An Embarrassing Mix-Up

Fire department releases exotic snake

A Texas rat snake like this one is causing a stir in Kleinschweinbarth.(Bild: Getty Images/Mikel Bilbao Gorostiaga)

In Kleinschweinbarth (Lower Austria), a fatal mix-up occurred: After alarmed residents discovered a snow-white snake in their kitchen, they alerted the police. Experts mistakenly identified the animal as native to the area. 

In Kleinschweinbarth (Lower Austria), the snake is on the loose: On Pentecost Sunday, the local fire department received a curious emergency call. A snow-white snake, about two meters long, had been spotted in a kitchen! Emergency crews quickly responded to capture the animal. To ensure the reptile could be properly identified, the firefighters called in experts. Result: It appears to be an “Aesculapian snake.” Profile: (Typically) large eyes with dark pupils, the back solid yellow-brown, olive-colored, or brown to black-brown—and native to Austria.

The emergency crews therefore decide to release the animal. The uninvited guest from the kitchen is taken to a nearby biotope in the presence of the police. With everything settled, calm returns to the tranquil village. The Kleinschweinbarth Volunteer Fire Department subsequently shares its curious reptile rescue on Facebook. And then comes the shock when experts sound the alarm: The animal isn’t a native albino snake at all, but an exotic species!

(Bild: FF Kleinschweinbarth/ Screenshot)

Exotic species misidentified
According to snake expert Werner Stangl from Styria, it is actually a Texas rat snake. Here, this species is found at most in the homes of reptile enthusiasts—but not in the wild. While the exotic snake is not dangerous to humans, things look dicey for rats and mice. “This is a fatal mistake,” explains Stangl. After all, albinos have red eyes, not black ones. And: there are other white snakes, including venomous ones that could pose a real danger. 

So the expert informs the emergency responders of their mistake. Should the animal, with a bit of luck, cause chaos again: “please do not release it.” Furthermore, it is questionable whether the snake can survive in the wild at all. In any case, it is not suited to our temperatures; it would most likely die in the winter. Curiously, a white snake had already prompted an emergency response in Kleinschweinbarth back in October 2024. At that time, the animal was mistakenly identified as an “albino corn snake.”

Mystery of the snakes’ origin
Where the white snakes come from remains a mystery. “It could be that someone is keeping these snakes as pets. Either they’re releasing the animals or they’re escaping,” the snake expert speculates. Now, an expert in the area—arranged through Stangl—is to keep an eye out for the animal.

If residents of the village come across the white snake, they can call [phone] or contact the police.