THE olive python which consumed a fresh water crocodile whole at Lake Moondarra on Sunday is unlikely to explode despite stories surfacing involving similar incidents.
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“It may have happened overseas where they have swallowed a large animal but I’ve never heard of it, they’re quite flexible and their skin stretches quite a bit.”
- Gavin Lawrence - Mount Isa snake catcher
Stories about this happening after a snake swallows another animal whole have led to people to ask this question but Mount Isa snake handler Gavin Lawrence said judging by the length of the tussle, the python made sure its prey was dead before it consumed it.
“Sometimes with a kangaroo, the kangaroo has kicked out the side of a snake, that’s one instance where I’ve heard of that sort of thing,” Mr Lawrence said.
“It may have happened overseas where they have swallowed a large animal but I’ve never heard of it, they’re quite flexible and their skin stretches quite a bit.”
Mr Lawrence said the python would now be seeking heat to help kickstart the decomposition of the remains.
“It will need heat to digest the food,” he said.
Mr Lawrence said the python may not venture far from Lake Moondarra, with its mobility slowed somewhat by the meal.
“It will be there somewhere,” Mr Lawrence said.
“It’s priority will be to get some heat – everything in that crocodile will be consumed, the only thing I think that doesn’t get broken down is hair. Everything else will get broken down.”
Mr Lawrence said he was certain the python would have killed the crocodile before it consumed it.
“The olive would have finished it off, it would have made sure it couldn’t breathe,” he said.
