Once the Burmese python was safely removed from beneath the shed, rescuers transported it to the Monmouth County SPCA. There, the mystery surrounding its enormous belly was finally solved.
Veterinary X-rays revealed that the python had recently swallowed a large possum.
“X-rays showed the python had eaten a large possum. We cleaned him up, put him in a secure tank and reached out to our reptile friends at Fins & Feathers in Red Bank who helped us find safe placement.”
The discovery was particularly unusual because Burmese pythons are not native to New Jersey. The species originates in Southeast Asia and does not naturally occur in New Jersey or elsewhere in the northeastern United States.
However, Burmese pythons can reportedly be legally kept as exotic pets in New Jersey when their owners have the appropriate permits. That raised another question for rescuers: Did the enormous snake escape from someone’s collection, or had it deliberately been released?
For the time being, the Monmouth County SPCA said the python would remain in the care of an experienced snake handler who possesses the necessary reptile permits. Officials also indicated that they would give a properly permitted owner an opportunity to come forward.
If no legal owner can be located, rescuers plan to find an appropriate permanent home where the python can receive the specialized care such a large exotic reptile requires.
The incident also gave the organization an opportunity to remind people about the serious consequences of releasing exotic animals into the environment.
“Friendly Reminder: Exotic pets do NOT belong in the wild! Releasing them harms local wildlife, domestic pets, and the exotic animal itself. If you can no longer care for a reptile, please reach out to a local rescue or shelter instead,” the post concluded.
Fortunately, the unexpected encounter ended without reported injuries to the family, rescuers, or the python. What began as an ordinary moment of watering flowers ultimately turned into an extraordinary backyard rescue—and an X-ray that revealed exactly what was behind the snake’s enormous swollen belly.