A 65-year-old Austrian man has been bitten in the ‘genital area‘ while he was sitting on the toilet at home by his neighbour’s pet albino python.
The man, who has not been named, went to the toilet around 6 a.m. and felt a “pinch in the genitals” shortly after sitting on the toilet. He then turned to see a 1.5 meter albino snake in the toilet bowl staring back at him, MetroUK reports.
The reticulated python, a constrictor native to Asia that can grow to nearly 30 feet in length, is said to have found its way into the toilet via the building drain network in the Austrian city of Graz.
The man called officers, who arrived alongside a local reptile expert who came to remove the snake from its hiding spot.
Meanwhile the man was taken to hospital so he could be treated for ‘minor injuries‘.
Medics said that, fortunately, pythons are not venomous but there was a risk the bite could become infected from bacteria in the toilet.
Expert, Werner Stangl said the python was also uninjured, and after being cleaned was returned to its 24-year-old owner – the victim’s neighbour.
Police said the man keeps a total of 11 non-venomous snakes and a gecko in his apartment in specially-designed cages and drawers.
The reptile-owner was unaware the python had escaped until police brought it back, and said it is unclear how the snake managed it.
Its exact route into the neighbour’s apartment is also unclear.
Stangl told local newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten that, in 40 years of dealing with reptiles, he had not seen anything like Monday’s incident.
Police said the snake owner had been referred to prosecutors for negligent bodily harm. It is unclear if he will be charged.
Animal services were also alerted to the presence of a large number of potentially dangerous snakes at his address.
