New Jersey Family Finds 8-Foot Python Under Their Shed, and X-Rays Show the Snake Had Swallowed an Opossum Before Rescue

FREEHOLD, NJ — A New Jersey family got an alarming surprise in their backyard when they found an 8-foot Burmese python living beneath a shed. The snake’s recent meal made the rescue even trickier, because its swollen belly kept officials from simply pulling it back out the way it entered.

Leslie Daley spotted the reptile while watering flowers at the family’s home in Freehold, and her husband, Ed, later described the scene to ABC 7. The couple then noticed a hole near the shed and called the Monmouth County SPCA for help.

How the Rescue Became a Dig-Out

When animal control officers saw the video the homeowners sent, they immediately understood this was no ordinary backyard call. Scott Crawford, an animal control manager with the Monmouth County SPCA, said the team’s jaws dropped when they realized they were dealing with a Burmese python, a snake that does not belong in the wild in New Jersey.

Officers first expected to remove the snake through the opening under the shed. That plan fell apart once they saw how full the python was. With the snake’s body too large to move safely, the family brought in a contractor friend who tore up part of the shed floor so rescuers could reach it from above. Even then, workers had to dig around the reptile to free it without injuring it.

What the X-rays Revealed

After the python was finally pulled out, the Monmouth County SPCA’s medical staff took X-rays to check what the snake had eaten and whether the meal had caused any problems. The images showed an opossum inside the python’s stomach.

Crawford said the animal had clearly eaten recently, which explained the bulge that complicated the rescue. He also noted that a snake that size could have posed a danger to pets, though the family was relieved to learn the python had not eaten one of theirs. Officials suspect the snake may have been released by someone who no longer wanted to care for it, since Burmese pythons in New Jersey require a permit but are not illegal to own.

What Happens to the Python Next

Once the rescue was over, attention turned to where the python would go next. The Monmouth County SPCA said the snake will eventually be placed in a zoo or transferred to a private owner who has the proper experience and permits to care for it.

For the Daleys, the strange encounter was memorable even after the snake was gone. Ed Daley told ABC 7 that he is not especially fond of snakes, which is an understandable reaction after finding an 8-foot python tucked under the family shed. The whole episode turned an ordinary yard chore into a wildlife rescue that few neighbors are likely to forget.

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