Snake Ingests Golf Balls Mistaking Them For Chicken Eggs, Suffers Blocked Intestines [Photos]

Denver, Colorado -- Wildlife authorities in Colorado were called to tend to a snake after the reptile ingested two golf balls mistaking them for chicken eggs, and ended up having them stuck in its intestines.

The snake was trying to cross through a fence when got stuck due to the golf balls. Officials from the Northern Colorado Wildlife Center arrived to help release it.

"Well you don't see this every day," the center wrote in a Facebook post shared Monday. "Our team was called to help this bullsnake who became stuck in a fence after swallowing two golf balls within a chicken coop; it had mistaken them for edible chicken eggs."

The staff rescued the snake but discovered an additional problem--the balls were causing a serious blockage in the snake's intestines and they needed to be regurgitated. There were visible bulges at two points along the length of the reptile's body.

"All in all, the slow, careful process took Kate and Michela approximately 30 minutes to complete," the post continued. They also shared a third picture in which a serpent is seen in a better condition after the procedure.

Officials said the snake was in good health except for mild soreness and some scale damage, K99 reported. "It was hungry, of course, and has already eaten a small meal from us," the center wrote in the Facebook post. "Remember, if you ever find a wild animal in need of help, never provide it with food, water, or medical assistance. Simply contact your local licensed wildlife rehabilitator and follow their instructions."

The snake reportedly belongs to the non-venomous family of bullsnakes that are found across several states in the U.S. but have a heavy population in Colorado. Bullsnakes generally prey on mice and squirrels, but they also eat birds and eggs.

Golf balls are often kept inside chicken coops to mimic real eggs just so that the hens get stimulated to lay more eggs.