One of the perks of building a bar in your own home is choosing your clientele. But one Australian homeowner found an unexpected guest: a large python on the hunt for prey.
In a video shared by Storyful earlier this month, snake catcher Daniel Busstra was dispatched to a home in the Sunshine Coast community of Flaxton, Queensland.
Disarmingly chipper in the face of danger, Busstra — who goes by "Snake Catcher Dan“— greets the camera and explains he’ll be wrangling a coastal carpet python that found its way inside. He says it’s part of a trend.
“I know what you’re thinking — there’s been a lot of them,” he says, turning the camera to a rustic setup of barstools and a scattered pile of travel books.
“The classic signs of a python getting inside are a few things knocked over,” he adds, pointing to a picture frame and liquor bottles toppled behind the bar.
Then, he finds it — a large snake, coiled into a football-shaped lump between the countertop and a sink.
“Oh, hello sweetheart,” Busstra says. “You’re not a bad-sized one either, are you?”
Handing the camera away, he claps his hands together and declares: “Hopefully it can be nice and calm!”
Using a narrow, hooked tool, Busstra gently coaxes the snake out of the crevice and grabs its body with his free hand. As the python begins to thrash and twist, its head dangling near the floor, he calmly works his hands up its length and guides it into a large sack — all while quietly encouraging it to “settle down.”
“What a beautiful animal. Moving around a bit erratic, though,” he says.
As he seals the bag, Busstra says the snake appears uninjured. A bloodstain found off-camera was likely from something it had eaten.
Queensland’s environment department says carpet snakes, which can grow up to four metres long, are “intimidating,” “secretive and well camouflaged,” but not venomous. They typically prey on rats, birds and lizards.
The department’s frequently asked questions (FAQ) page for snakes and snake encounters advises against trying to kill snakes found in homes — not only because it may violate conservation laws, but also because it raises the risk of a bite if the animal is forced to defend itself.
Instead, the department urges homeowners to contact a professional.
“If there is a chance that a snake could find its way into your home, you should have the number of a commercial snake catcher on hand,” the FAQ reads.
“It is important to remember that snakes are a part of the environment, and the relocated snake is often replaced by another living nearby. The best approach is to snake-proof your house.”
With the python safely secured and the job done, Snake Catcher Dan gives the camera a “thank you” and a double thumbs-up.
