Homeowner trips over huge python in the dark, then wakes to find it still in the bathroom

A homeowner in Nambour, Australia, got the kind of surprise few people would ever forget. She was walking in her home and accidentally tripped over a massive python!  

The removal video captures a fairly common yet striking wildlife encounter on Australia's eastern coast.

What happened?

Snake catcher Daniel Busstra, better known as Snake Catcher Dan (@snakecatcherdan), was called to the home after the resident discovered a huge coastal carpet python inside. Busstra told Storyful the snake had been spotted the previous night after the homeowner stumbled over it.

She initially hoped the reptile would leave on its own. Instead, Busstra told Storyful, "she woke up to find out all it did was move in for the night."

In the clip, Busstra didn't have to look very hard as the snake was popping its head out from under the bathroom door, seemingly unbothered by the whole situation.

Coastal carpet pythons are nonvenomous constrictors common along Australia's eastern coast. The species can grow to about 9 feet long.

Why does it matter?

Wildlife and people are increasingly crossing paths in places that once felt more separate. As development expands into natural habitats, animals such as snakes can end up in homes while searching for shelter, food, or cooler spaces.

Encounters like this are often framed as wild animals "invading" domestic space, but habitat disruption and urban growth are often part of what brings animals closer to people in the first place. 

Nonvenomous snakes like carpet pythons also play an important role in local ecosystems by helping control rodent populations.

Wild animals should not be handled without trained professionals.

Busstra said the homeowner first encountered the snake when she "accidentally tripped over it." She recalled saying: "I didn't see him … I kicked him and I went, 'What was that?'"

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