Python Falls Through Cleveland Ceiling onto Bed

Animal control officers captured an 8-foot python that dropped through a Cleveland woman's ceiling on Halloween night.

Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Reptiles

Bold vector editorial illustration of a large coiled snake draped over a made bed beneath an open ceiling, with a tipped lamp on the floor. — Animal control officers captured an 8-foot python that dropped through a Cleveland woman's ceiling and landed on her bed on Halloween night. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

An 8-foot python came through a woman's ceiling on Halloween night on Cleveland's east side and landed on her bed, knocking over a lamp. Cleveland Animal Care & Control officers captured the snake, which is being housed at animal control pending transfer to a reptile contact.

Why it matters

The snake is believed to have come from an upstairs unit that had been vacant for years, raising questions about how a large reptile ended up in a Cleveland residence. Officers believe it may be a Burmese python, and its origin remains unknown.

The python measured 8 feet in length, and officers believe it may be a Burmese python. Its origin and how long it had been in the upstairs unit have not been determined.

The players

Cleveland Animal Care & Control

The municipal agency that captured the python and is housing it in a kennel normally used for dogs while it awaits transfer.

The details

The woman left her unit before officers arrived, and officers captured the python with a supervisor after police kept their distance. The woman had previously heard raccoons upstairs, which stopped recently, and the python may have been feeding on them.

Halloween night (October 31, 2026): the python fell through the ceiling onto the woman's bed.
Recently, before Halloween: the raccoon noises upstairs stopped.
Years before the incident: the upstairs unit is believed to have been vacant.

Roadmap

Local animal control agencies in Ohio often take custody of exotic animals whose owners cannot be identified, and this python case follows that pattern. The snake will be transferred to a reptile contact who will take ownership, a process typical when unregistered exotic pets surface in residential buildings.

Residents of Cleveland who keep exotic pets should be aware that unregistered reptiles can end up in shared buildings and be captured by animal control. The incident shows how an escaped or abandoned snake can quickly turn into a safety issue for neighbors.

The takeaway

Anyone who keeps a large snake should confirm its enclosure is secure and know who to contact if it escapes. Reporting an escaped reptile promptly to animal control helps protect neighbors and the animal itself.