THE 5m scrub python dubbed Fluffy after eating a Kuranda family's pet found the meal too difficult to  digest.

The huge snake, which was being temporarily housed at the Australian Venom Zoo in Kuranda, last week regurgitated the small dog it swallowed two weeks ago.

"It was not a pleasant thing," Venom Zoo owner Stuart Douglas said.

"The power had gone out here so we weren’t able to regulate its (the snake’s) temperature. Basically it was just stressed out."

Fluffy received international attention after an exclusive report in The Cairns Post revealed it had eaten the Peric family’s silky terrier-cross chihuahua.

After Fluffy regurgitated its meal, staff at the zoo decided to let the animal go back to its natural environment.

"I had the vet check it out and then we released it last week," Mr Douglas said.

He said the location and the event was kept a secret because he had received hate mail and disturbing phone calls while the snake was in his care.

"Lots of people thought it should have been killed," Mr Douglas said.

"Instead of seeing the amazing uniqueness of the animal, they just saw it eating a pet."

The Peric family had already lost their cat and a guinea pig to snakes in the weeks before the shocking ordeal.

Kuranda vet and snake expert Andrew Easton checked the animal before it was released.

Dr Easton said the python regurgitated its meal as a defence mechanism, so it could escape.

"It’s got rid of what’s holding it back," he said.

Dr Easton said the snake was healthy and "very active" when it was released. He expected it to be hunting again soon, this time, well away from suburbia.

Visit Fluffy and friends' picture gallery

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