When a homeowner in Australia glanced up while using the bathroom earlier this month, they were startled to see something unusual dangling from the ceiling — a scaly tail slipping out of a hole near the plumbing.
That’s when they called in snake expert Bryce Lockett of Snake Catchers Brisbane & Gold Coast.
“[It was] hanging out of a hole in the roof, where the plumbing went through,” Lockett told The Dodo.
The sight was the first sign that a reptile had moved in. But it wasn’t the biggest surprise waiting in the house.
Searching the attic, Lockett didn’t immediately find the snake itself. Instead, he uncovered a jaw-dropping clue: a fully intact shed skin measuring more than 14 feet long.
“[I] always love getting a snake skin that’s fully intact,” Lockett said. “It doesn’t happen too often with snakes over the 10-foot mark.”
The discovery confirmed that a very large snake was indeed around — and it wasn’t hiding far.
A bit more searching revealed the resident: a massive coastal carpet python coiled in a wall cavity.
While the shed skin had stretched beyond its true size, the python still measured well over 10 feet long, placing it among the largest snakes Lockett had ever caught.
“Size wise, he would be in my top 10 [largest snakes ever caught],” Lockett said.
Though the snake’s size was remarkable, Lockett didn’t linger long. With care, he removed the python and relocated him to a nearby wildlife corridor — a much better home than an attic.
“He was released into a wildlife corridor where he will continue to feed and grow,” Lockett said.
For the homeowner, the discovery was a shock. For the snake, it was simply time to move on to roomier surroundings.
