Woman bitten on bum after terrifying toilet snake encounter
A Brisbane snake catcher has shared a story on yet another terrifying encounter with wild reptiles at home.
Helen Richards was visiting her sister-in-law’s home in Chapel Hill, Brisbane, on a quiet Tuesday afternoon when she decided to go to the toilet. She did not turn on the light as she was not planning on staying there for long.
But she was sitting on the toilet bowl when she felt something bite her “mid-stream”.
Richards said she jumped up immediately.
“I jumped up with my pants down and turned around to see what looked like a longneck turtle receding back into the bowl,” Richards told the Gold Coast Bulletin.
To her horror, it turned out to be a 1.6m-long carpet python.
“Unfortunately, the snake’s preferred exit point was blocked after being spooked by the customer sitting down and it simply lashed out in fear,” the snake catcher explained in a Facebook post.
The snake catcher said they arrived promptly with first aid to help treat “the few small puncture marks left by the snake”, which were non-venomous.
The snake handler praised Richards for remembering not to flush the toilet, as it might cause the snake to retreat down into the pipes again.
“[Richards] handled the situation like an absolute champ, having a sense of humour about it the entire time,” said the catcher.
“She said her toilet habits have forever changed! Lights will be on, and she will always give the bowl a quick glance before sitting down.”
The snake catcher said finding snakes in toilets is a “regular occurrence”. They advised anyone who found themselves in a similar situation as Richards’ to avoid poking and prodding the snake.
“Put the lid down, secure it, and call a snake catcher.”
Have you ever found a snake in your toilet? Share your stories below.