Rescuer finds snake coiled inside shoe and is surprised by how big he is

Slithering through a front door and into a sneaker, an Australian copperhead snake thought he’d found the perfect hiding spot.

Unbeknownst to the snake, the surprised homeowners weren’t pleased that the reptile had settled into his new shelter. The copperhead was likely just getting cozy when an experienced snake handler from Hodgsons Snakes Rescue and Removal arrived at the scene to transport him to safety.

Though the snake handler has seen lots of big snakes in tight places in his line of work, he was nevertheless fascinated when the huge guy finally revealed his entire form.

“Who would have thought a [5-foot] copperhead would have fit in [a 1-foot] shoe,” the handler wrote in a Facebook post.

The snake specialist carefully maneuvered the snake out of the shoe and into a trapping bag. It was an easy job, as the snake remained very calm. Copperheads prefer to avoid humans and tend not to bite when threatened. However, their powerful venom can be fatal without treatment.

“I just picked up the shoe and gave him a few light pokes until he came out on his own and fell in the bag,” the snake handler told The Dodo.Free from the shoe, the snake was transported to the safety of a nearby creek, far away from any residential homes.

The Hodgsons Snakes handler encourages community members to keep their shoes on an elevated shoe rack and maintain 3 feet of clear space on either side of any front or back door. This way, any snakes who wander inside will be easier to spot and remove.

It makes sense that this snake gravitated toward a sneaker. According to the Australian Museum, copperhead snakes typically like to shelter in dark, secluded areas. From now on, though, this copperhead will be napping under stones or in a burrow — far from the rubber-soled hideaway he once called home.