 years, who wanted only to be named as Karen, agreed that the giant snake was friendly and not a threat.
“It was just so friendly,” she said. “My grandchildren loved seeing it.”
