Residents of a Connecticut home recently found an unwelcome visitor in their bathroom when a wild snake roughly four to five feet long was spotted hiding in the room.
Experts say snakes turning up inside houses can happen more often than many people realize, and may not necessarily indicate danger.
Here's what to know
After the animal was discovered, Granby Police responded to the home and removed it safely, according to KITV. It was later identified as an Eastern rat snake.
Brian Kleinman of the Riverside Reptiles Education Center told the outlet that there are two likely explanations for how a snake like this ends up indoors. It may be seeking a place to brumate, a reptile state similar to hibernation, or it may be following the smell of rodents.
A home can offer warmth, shelter, and access to prey, making it appealing to a snake even when people would never expect to find one there.
As Kleinman explained to KITV, "We built our homes on top of their homes. And they're trying to learn to live with us as much as we are learning to live with them." He added that this species of snake is not dangerous to humans, and "are actually doing you a favor. It's free pest control."
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More background
As human development brings people into closer contact with wildlife, encounters that feel shocking may become more common.
In this case, human activity may also help explain what happened. Homes can create ideal hiding places, while food waste, clutter, or rodent activity around a property can unintentionally attract the animals that snakes prey on. If mice find a way inside, predators may not be far behind.
That does not mean snakes are "invading" homes in the way people often imagine. More often, they are responding to the environment available to them. A warm structure with cracks, gaps, and a food source can function as habitat.
Eastern rat snakes also play an important role in local ecosystems. By feeding on rodents, they can help naturally limit pests that damage property and spread disease.
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