Imagine starting your morning routine only to find a massive python coiled up in your toilet bowl – twice in one week! For one Australian man, this nightmare became a reality when he discovered not one, but two unwelcome, slithering visitors lurking in his bathroom on separate occasions. It seems even in the land of “everything can kill you” wildlife, some surprises still leave Aussies rattled.
The saga began on October 22, when Hervey Bay Snake Catchers in Queensland received an emergency call from a startled homeowner. He had gone to use the bathroom, only to find a coastal carpet python coiled comfortably in his toilet. According to snake catcher Drew Godfrey, this wasn’t just any passing snake; it was a large female, likely there to soak in some water as part of its shedding process. Although non-venomous and supposedly “harmless” to humans, most people would agree that finding a python hissing at you from the toilet isn’t exactly what you want to see before your morning coffee.
Hervey Bay Snake Catchers took to Facebook to document the extraction. As they explained, the snake had somehow wedged itself deep into the toilet’s S-bend pipe, making the job a bit tricky. The team had to carefully cut into the pipes from underneath the house, push from one end, and flush from the other to coax the unwelcome guest out of its aquatic hiding spot. One brave handler, Jonsey, finally managed to wrestle the snake free, but not before getting thoroughly soaked in the process.
And just as the homeowner thought his bathroom drama was over, another scaly surprise awaited him just three days later on October 25. This time, a male python of the same species – coastal carpet python – had found its way into the toilet. According to Godfrey, the male likely followed the scent trail left by the female, attracted to her scent as it lingered in the area. For the snake catchers, it was just another job, but for the homeowner, the shock must have been hard to swallow.
While the scene may sound like something straight out of a horror movie, snake sightings like these aren’t entirely rare in Australia, especially in the spring. As temperatures rise, snakes become more active and start seeking out water sources and mates. And when snakes make their way into residential areas, they sometimes wind up in places they clearly don’t belong.
This double toilet surprise might make people think twice before sitting down in Queensland. But for Godfrey and his team, it’s all part of the job. “Getting snakes out of toilets is not unusual,” he admitted. “We’ve done it several times, though thankfully it’s not that common.”
So, for those of us who already double-check the toilet for spiders or other insects, Australia just gave us another reason to stay vigilant. And while these coastal carpet pythons are technically harmless, the shock of finding a snake – let alone two, in a single week – makes for a hair-raising tale.
