WATCH: Massive African Rock Python caught with bare hands near Ladysmith

For local snake expert Fanie Cilliers, it was a busy week and weekend in and around Ladysmith.

Ezakheni residents were going about their daily routine when they heard the frantic clucking of chickens coming from the coop just outside their home.

On closer inspection, they saw an African Rock Python eating a chicken in the coop.

Fanie received a call from a distraught resident and also from police in the area that a massive snake had been spotted in the Pieters area near Ezakheni on Wednesday (December 5). Fanie jumped into action, with police meeting him at the Caltex garage on the Pieters road and showing him the way.

On arrival, Fanie grabbed his tools and immediately went to work… It was a cat and mouse game between Fanie and the snake, as it kept on going in and out between the fence of the chicken coop.

Nevertheless, it wasn’t long before Fanie managed to bravely grab the python with his bare hands.

Also read: Hunt for 6-metre-plus African Rock Python near primary school continues near Ladysmith

Also read: Ladysmith believe it or not: When a snake is not a snake, community blames inyanga

The snake regurgitated the chicken it had just eaten while it was being removed from the coop.

It was a massive specimen indeed, but the residents commented that they have encountered many other snakes near their home that are even bigger than this one that measured 3.6 metres.

The very next day, Fanie received a call from a farmer living in Elandslaagte regarding another African Rock Python that had “hitched a ride” on the back of a bakkie to a shopping centre right here in town.

Fanie responded to the scene and also safely removed this snake, which measured 2.2 metres.

Both snakes will be released at a local game reserve near Ladysmith.

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