Pythons here, there, everywhere
Is the supposed Yishun curse spreading? It seems like it, now that a Sembawang resident was involved in a freak accident with a python.
On Tuesday (Oct 9) morning, Mrs Chan Yin Ha was looking for her cat on the 2nd floor of the HDB block that she lives in. Mrs Chan lives with her family on the 3rd floor.
As she hunted for the cat among a row of potted plants, she felt a sudden sharp pain in her left leg.
Looking down, she saw that a 3m-long python had bitten her.
She told The Straits Times that she “freaked out” and was terrified. She added,
I thought it would coil around me.
The snake didn’t pursue Mrs Chan and she went back home, bleeding profusely. Her family called an ambulance and she was sent to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital. She has since been discharged and is on 4 days MC.
Pythons are not venomous but can give a nasty bite with their long, sharp teeth.
Meanwhile, a neighbour alerted the police to the python. They found that the python had retreated into a water pipe. A pest control agency later arrived and poured hot water into the pipe, forcing the snake out.
It then fled into a drain on the ground floor, where it was caught. No news on where it has been released to though.
In case you were wondering, Mrs Chan’s beloved kitty is safe.
Polyclinic python
Just a day before, another python was spotted near Punggol Polyclinic.
Compared to the 3m-long python that Mrs Chan saw, this 0.9m-long one is a baby. But it’s a python nonetheless and it freaked Facebook user Irah Nasirah out.
She called the police, who trapped and handed over the snake to Wildlife Reserves Singapore.
What to do if you encounter one
The Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore advises,
The public not to approach, disturb, feed or try to catch any wildlife, including snakes.
Keep a safe distance from the animals and avoid confronting or cornering them.
Do not interact with the animals, and ensure that young children and pets are kept away from them.
Don’t be too surprised if you do come into contact with one, since pythons are the most common snakes in Singapore. They are usually harmless and only turn aggressive when threatened.
Featured image from Mrs Chan Yin Ha (via The Straits Times) and Facebook.
