Giant python found under shed in New Jersey, X-ray reveals it ate opossum

A family in Freehold, New Jersey, experienced a startling encounter when they discovered a giant Burmese python lurking beneath the floorboards of their garden shed. Leslie Daley first spotted the exotic reptile while watering plants, leading her and her husband, Ed Daley, to investigate.

The Dalys found the snake, estimated to be about 2.4 meters (8 feet) long, had entered their property through a hole and sought refuge under their shed. Concerned by the presence of the non-native species, they contacted the Monmouth County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).

Animal control officers, assisted by a local contractor, carefully dismantled the shed's floor to access and safely remove the python. Video footage captured the moment the large snake, visibly carrying a significant bulge in its midsection, was extracted from its hiding place.

Experts identified the snake as a Burmese python, a species native to Southeast Asia, not typically found in the northeastern United States, though it can be legally kept with a permit. Subsequent X-rays conducted by veterinary staff revealed the cause of the snake's distended abdomen: it had recently swallowed a large opossum. The python is now under the care of experienced handlers while authorities search for a suitable long-term sanctuary.