Escaped snake bites Austrian man on genitals while on the toilet

An Austrian man has been bitten on the genital area by a python as he sat on the toilet. Photo / Austrian Police

A man has received quite a fright when he was bitten on the genital area by his neighbour's escaped pet snake while on the toilet.

The 65-year-old Austrian man suffered minor injuries after the reptile, which is believed to have escaped from his neighbour's apartment and slithered through the drains, bit him as he sat on the toilet on Monday morning.

The man from the southern city of Graz told police he felt a "pinch" on his genital area while sitting on the toilet at about 6am.

He looked inside the toilet and found the 1.5 metre albino python looking up at him.

A local reptile expert was called in to retrieve the snake and return it to its owner, a 24-year-old man, who faces an investigation on suspicion of causing bodily harm by negligence.

The victim was taken to hospital for treatment after suffering minor injuries.

An Austrian man has been bitten on the genital area by a python as he sat on the toilet. Photo / Austrian Police

Medics said it was fortunate pythons were not venomous but there was still risk of the man's wound becoming infected.

Police said the victim's neighbour kept a total of 11 non-venomous snakes and a gecko in his apartment in terrariums and drawers.

The reptile-owner was unaware the python had escaped until officers returned it to him and did not know the route it took to get into the man's toilet.