In South Africa, a snake handler films a large snake in a toilet before it slips into pipes

Finding a snake in the bathroom is unsettling enough. Finding one coiled inside a toilet bowl — only to watch it slip back into the plumbing — is the kind of encounter that can be terrifying. That is what happened in South Africa on Aug. 3, when snake handler Slangboere filmed a large snake in a toilet before it disappeared into the pipes below.

Here’s what to know

Briefly News shared the video, giving a clear look at the reptile in the toilet as it slipped from view, moving into the plumbing and disappearing.

Drains and sewer lines can give snakes a way into homes, with cold weather sometimes pushing them to seek warmth. Species that can move through pipes may end up appearing in unexpected places, including toilets.

More background

Rather than pointing to animal aggression, the clip may reflect how homes and wild habitats increasingly overlap. Houses near bushveld or open land, along with sewer and drainage infrastructure, can create pathways from the outdoors into indoor spaces.

A BBC explainer on why wild animals attack humans notes that many alarming interactions happen because people and animals are increasingly sharing space, not because the animals are actively seeking conflict.

A resident could enter a bathroom unaware, panic, or handle the snake without proper training. The footage came from a snake handler; this is not the kind of situation people should try to manage on their own.

Where can I learn more?

This isn’t the only case of a snake showing up where no one expects one.

• In an apartment bathroom, an escaped coral snake was found napping beneath the toilet.

• In Moreton Bay, Australia, a large brown snake turned a shower rescue into a standoff.

• At an East Texas cabin, a harmless western ratsnake was filmed prowling indoors during an inspection.

• Across the Mid-South, small openings are letting more snakes slip into homes.

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