When 2-year-old Amelia throws a tantrum, her parents bring out their biggest python.
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It's a sight that would strike fear into the heart of most people, but even a glimpse of python Katniss, who is more than two metres long and weighs more than four kilograms, instantly calms the Canberra toddler down.
"She just sits there calmly, patting her," her mother Emma Carlson says. "The only problem is when you have to take the animal away again and the tears start."
Occurrences like this are a regular thing for Ms Carlson, partner Luke Dunn and children Amelia and Hunter, 4.
With more than 50 pets at their Bonner townhouse, ranging from a dog and three birds to snakes, a variety of lizards and a tarantula, they've got their hands full.
They have 58 "permanent residents", with almost 70 including babies this year's animals have bred.
"People think we're normal because they see a dog at the front door, then they come inside," Ms Carlson laughs.
"It's totally normal for us to have a shower with the frogs or whack a snake in the bath with the kids.
"For us, it's our everyday life, but other people are blown away. If you said you had 50 dogs or 50 cats, people would think you're mad, but most of our guys are reptiles who are much easier to look after."
Ms Carlson and Mr Dunn began accumulating pets when they met about six years ago.
They already had a few lizards and frogs between them, and as their family grew with the births of Amelia and Hunter, so did their pet collection. They also teamed up to start a business, Canberra Snake Rescue and Relocation.
"It just kind of organically grew through us both being interested in animals, and the kids love them and play a part in caring for them," Ms Carlson said.
"Hopefully they carry the torch for reptiles after Luke and I are gone. We've got a few monitor lizards that will probably outlive us, so they'll need someone to look after them."
Unsurprisingly, their weekly shop is a little different to most families. A $50 bag of crickets arrives at the door on Tuesdays, while mealworms, frozen rats, blueberries and plenty of salad are often on the shopping list.
The family's dog and rats are more expensive to care for than the reptiles, Ms Carlson says, because adult lizards only need to be offered food every two days, and snakes just once a week.
"We're pretty frugal people and we're used to having no lights on at night so the animals can sleep,
she says.
"Even with all the tanks, we've still got an average electricity bill for a family of four.
"It's definitely worth it and we've got no other vices in life. We don't drink, smoke or gamble at the casino. We're just into our reptiles."
Their greatest investment isn't money, but time.
Ms Carlson says the reptiles' tanks are given a full clean, which takes about two hours, every two days. She or Mr Dunn spend about another hour each day checking on all the animals, and even more time playing with them and letting them interact with the children.
"The kids are great with them. They know which animals they're allowed to be with and which ones they need to wait for Mum and Dad to be around," Ms Carlson says.
"Hunter's snake, Arlo, is his best mate, but he loves the lizards too. He even puts them under a blanket if he thinks they're cold."
In addition to their snake rescue business, the couple also use their pets to educate people on how to act around reptiles, giving presentations at events like birthday parties.
Ms Carlson says even people with lifelong fears walk away feeling comfortable with a range of animals.
"It's just about breaking the stigma around reptiles, and a lot of what we do is about education," she says.
"They don't have to love them like we do, or have dozens at home, but they come to realise that they've all got different personalities."
THE FAMILY'S PETS
- 10 snakes
- 10 dragon lizards
- 7 amphibians
- 6 monitor lizards
- 6 geckos
- 6 skinks
- 3 birds
- 2 rats
- 2 stick insects
- 1 dog
- 1 turtle
- 1 fish
- 1 mystery snail
- 1 Australian tarantula
- 1 centipede