I've got a leafy compound. Very shady. Keeps the place relatively cool in our tropical heat and humidity.
I've got canine companions. Three of them, in fact. But, to keep them in line I've created zones for them.
There is one zone that is free of my canine pets. That zone is probably the most leafy and shady part of the compound. And, that is the zone where squirrels, tree shrews, a variety of birds and butterflies like to occupy. The tropical live-bearing fish (assorted guppies, swordtails, mollies) and, tilapia and sepat are kept in this zone.
There is the occasionally pesky biawak that disdainfully plod across this zone.
pix from here.
But, today was different. Today, a baby reticulated python measuring nearly 4-feet successfully caught an unfortunate baby tree shrew. It coiled itself around the tree shrew and proceeded to ingest the poor bugger. That's Nature, right?
pix from here
pix from here.
But, because this event took place in the shady part of the driveway it disturbed my "quiet enjoyment" of the compound. This is a figure of speech, of course. I was actually on the way to the office.
DBKL has an interesting unit that deals with rodents, serpents and any organic, non-human moving thing. Upon being notified, a SWAT-like team of five DBKL men from this unit showed up in about twenty minutes. Great response time.
But, the serpent was nowhere to be found. After scouring the driveway, they discovered the slippery thing behind the umbrella palm where the dastardly ingestion had occurred. It was going from ingestion to digestion!
Needless to say, the men from DBKL caught the baby python. Before they left I gave them a generous tip.
Oddly enough, they left me with a different kind of tip. Firstly, rock salt is a better reptilian deterrent than sulphur. Second, a python can lay up to twenty eggs.
As I write this, I have arranged for Mr Raja to drop by for a spot of major pruning this weekend. I hope he and his crew won't meet the other nineteen siblings of the baby python!
And, I have had a change of heart. I have decided to make the compound zone-free after dusk so that my canine companions may mark their territory all over the compound. That should send a clear message to all unwelcome would-be reptilian visitors.
pix from here (a good picture at several levels).
Did I mention that I have OPHIDIOPHOBIA?
And, may I say another sincere and relieved TERIMA KASIH to the DBKL men who must have one of the most interesting jobs in Kuala Lumpur.
I've got canine companions. Three of them, in fact. But, to keep them in line I've created zones for them.
There is one zone that is free of my canine pets. That zone is probably the most leafy and shady part of the compound. And, that is the zone where squirrels, tree shrews, a variety of birds and butterflies like to occupy. The tropical live-bearing fish (assorted guppies, swordtails, mollies) and, tilapia and sepat are kept in this zone.
There is the occasionally pesky biawak that disdainfully plod across this zone.
pix from here.But, today was different. Today, a baby reticulated python measuring nearly 4-feet successfully caught an unfortunate baby tree shrew. It coiled itself around the tree shrew and proceeded to ingest the poor bugger. That's Nature, right?
pix from herepix from here.But, because this event took place in the shady part of the driveway it disturbed my "quiet enjoyment" of the compound. This is a figure of speech, of course. I was actually on the way to the office.
DBKL has an interesting unit that deals with rodents, serpents and any organic, non-human moving thing. Upon being notified, a SWAT-like team of five DBKL men from this unit showed up in about twenty minutes. Great response time.
But, the serpent was nowhere to be found. After scouring the driveway, they discovered the slippery thing behind the umbrella palm where the dastardly ingestion had occurred. It was going from ingestion to digestion!
Needless to say, the men from DBKL caught the baby python. Before they left I gave them a generous tip.
Oddly enough, they left me with a different kind of tip. Firstly, rock salt is a better reptilian deterrent than sulphur. Second, a python can lay up to twenty eggs.
As I write this, I have arranged for Mr Raja to drop by for a spot of major pruning this weekend. I hope he and his crew won't meet the other nineteen siblings of the baby python!
And, I have had a change of heart. I have decided to make the compound zone-free after dusk so that my canine companions may mark their territory all over the compound. That should send a clear message to all unwelcome would-be reptilian visitors.
pix from here (a good picture at several levels).Did I mention that I have OPHIDIOPHOBIA?
And, may I say another sincere and relieved TERIMA KASIH to the DBKL men who must have one of the most interesting jobs in Kuala Lumpur.
3 comments:
Whew! Was that the area near the guest room? Eeeee! :D
No. The driveway :)
Awww sadly you are afraid of snakes :) I just caught a baby Python outside my house and think it's really cute! Some pics here. Better not look though if you don't like snakes!
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