Imagine this: you move into your new home, craving nothing more than a relaxing hot shower. Suddenly, you feel something slithering around your feet—and it is not a loofah. That’s exactly what happened to Deborah in Saint-Paul-le-Gaultier, at the border of Orne and Mayenne. Shower-time turned thriller when a snake decided to gatecrash via the plumbing…
A Peaceful Evening—Until the Unexpected Guest
Deborah had just arrived at her brand-new home a little after 8 p.m. Eager to unwind, she headed straight for the shower. The water was hot, the mood was calm, and for a few brief minutes, all was right with the world—until she felt an odd sensation near her feet. No, it wasn’t a self-massaging bathtub. As it turns out, a snake had made its way up the drain and into her shower.
“When I felt it on my feet, I screamed and ran out,” Deborah later recounted. It’s hard to imagine a more nightmarish entry to a new house.
Panic, Tears, and Steely Nerves
Her partner, alarmed by her cries, rushed to the bathroom. Deborah was in tears, completely shaken by her reptilian surprise. Inside the shower, a dark-colored snake, longer than a meter, coiled itself up as if it were waiting for an invitation to join the housewarming.
“I was utterly petrified,” Deborah admitted—a feeling most of us could relate to if confronted by an unsolicited, slithering shower companion. Thankfully, her other half managed to keep a cool head. Instead of joining Deborah in a chorus of screams, he got practical.
- He found an app online that could identify snakes from photos.
- With its help, they discovered it was an Aesculapian snake (Zamenis longissimus)—a non-venomous species known for its calm nature.
The couple chose not to call the fire brigade. “We didn’t want to bother them for nothing,” Deborah explained. Instead, armed with a stick and a cardboard box (a classic snake-catching combo), her companion managed to gently capture the snake and release it in a nearby field, just a few hundred meters away.
Deborah only stopped crying once the snake had made its exit to freedom. Understandable—who wouldn’t feel a little emotional after such an ordeal?
An Extremely Rare Occurrence
For firefighters in the area, Deborah’s experience was nothing short of remarkable. Lieutenant-Colonel Foltzer, responsible for communications at the Orne fire and rescue center, confirmed, “As far as we can remember, we have never been called out in the department for a snake coming up through the pipes.”
François Radigue, a member of the Fauna and Flora Association of Orne, confirmed the identification: it was indeed an Aesculapian snake, a species found in Orne and Sarthe, capable of reaching 1.6 meters in length. He added that, while these snakes are known to make house calls with some regularity, their appearance in a shower remains quite the spectacle. Still, they are completely harmless.
- Aesculapian snakes are present in Orne and Sarthe.
- They can reach up to 1.6 meters long.
- Though urban visits happen, an appearance through the plumbing is highly unusual.
The Plumbing Problem—and the Solution
So, what made this snake’s shower cameo possible? The specialist explained that its presence in the bathroom indicated a sealing issue in the outside sewage system, probably near a small manhole. As fate would have it, renovation work was already planned for the home’s septic tank—a move that should make future snake-in-the-shower incidents a thing of the past.
A final word for anyone experiencing similar surprises: check your drains, stay calm, and maybe keep a stick and box handy—just in case. Deborah’s unexpected slippery guest may have been a one-in-a-lifetime encounter, but a little preparation (and some plumbing maintenance) can help ensure your next shower is truly relaxing, as it ought to be.
John is a curious mind who loves to write about diverse topics. Passionate about sharing his thoughts and perspectives, he enjoys sparking conversations and encouraging discovery. For him, every subject is an invitation to discuss and learn.
