A couple staying at an Airbnb in Florida spotted what appeared to be a scaly creature lurking in their rental’s swimming pool. The moment was captured on video and later shared on TikTok, where it has since drawn millions of views.
In the video, the guest, identified as TikTok user Khiya (@khiyamarta), appeared to message the Airbnb host after noticing the object, asking, “Hi… what is in this pool?” The message included a photo showing the pool with a dark, patterned shape partly visible near its edge.
The video shows the couple approaching the pool to investigate further, with one of them appearing to poke at the object using a can before it appeared to move slightly. In the clip, Khiya is seen trying to nudge the object with her foot, after which her partner tapped it directly with a can. When asked to do it again, he did, and Khiya remarked, “It moved.” He replied, “‘Cause I moved.”
Couple approached the pool cautiously while waiting for a response from their host
Her partner then asked Khiya if she planned to go into the pool, to which she said, “No, I’m sitting back in the chair.” When she followed up by asking if he intended to walk closer to the object, he said he wanted “confirmation” of what it was.
In her caption, Khiya noted that the Airbnb hosts had not responded by the time she posted the video, writing, “Mind you, the Airbnb hosts haven’t answered yet” alongside hashtags including “honeymoon.” Unexpected mishaps at vacation rentals have made headlines before, including a family’s Florida Airbnb stay cut short after just a few hours.
The video, which appears to have been filmed at a Florida property based on hashtags used in the caption, has amassed close to 4.9 million views on TikTok. Commenters reacted with a mix of humor and disbelief, with one writing, “It’s a swamp puppy,” and another joking that the creature had the “survival instincts of a rock.”
@khiyamarta Mind you, the Airbnb hosts haven’t answered yet 😭 #fyp #airbnb #honeymoon #miami
♬ original sound – LoverboyMarcus96
One commenter, describing themselves as a native Floridian, appeared amused by the couple’s caution, writing, “As a native Floridian the fact you were booping it like a kitten 😭” Another speculated on the object’s true nature, suggesting, “That looks like those fake floating heads people put in their pools.” Khiya appeared to confirm this theory, responding, “We figure out it was a fake one without any help of our hosts.”
Some commenters raised concerns about the prank potentially frightening certain guests. One wrote, “i would report that, that’s a very bad joke, imagine elderly people, people who have cardiac problems, etc.” Khiya also pointed commenters toward her partner’s TikTok account for further explanation.
According to a comment attributed to him, the object was “a lil plastic alligator head that I think the hosts attached to a swivel.” He added that the object moved whenever the pool water splashed, which he said added to the confusion. He also posted his own video about the item, which has received roughly 28.1 million views.
@mzstvrj Why tf would my Airbnb do this #fyp #airbnb #miami #honeymoon #alligator
♬ original sound – Omg what is that
According to Outdoor Water Solutions, the decoys are intended to deter “unwanted wildlife” from entering ponds and pools. One commenter echoed this point, writing, “It’s helps keeps snakes and other things out of the pool.” Booking a rental does not always go smoothly either, as shown by a host’s experience with a problematic guest who disrupted their Airbnb listing.
