WHEN something went thud in the night at Lowen Taylor’s Bellingen home, little did she know what would unfold the following evening.

Lowen tells News Of The Area the tale.

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“When I heard movement in the kitchen around midnight the night before, I knew we had had a visitor of sorts, just not sure what.

“Then, on Friday evening – 10 December – I had preheated the oven, made a quick quiche and jumped in shower while it baked.

“Getting out of the shower, we could smell something funky, more like burnt hair than anything else, so we figured a furry friend had been the one making noise the previous night and must be stuck behind the oven.”

Seeing nothing, then hearing a crackling noise like electricity shorting, they moved the oven, got back on the floor, checked, still seeing nothing they pulled the oven away from the wall.

Shining a torch they discovered the snake.

“It seemed half stuck in the back of the oven,” Lowen said.

“I was mortified.

“I’m not a huge fan of snakes but I also do not like hurting animals in any way, so it was a big internal crisis for me.

“I was too scared to attempt to help it, but the thought of it suffering brought me to tears.

Lowen and her partner, Forest, called WIRES immediately who said they would try and get someone out.

She also posted to Facebook.

“People responded almost immediately but unfortunately we still didn’t get any assistance that night.

“Forest tried for about an hour to coax it out, but he could only bring it so far, then it would recoil back under, so we assumed it was stuck somewhere.”

On Lowen’s Facebook post there were mentions of Tom the Snake Catcher.

“I messaged him first thing on Saturday morning, and he called me just as I got to work and said he’d be there ASAP

“Tom arrived within the hour, just as Forest had managed to remove the back of the oven and free the snake from where it was stuck.

“Tom was in and out, super careful and efficient.

“We were so grateful for his service – he’s an absolute legend.”

Tom Damaschke’s official title is WIRES Reptile Species Coordinator for the Mid North Coast, a role he’s embraced for the past eighteen years.

All in a day’s work for Tom, when he arrived at Lowen’s home, he worked out that the carpet python had made its way into the house through a partially open window, without a flyscreen.

“It had made its way under the stove in the kitchen attracted by a rodent,” Tom told News Of The Area.

“The python had made its way into the rear of the stove and came into contact with a live circuit connection where the mains power is connected to the rear of the stove.

“The python sustained a deep electrical burn as a result.

“It had stayed calm throughout and required careful handling, but we got it up to Pacific Vet Care where Sarah attended to the wound and prepared a care plan.”

Tom will be caring for the python until the wound is healed and then release it back to its local habitat.

“Yes, the python did catch and consume the rodent which was clearly visible when the python was X-rayed,” Tom advised.

Lowen and Forest did exactly the right thing to call WIRES, said Tom.

Call: 13000 WIRES (94737).

By Andrea FERRARI