Woman locks herself in house after 4-foot python shows up at doorstep

A family in the United States (US) state of Chicago remained stuck in their home for hours after a four-foot snake, a ball python, turned up at their door.

A woman, named Kelly Bryant, said in an interview that she was terrified when out of nowhere a ball python ended up at their front doorstep in the Woodlawn neighbourhood.

“Like even standing here right now, I’m still kind of on edge,” Bryant said. “Anything wiggly, squirmy worms, snakes; terrified.”

The couple called 311 for help from Chicago Animal Care and Control whose officer arrived two hours later. In the meantime, Bryant said that a contractor working on their home “placed a bucket over the snake”.

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After the officer arrived, said Bryant, a neighbour help him contain the python.

“She actually held open the pillowcase to shove the big — I guess it’s a python, into the pillowcase,” Bryant said.

Talking about the events of snakes turning up at people’s houses, owner of Chicago pet store Curious Creatures, Allison Babbitt, said ball pythons are popular pets and are usually very docile.

“They are the sweetest, kindest snakes out there,” she added. “There is no threat of them getting loose and breeding like they do in Florida. They will not be able to survive the winter here.”

The snakes are not native to Chicago, but animal control officers have captured them in the city in the past. In 2016, officers responded to one Latoria Poe’s second-floor apartment in the Englewood neighbourhood to capture a ball python she found in her shower.