She Woke Up With an 8-Foot Python on Her Chest and Lived to Tell the Tale

Waking up with a snake in your bed is a rare problem, but not impossible, especially if you live in Australia. That’s precisely what happened in this recent news story: a woman awoke from a peaceful sleep to find a giant python lying across her chest.

Even if you live in a hotspot for wild reptile activity, most snakes don’t attack humans in bed. However, they can still end up indoors because they found a way in, hiding away for their own safety and comfort. If you find a snake in your house, things can go sideways in an instant. But did the woman who woke up to find a snake in her bed panic?

How did she handle it, and how might you handle a situation like hers? Here’s what happened in this viral snake encounter, as well as a step-by-step plan you can use anytime you find a snake in your house. Here’s hoping you’ll never need it, but you never know!

What Happened to the Woman Who Woke to Find a Snake In Her Bed?

Rachel Bloor, a resident of Brisbane, Queensland, woke up in the middle of the night with a heavy weight across her stomach and chest, assuming it was her dog. However, as she reached under the covers, she felt something smooth move, and her blood ran cold. In her own words, Bloor said she told the BBC, “To my horror, I realized it wasn’t my dog,” and she immediately woke her husband to turn on the lights.

Her husband’s first words were shocking: “Don’t move. There is like a 2.5-meter python on you.” Even with her husband’s obvious concern, Bloor’s focus was on getting the family dogs out of the room before anything escalated. Thankfully, her calm demeanor allowed her to pick up the 8-foot-long carpet python on her own, allowing it to slip back out through the window through which it entered.

Without realizing it, Bloor ended up behaving in accordance with most tips offered by snake experts, should a snake ever make its way into your home. While her husband removed the dogs from their bedroom, Bloor kept her cool and worked without panic, which is exactly how it should be.

If You Wake Up With a Snake in Your Bed, Take These Steps

While hopefully hypothetical, what can you do if you ever find yourself in the same situation as this woman from Brisbane? We’ve got a step-by-step rulebook to follow should you ever wind up with a surprise snake in your bed.

Freeze and Breathe

Stop moving and maintain slow breathing, as this will help you keep your hands and legs from flailing, reducing the chance that the snake feels trapped or threatened.

Turn on Lights

Maintaining a level head is a must here, as the least amount of movement you can do to get the lights on matters. If someone else is in the room, ask them to turn on the light and move slowly. If you’re alone, use your phone light if it’s within reach. Most importantly, don’t sweep your arms under the blanket to find the snake; you risk getting bitten.

Get Pets and Kids Out of the Room

A startled dog or child is the fastest way to turn a surprise snake situation into chaos. Any pet or frightened child that interacts with the snake, either on accident or on purpose, forces the snake to defend itself.

Create Distance by Sliding Away

If you can slowly shift your body to the edge of your bed and stand up without stepping near or putting your hands too close to the snake, do that. Keep your feet planted and your movements small, just as Bloor did by slowly and carefully moving out of bed.

Don’t Grab It From Straight Above or Behind

Even harmless species bite when they’re cornered, which is why picking up snakes can be risky. The safest version of this story ends with nobody touching the snake at all, but that isn’t always possible. If you must pick up a snake to prevent it from escaping and hiding elsewhere in your home, avoid grabbing it from directly above or behind its head. Using a tool or household item to remove it is always a better bet than using your hands.

Finding Snakes Elsewhere in the Home: What to Do

You’re far more likely to encounter snakes in other areas of your home rather than your bed. In fact, there were an estimated 2,000 snake removals in the Phoenix, Arizona Metro area between 2018 and 2019, including from homes and other urban locations, making it an unwelcome but not necessarily uncommon encounter depending on geography and season. Here’s what you should consider if a snake ever turns up your home uninvited.

Step 1: Control the Room

Just like we learned, if you have a snake in your bed, keeping the situation under control is a must. Move people and pets away, then close any interior doors so the snake stays in one place.

Step 2: Decide Whether to Call Help or Guide It Out

If you can’t confidently identify the intruding snake from a safe distance, it’s likely best that you call a professional for help. When venom status is unknown, and misidentification is common, it isn’t worth the risk to remove a snake yourself.

However, if you are confident it’s non-venomous and you feel comfortable, try to remove the snake yourself. A simple container method could involve tipping a lidded trash can on its side and using a broom to gently guide the snake into the can. Be sure to quickly stand the container upright and replace the lid, keeping your hands away from the opening.

Step 3: Don’t Try to Kill It

Bites most often occur when someone tries to handle or kill a snake, despite our instincts to do so. Giving it space is safer than escalating the encounter, as the last thing you want is to get bitten.

Step 4: If It Vanishes, Don’t Search With Your Hands

If you lose sight of the snake, keep the doors closed and call a professional. Snakes can easily wedge into tight hiding spots, and poking around blindly is how you surprise a hidden animal at close range. It’s a big no-no, so don’t try it!

Who to Call If There’s a Snake In Your House

If you’re in the U.S. and you don’t feel 100% confident handling a surprise snake situation, start by calling your city or county’s animal control or non-emergency police line. Many areas also have private nuisance wildlife control operators or wildlife removal services, people who can safely capture and relocate snakes.

Finally, if there’s a bite, signs of envenomation, or the snake is actively entangled with a person or pet, treat it as a medical emergency and follow CDC guidance while you call 911. Getting medical help right away and avoiding common mistakes like trying to suck out venom or applying ice is your best bet; sometimes, these misconceptions can cause more harm than good.

How to Prevent a Snake From Getting Inside Again

If you wind up with snakes in your house even once, it’s worth figuring out how they got in so you don’t have to relive the experience. Check out these tips that will help you keep snakes outside where they belong!

Seal Entry Points and Reduce Rodents

Snakes often follow prey, so focusing on sealing gaps and addressing the spaces snakes use to enter basements and crawlspaces is a good place to begin. Remember: if rodents can get in, snakes may eventually follow.

Make the Yard Less Attractive

Removing brush piles, wood stacks, debris, and other hiding spots near buildings is another great step, as snakes readily hide in these places. Plus, outdoor pet food and garbage cans may attract rodents, which can attract snakes; you get the picture.

Don’t Rely on Repellents

Repellents are not as effective as physically blocking entry points and keeping your yard clean. Go the extra mile, especially if you’ve had multiple snake encounters in or around your home. It’s better to take action now than to wait for another unexpected encounter.

While most people will go their entire lives without ever encountering a wild snake within the confines of their own home, crazier things have happened. The woman in Brisbane was lucky to have the situation resolved quickly and seamlessly, but she also remained calm. Keep this story in mind if you live in a particularly popular snake area, and make sure your home is snake-proof before summertime!