Wild Python Sneaks Into House And Chooses Worst Thing To Eat For Dinner

“This made for one of the most impressive radiographs I have seen.”

Veterinarian Josh llinas knew the wild carpet python had eaten something he shouldn’t have. The snake’s stomach was swollen in the middle, and llinas had a sneaking suspicion that a shoe was stuck inside.

Earlier this week, the wild snake had snuck into someone’s house in Queensland, Australia, and made himself at home in the master bedroom. After noticing this uninvited guest, the homeowner called a local snake catcher to remove the animal and release him back into the wild.

Snake after ingesting a shoe
Steve the snake after eating a shoe | Josh llinas/HerpVet

But the homeowner noticed something else — a slipper was missing.

If the snake had eaten the missing slipper, he could be in trouble. While carpet pythons have the ability to eat and digest large meals, he wouldn’t be able to pass a slipper through his system — and this would cause the snake to starve and develop other health issues.

Slipper sitting on desk
The other slipper in the pair — the other one was inside Steve's belly | Josh llinas/HerpVe

Realizing this, the snake catcher took the python, who’s being called Steve, to Greencross Vets Jindalee, where Ilinas works as a vet specializing in reptiles and amphibians. When llinas took an X-ray, his suspicions were confirmed — Steve had eaten the slipper for dinner.

“This made for one of the most impressive radiographs I have seen,” llinas wrote in a Facebook post.

Shoe inside a snake's belly
An X-ray of the slipper inside Steve's stomach | Josh llinas/HerpVet

However, llinas told The Dodo that Steve’s situation wasn’t unusual. “I have recently removed a pillowcase from a black-headed python and tennis ball from another carpet python,” he said.

Snakes have also been known to eat household objects like doorknobs or teddy bears.

Snaker preparing for surgery
Steve ready for surgery at the vet clinic | Josh llinas/HerpVet

To save the snake’s life, llinas performed a 90-minute surgery to remove the slipper from Steve’s belly, then carefully stitched him back up.

“The snake is doing well and is expected to make a full recovery,” llinas said. “This will take six to eight weeks for the skin to heal.”

Snake coiled up on vet examination table
Steve recovering after his surgery | Josh llinas/HerpVet

Once he’s fully recovered, Steve will be released back into the wild — and hopefully, he’ll make better food choices in the future.

Good luck, Steve!