THE STAR (Petaling Jaya, Malaysia) 11 January 11 ‘Brother Snake’ celebrates birthday with its owner (Vanes Devindran)

{Photo at URL below}: He ain’t heavy, he’s brother snake: Little Phang Li Chen, 11, playfully stroking her pet python Sako in Stampin, Kuching. Sako, which means Brother Snake and its owner, Phang Joon Siong, will have a double birthday celebration Tuesday. The python turns 21 while Phang turns 51. (Zulazhar Sheblee)

Kuching: Turning 21 signifies freedom and adulthood – even if you are a python.

Phang Sako, a seven-metre long pet python, is getting a better and bigger home – one where he can really stretch himself – for his 21st birthday.

Owner Phang Joon Siong (pic) said that Sako, which means “Brother Snake” in a local dialect, would be celebrating its birthday together with Phang who turns 51 today.

“For the Chinese. the male must always celebrate the year when his age has the number one. So since Sako will turn 21 and I will turn 51, we will have a grand celebration,” he said at his home in Stampin yesterday.

Joon Siong said he had spent RM4,000 to provide Sako a better “home” by building a special cage with steel bars and granite flooring.

“Sako will have a wide area to stretch and it will be very airy for him too. He has been living in the house with us for the past two weeks already.

“So tomorrow night (tonight), after the celebration, we will introduce him to his new room,” said the proud owner.

The reptile has been a family pet for many years and the bond they share is a special one.

The car dealer received Sako as a baby python from a friend on the eve of Chinese New Year in 1990 and it has been part of the family since.

Joon Siong, his wife Wong Siew Yii, and their four children are all happy with Sako living with them and have come to treat the python as a member of the family.

Even their other pets, three dogs and two cats, have adapted well to their slithery housemate.

Wong said Sako never gave her any problem at home.

“He eats once every two months at least and he will show us signs that he is hungry by following us around,” she said.

Sako now goes through five chicken in one sitting.

Many also drop by to meet Sako for good luck with 4-digit numbers.

“Sako does not give you the numbers. He simply shows if you are going to be lucky or not by raising his head when you approach it,” she said.

She said her husband had once tried to give Sako away for he was too busy to look after the reptile.

However, she said in less than a month, Sako slithered away from its new home only to show up at Joon Siong’s home four months later.

“We have even been offered RM10,000 for Sako but my husband refused to part with him. Sako is part of the family so there’s no way we are going to sell him,” she said.
‘Brother Snake’ celebrates birthday with its owner

[ Reply To This Message ] [ Subscribe to this Thread ] [ Show Entire Thread ]