A gray rat snake was found hiding inside the toilet of an Alabama property, and the homeowners alerted the police.
The incident occurred on Friday in the city of Eufaula, which is located in the southeast of the state near the border with Georgia.
These non-venomous snakes are native to North America and can be found in the eastern and central United States, as well as parts of Canada.
Gray rat snakes live in a range of environments, including forested areas, agricultural fields, and sometimes even suburban neighborhoods or structures in close proximity to people, such as barns and sheds.
Adult gray rat snakes measure between 3 to 5 feet in length on average, but can reach up to 7 feet, according to the Alabama Wildlife Federation (AWF).
After spotting the snake, the homeowners alerted the Eufaula Police Department, and officers were dispatched to the scene.
We never know from one day to the next what kind of call we will recieve during our shift. Today was no exception, however a snake in the toilet wasn’t on our list of possibilities. Day shift...
"We never know from one day to the next what kind of call we will receive during our shift," read a post on the police department's Facebook page. "Today was no exception, however a snake in the toilet wasn't on our list of possibilities."
The "harmless" gray rat snake (Pantherophis spiloides) are relatively common across the state, according to the AWF.
Also known as the central rat snake, chicken snake, midland rat snake, or pilot black snake, this species is mostly gray in color, with brown to dark gray blotches.
The diet of these snakes when they are adults mainly comprises mice and bird eggs, although they will sometimes consume birds, insects, rats, bats and other small mammals.
Gray rat snakes are very good climbers and have been observed scaling trees and buildings in search of birds and their eggs, or to find cavities where they can nest.
According to the Florida Museum of Natural History, these snakes are not aggressive and do not pose a risk to humans or their pets, although they will bite if they feel threatened.
The gray rat snake found in the Eufaula home was removed by police who released the "unwelcome visitor" into a more suitable habitat.
According to Nicole Angeli, a researcher at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, it is not uncommon for snakes to slither into the toilet of a home. There are several explanations for why snakes end up in such situations.
"They may be looking for water or tracking prey animals that entered leaky pipes," Angeli told Inverse online magazine. "They could also simply be looking for a nice cool place to hide."
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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