A Brisbane woman had a startling encounter when she woke up to find an 8-foot carpet python coiled on her chest in the middle of the night.
A woman in Brisbane, Queensland, experienced a shocking wake-up call when she discovered an 8-foot carpet python resting on her chest. The incident occurred Monday night, and Rachel Bloor initially mistook the heavy weight for her dog lying beside her.
Upon reaching out under the covers, Bloor felt something smooth and realized it was not her pet. “To my horror, I realized it wasn’t my dog,” she recounted in an interview with the BBC.
The snake, measuring approximately 2.5 meters, had slithered into her second-story bedroom. Alarmed, Bloor quickly woke her husband and asked him to turn on the lights. His immediate reaction was to caution her, saying, “Oh baby. Don’t move. There is like a 2.5-meter python on you.”
Bloor’s first thought was to ensure the safety of her family dogs. “I thought if my Dalmatian realized that there’s a snake there, it is gonna be carnage,” she said. After her husband managed to remove the dogs from the room, Bloor carefully maneuvered herself out from under the covers.
Instead of calling a professional snake catcher, Bloor opted to handle the situation herself. “I sort of side shuffled out,” she explained. Once she was free, she calmly ushered the large reptile out of the bedroom through a window.
“I grabbed him,” Bloor said, noting that the python “didn’t seem overly freaked out.” She described the snake as “wobbling” in her hand as she guided it outside.
Bloor suspects the python entered her home through plantation shutters on her window, making its way onto her bed while she slept. “It was that big that even though it had been curled up on me, part of its tail was still out the shutter,” she added.
The carpet python is a non-venomous constrictor commonly found in Australia’s coastal regions. Despite the frightening encounter, Bloor expressed relief that the intruder was not another type of animal. “Toads freak me out,” she admitted.
Snake catcher Kurt Whyte commented on the increased snake activity during this time of year, noting that breeding season and hatching eggs contribute to more frequent sightings. “Obviously, with this hot weather, we’re seeing plenty of them getting out and about and basking in this sun,” he explained.
Whyte also pointed out that while snake populations have not necessarily increased, sightings are becoming more common as urban development encroaches on Australian bushland. “They have got to find places to live, and our backyards are offering the perfect habitat,” he said.
He warned homeowners that common household features could provide easy access for snakes seeking shelter. “Unfortunately, the gaps in our garage doors… provide the perfect entry points for a snake,” Whyte added.
This incident highlights the importance of being aware of one’s surroundings, especially in areas where wildlife is prevalent. As urbanization continues to expand, encounters with local wildlife, including snakes, are likely to become more frequent.
According to BBC, Bloor’s experience serves as a reminder of the need for caution and preparedness in regions where snakes are common.