A Queensland woman got a little more than she bargained for during a quick run to the toilet this week.
In a rush to the bathroom, the Brisbane resident sat down on the toilet without bothering to turn the light on.
However, she was left wishing she had peeked inside the bowl beforehand when “mid stream” she received the fright of her life when something bit her on the bottom.
It turns out a carpet python had made her toilet its temporary home and didn’t like when someone invaded its space.
Taking to social media this week, a local snake catcher shared the surprising story and embarrassment the woman was feeling following the strange turn of events.
“On Tuesday afternoon we got a call from a customer in Chapel Hill, who was admittedly quite embarrassed about needing to have the following discussion,” Snake Catchers Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan and Gold Coast wrote on Facebook.
“She went on to explain how she went into the bathroom to go to the toilet, but did not turn the light on. ‘mid-stream’, she felt something bite her bottom! As you can imagine, she jumped up quite quickly.”
The snake catcher went on to explain that the woman initially thought it was a frog but soon found out it was a carpet python that didn’t know how to escape. According to the post, the snake’s preferred exit point was blocked and it simply “lashed out in fear”. After the woman quickly jumped up, the reptile showed no other signs of defensive behaviour.
“Our snake catcher arrived promptly, with first aid in hand, so that the customer could clean herself up and get some antiseptic spray on the few small puncture marks left by the snake,” the post continued.
“Fortunately for us, the customer remained calm and remembered not to flush the toilet, as flushing could cause the snake to retreat down into the pipes again.
“The snake was safely removed and relocated, and the customer handled the situation like an absolute champ, having a sense of humour about it the entire time.”
After the frightening event, the woman will apparently now make sure to check before sitting down to do her business.
“She said her toilet habits have forever changed! Lights will be on, and she will always give the bowl a quick glance before sitting down,” the snake catcher added.
Although snakes aren’t caught in toilets every day, according to the snake catcher, it is quite common to find them there. However, being bitten on the bottom is definitely not what usually happens.
Earlier this week a family in the Brisbane suburb of Wynnum had a similar shock when they too discovered a huge snake lurking inside their toilet.
Brisbane Snake Catchers took to Facebook on Saturday with photographs of the massive snake being removed.
In photographs that are enough to make the skin of anyone who hates the reptiles crawl, the snake can be seen making itself right at home.
“A family from Wynnum west got a fright early this morning when they discovered a carpet python inside their toilet,” the post read. “They gave us a call to have it removed so they could finish their business in peace, without the local natives watching.”
Read more: Terrifying moment family spots large snake lurking in their toilet
If you do happen to come across a snake hiding in the toilet Snake Catchers Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan and Gold Coast advised leaving it there until a snake catcher can come to remove it.
“Don’t poke and prod it, don’t continue to flush the toilet. If you do these things it increases the chances of us not being able to access the snake if it retreats further into the pipe. Put the lid down, secure it, and call a snake catcher,” they wrote on the the post.