Tuesday may be National Pet Day but that does little to explain how a five-foot-long python was left behind in a Worcester, Massachusetts hotel room.
According to the Worcester Telegram & Gazette, the reptile was discovered last week when a staff member cleaning up at the Residence Inn by Marriott opened a drawer in one of the rooms.
The discovery occurred Wednesday, prompting hotel staff to call animal control. The snake was later transported to the Central Mass. Aquatics pet supply shop, where general manager Rod Dzivasen determined it was still relatively young and in good health.
"He may be two years old but he's not an old snake," Dzivasen told the Telegram & Gazette. "Why on earth they had him in a hotel room is beyond me."
Police believe the snake belonged to a guest who checked out of the room the day before but said it's unlikely anyone would be charged in connection with the incident.
While certainly head-scratching, it's safe to say a python isn't the craziest thing a guest has ever left behind in their hotel room. A miniature Shetland pony, a bag of snails and a taxidermied raccoon are just three of the more bizarre animal discoveries Travelodge staff members made in 2015 alone.
[READMORE] READ MORE: The 8 Craziest Items Guests Left Behind in Hotels in 2015 [/READMORE]
Ball pythons like the one found last week are native to Africa and are typically docile, Dzivasen told the Telegram & Gazette. Although many people keep them as pets they aren't likely to survive on their own in Massachusetts given the climate.
Last week's incident comes just three months after a snake prompted the cancellation of an Emirates flight after making its way in the plane's cargo hold. Last year, passengers on a Mexico City-bound Aeromexico flight were surprised by a snake that emerged from the overhead bin.
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