An approximately 8-foot-long Burmese python gave a New Jersey family a terrifying surprise after it was discovered hiding beneath their backyard shed in Freehold Township. Leslie Daley reportedly spotted the snake while watering flowers and noticed its unusually large body moving near the structure. The reptile then disappeared beneath the shed, prompting the family to call the Monmouth County SPCA. Animal control officers eventually had to remove sections of the shed floor with help from a local contractor to reach the snake. When the python was examined by veterinary staff, an X-ray explained the striking bulge in its belly: it had recently swallowed a large opossum.
Burmese python discovered beneath New Jersey family’s shed
The incident happened in Freehold Township, New Jersey, after Leslie Daley noticed something unusual moving near her shed while she was watering flowers. She soon realised that the animal was an enormous snake, with its body extending several feet across the yard.The python eventually crawled through an opening and took shelter underneath the wooden shed, making it difficult for the family to reach or remove it safely. The Daleys contacted the Monmouth County SPCA, whose animal-control officers responded to the unusual call.
Officers had to dismantle part of the shed
Removing the snake was not a simple matter of lifting it out of the backyard. Because the python had positioned itself underneath the shed floor, officers needed assistance from a local contractor.Sections of the floorboards were removed to give the trained animal-control officers access to the reptile. They then carefully unwound the snake and pulled it from beneath the structure without injuring the animal or themselves. Video from the rescue showed the python being handled cautiously as officers worked to free it.
Swollen belly reveals what the python had eaten
The python’s unusually swollen belly immediately caught the attention of rescuers. The large bulge suggested that it had recently consumed a substantial meal.Veterinary staff at the Monmouth County SPCA later performed an X-ray, which revealed the reason for the swelling. The imaging showed that the Burmese python had swallowed a large opossum.Unlike animals that chew their food, Burmese pythons swallow prey whole. Their flexible jaws and expandable bodies allow them to consume animals that can appear surprisingly large compared with the snake itself. In this case, the recently consumed opossum was still visible during the veterinary examination.
The python weighed around 40 pounds
News 12 New Jersey reported that the rescued snake measured approximately 8 feet long and weighed about 40 pounds. Despite its intimidating size and the unusual circumstances in which it was found, veterinary staff said the python appeared to be in good physical condition.Dr Samantha Mammen, medical director of the Monmouth County SPCA, said the snake was generally in good body condition and was not dehydrated. She also described it as a juvenile Burmese python.
Officials suspect the python was abandoned
The biggest unanswered question is how a Burmese python ended up beneath a residential shed in New Jersey.Authorities have not identified the snake’s owner. However, animal-control officials suspect that someone may have released or abandoned it after it became too large or difficult to care for.Animal Control Officer Scott Crawford told News 12 that there is a population of people in the area who keep exotic snakes and said officials suspected the python had been dumped. This remains an assessment by officials rather than a confirmed identification of the person responsible.
Burmese pythons are not native to New Jersey
The rescued animal is a Burmese python, a large constrictor native to parts of South and Southeast Asia. It is not a native species of New Jersey.The discovery does not mean that Burmese pythons have established a breeding population in the state. The animal appears to have been an individual exotic pet or captive animal that ended up outdoors.Burmese pythons have, however, become a major invasive species problem in South Florida, where established populations prey on a wide range of native wildlife.
Burmese pythons can be kept with permits
It is also inaccurate to say that owning a Burmese python is automatically illegal in New Jersey. NBC New York reported that the snakes can be legally kept in the state under the relevant permitting requirements.New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection regulates exotic and nongame wildlife through its permitting system. The state’s rules include regulated reptiles and require appropriate permits for covered species.There is no public confirmation that the Freehold python’s owner had a valid permit.
What happens to the python now?
After being rescued, the python was taken into the care of the Monmouth County SPCA and placed in a secure enclosure. Officials then worked to find an appropriate long-term placement for the animal.People reported that it was subsequently transferred to a certified reptile expert for continued care.The SPCA has stressed that exotic animals should never simply be released when their owners can no longer care for them.
SPCA warns against releasing exotic pets
The Monmouth County SPCA used the incident to issue a broader warning to exotic-pet owners.The organisation said released exotic animals can threaten local wildlife and domestic pets while also putting the released animal itself at risk. It urged people who can no longer care for reptiles to contact a licensed rescue organisation or animal shelter rather than abandoning them outdoors.The Freehold discovery therefore serves as more than a bizarre backyard story. It highlights the challenges that can arise when large exotic reptiles are kept as pets and later become difficult for owners to manage.
The unusual rescue ends with a surprising X-ray
What began as a frightening discovery beneath a family’s shed ultimately revealed an even more unusual detail. The approximately 8-foot Burmese python was not suffering from an unexplained abdominal swelling. Its belly was enlarged because it had recently consumed a large opossum.The snake is now in human care, while authorities continue to work on an appropriate permanent placement. For the Freehold family, the episode also served as a startling reminder that an exotic animal can turn up in an unexpected place when it is released or escapes from captivity.
