New Hampshire Resident Calls Police After Finding 5-Foot Snake Slithering in Their Bathroom

A New Hampshire resident had a slithery surprise earlier this week after discovering a 5-foot python coiled around their toilet and bathtub.

On Monday, July 28, police in Derry, N.H. responded to the bizarre call from an apartment on East Broadway, where the large snake had somehow found its way into the resident’s bathroom. The Derry Police Department shared a photo of the scene on Facebook, showing the snake draped across the toilet and into the tub.

“Sssssssssssome one missssssssing sssssssomething?” the department joked in their caption, adding a snake emoji. Later, they confirmed, “Owner has been located.”

Online reactions poured in, with many turning to humor.
“That’s my ex! Who let him out?” one woman quipped. Another added, “We must’ve dated the same guy.”
“Adds a whole new meaning to ‘snake the toilet,’ ” someone else joked.

Others were more alarmed: “Please don’t tell me it came up through the toilet or shower drain,” one user pleaded.

Derry Police Captain Vern Thomas told PEOPLE that the snake was “docile” and had been safely returned to its rightful owner — a neighbor in the same building. How the python escaped remains a mystery.

While nonvenomous, ball pythons (a popular pet species) can bite if provoked, though their bites are not lethal. Experts still recommend seeking medical attention if bitten to prevent infection.

This isn’t the first time a rogue reptile has turned up in a bathroom. In South Carolina, a woman found a python behind her toilet last fall. In Australia, one man reported finding a snake in his toilet twice in one week.

Though rare, these incidents serve as a reminder: always check before you sit.