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By Pandora Dewan
Senior Science Reporter
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Imagine reaching into your kitchen pantry only to find a 4 foot snake curled around your jam jars. That is what happened to one family in Queensland, Australia, after an enormous carpet python recently slithered into their pantry.
"The snake was in the kitchen and ventured into the pantry where they shut the door to make for an easy catch," snake catcher Steve Brown, of Brisbane North Snake Catchers and Relocation, told Newsweek. "Customer was a little started when it was first seen."
The snake is thought to have entered the house through an open door, but it is unclear how long it had been living inside. "The snake would have seen it as a dark quiet area to hide," Brown said.
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According to the Queensland Department of Environment and Science, coastal carpet pythons are a subspecies of snake that are found mostly along the east coast of Australia. Their camouflaged scales allow them to hide among the leaf litter, in hollow trees and rocky crevices, where they are usually found. However, their camouflage doesn't do them much good in a kitchen pantry.
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Carpet pythons are non-venomous and instead kill their prey by constriction. They hunt by ambush and use heat-sensitive organs on their lower jaw to track down the body heat of other animals. The species can grow up to 13 feet in length, although they usually do not exceed 8 feet, according to the Queensland Department of Environment and Science.
Carpet pythons are very common in eastern Australia and frequently found in people's homes and properties.
Luckily, this species are not aggressive. "The snake was fairly easy to remove," Brown said. "Its attitude was fine when I removed him and just want to go in his way."
Brown shared photos on Thursday from the incident to his Facebook page, Brisbane North Snake Catchers and Relocation.
"I am so impressed that he didn't knock down any glass jars!!!" commented one user.
"Good heavens what a shock for the owners when they opened the door," wrote another.
Despite their placid nature, carpet pythons, like many other snakes, can lash out if they feel harassed or threatened. Therefore, if you ever find one on your property, the safest thing to do is to call a professional.
"It's always best to call a snake catcher to remove a snake so that you're safe and the snake is removed and relocated in the best way possible and minimal stress is caused at the time," Brown said.
Do you have an animal or nature story to share with Newsweek? Do you have a question about snakes? Let us know via nature@newsweek.com.
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