In an extraordinary turn of events on Sydney’s northern beaches, the Zanchetta family from Fairlight was left reeling after discovering a fruit bat, also known as a flying fox, clinging to their toilet seat. The bizarre incident, which unfolded in their pristine, minimalist home, was followed by an equally shocking discovery: a green tree snake slithering into the same bathroom, turning their quiet abode into a wildlife hotspot.
The chaos began when 23-year-old student Adriana Zanchetta heard strange noises outside her bedroom door. Thinking it was a rat, she called for her 21-year-old brother Aaron to investigate. As they opened the door, a large bat swooped toward Aaron, sending the siblings scrambling back to their rooms in a panic. Their parents, Andrew and Amanda, 50, along with their younger sister Anneliese, 18, barricaded themselves in their bedrooms, communicating via text as they awaited help from Sydney Wildlife.
When wildlife rescuer Lisa Wynn arrived from Eastwood, she was stunned to find the bat—later named Bob—hanging nonchalantly from the toilet seat. “It’s the most unusual rescue I’ve ever done,” Wynn remarked. “The family’s house is so clean and minimalist, there was nowhere for the bat to climb. It must have crawled down the hallway, and the toilet was the only thing it could latch onto.” Unable to take flight from the ground, the bat had made the porcelain throne its temporary perch.
Adriana described the scene as “the most random thing ever.” She added, “We thought it might be hiding in a corner, not hanging off the toilet. It’s the strangest thing we’ve ever seen!” Her mother, Amanda, echoed the sentiment: “We couldn’t believe it.”
Bob, the bewildered bat, was unharmed and treated to some apple juice by Wynn. He’s now under observation with a carer, awaiting release back into the wild. How Bob found his way into the Zanchetta home remains a mystery, though the family suspects he slipped through their dog door.
Remarkably, Bob wasn’t the only unexpected visitor to a northern beaches bathroom that week. Just days earlier, in nearby Bilgola Plateau, a green tree snake—dubbed Loo-loo—slithered into a family’s toilet, creating a second wildlife spectacle. The snake was first spotted by the family cat, which chased it from under the kitchen fridge. In a desperate bid for escape, Loo-loo darted into the bathroom and slipped through a tiny hole at the back of the toilet pedestal.
Wildlife rescuer Lynleigh Greig from Elanora Heights was called to the scene. “I used my phone to peer into the hole and saw the snake coiled inside,” Greig explained. Unable to reach it with her fingers, she crafted an ingenious escape tube from a vacuum cleaner part and gaffer tape, coaxing Loo-loo to slither out safely.
Greig noted that snakes in toilets aren’t entirely uncommon, as they often pursue prey like frogs that seek refuge in damp places. “One of our rescuers even found a snake in someone’s bed in St Ives, curled up on an electric blanket,” she added with a laugh.
Both incidents serve as a reminder of the wild side of Sydney’s northern beaches. Wynn cautioned that anyone encountering a bat should avoid contact, as some carry lyssavirus, a disease that could require euthanizing the animal if it bites or scratches a human. For now, the Zanchetta family and their Bilgola neighbors are left with unforgettable stories—and a newfound appreciation for checking their toilets.
