The weight felt familiar, like a warm dog curled up for a nighttime cuddle. Rachel Bloor, asleep in her second-story Brisbane bedroom, initially welcomed the pressure on her chest. But a subtle, unsettling smoothness beneath her hand shattered the peaceful illusion.
A jolt of pure terror surged through her as she realized it wasn’t her pet. Instead, a massive form – a 2.5-meter carpet python – was coiled across her, a silent, scaled weight in the darkness. The realization was chilling, a primal fear awakening in the stillness of the night.
Her husband’s voice, hushed and urgent, cut through her shock. “Oh baby. Don’t move. There is like a 2.5-meter python on you.” The words hung in the air, confirming the unbelievable reality of the situation. Every instinct screamed for movement, but she knew the slightest shift could provoke the powerful reptile.
Her immediate concern wasn’t her own safety, but the safety of her dogs. A Dalmatian’s protective instincts, unleashed upon a snake, would be catastrophic. She pictured chaos and instinctively urged her husband to get the animals out of the room.
With agonizing slowness, she began to extricate herself from beneath the snake’s weight, a careful side shuffle that felt like an eternity. Each inch was a victory, a small defiance against the fear that threatened to paralyze her.
Surprisingly, she didn’t call for professional help. Instead, fueled by adrenaline and a strange sense of calm, Rachel took control. She carefully guided the enormous python towards an open window, ushering it back into the night.
The snake, remarkably docile, seemed almost indifferent to her efforts. It “sort of just wobbled” in her grasp, a massive creature surprisingly unconcerned with its unexpected encounter. Rachel managed to release it safely outside, a wave of relief washing over her.
The python had likely entered through slightly open plantation shutters, its immense length extending out into the night even while coiled around her. The sheer size of the snake was astonishing, a stark reminder of the wildness that existed just beyond her walls.
Carpet pythons are non-venomous constrictors, common along Australia’s coast, but the encounter was still profoundly unsettling. Rachel admitted a surprising preference for facing almost anything else – even toads – over another encounter with a snake.
Experts note that snake activity is currently heightened due to breeding season and hatching eggs. The recent hot weather also drives snakes to seek cooler spots, bringing them into closer contact with humans.
Increasingly, these encounters are becoming more frequent as urban development encroaches upon natural bushland. Snakes are simply seeking habitat, and backyards now offer the perfect refuge. Gaps in garage doors and other openings provide easy access to shelter.
