Australia: Thirsty Snakes search for water in toilets

Snakes on a search for water are slipping into suburban toilets in Townsville in north Queensland as their is a lack of rainfall.

Two carpet pythons have been pulled from two toilets in the north Queensland town of Townsville the past two weeks, while reports have flooded social media of snakes being found near kitchen sinks and drain pipes.

Townsville volunteer snake catcher Elliot Budd said The first one I got in the toilet we actually had to unbolt the toilet to get it out because he just wasn’t budging, The second one, by the time I got there most of its body was already through the pipes and so I was only really holding onto it around its neck, he said.

I loosened my grip a bit and he just started coming out on his own.

James Cook University reptile expert Professor Lin Schwarzkopf said it wasn’t usual for snakes to go into toilets.

She said they liked moist places with objects to hide under but had become more bold in the search for water during a dry breeding season.

Over the next little while as it gets drier and drier and we’re not expecting much of a wet season — I expect that you may find snakes in many more wet places than you usually do, Schwarzkopf said.