Full Breakdown
Woman Wakes Up to 8-Foot Python on Her Chest in Brisbane
1/19/2026, 9:28:15 PM
Unexpected Encounter with a Python
On the night of January 12, 2026, Rachel Bloor, a resident of Brisbane, Australia, experienced a shocking awakening when she discovered an 8-foot carpet python coiled on her chest. Initially mistaking the weight for her pet dog, Bloor quickly realized the reality when she felt the smooth, slithering body of the snake. Her husband, upon turning on the bedside light, confirmed her fears, stating, “Oh baby. Don’t move. There’s like a 2.5 metre python on you.”
The Python's Intrusion
Bloor suspects that the non-venomous carpet python entered through the plantation shutters of their second-story bedroom window. Carpet pythons are common in Australia and can grow up to 13 feet in length. They typically inhabit coastal regions and are known to prey on small mammals, birds, and lizards. Bloor noted that the snake was so large that even while curled up on her, part of its tail remained outside the window.
Immediate Reactions and Actions
Following the initial shock, Bloor's primary concern was the safety of her two dogs, a labradoodle and a Dalmatian, who were also in the bedroom. She expressed her fear that if her Dalmatian noticed the snake, it could lead to chaos. Her husband promptly removed the dogs from the room, allowing Bloor to carefully extricate herself from under the covers. “I sort of side shuffled out,” she recounted, maintaining a cautious approach to avoid startling the snake.
Once free, Bloor managed to guide the python back out through the window, stating, “I grabbed him, [but] even then he didn’t seem overly freaked out. He just sort of wobbled in my hand.”
Broader Context of Snake Sightings
Snake catcher Kurt Whyte commented on the increased sightings of snakes during the breeding season, attributing it to the hot weather and the expansion of housing developments into natural habitats. He noted that common household features, such as gaps in garage doors, can provide easy access for snakes seeking shelter.
Criticism & Opposition
While Bloor remained calm throughout the incident, she expressed a strong aversion to another invasive species, the cane toad, stating, “I can’t stand them, like they make me dry retch.” This highlights the varying reactions individuals may have towards different wildlife encounters in Australia.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Oh baby. Don’t move. There is like a 2.5-meter python on you.” — Rachel Bloor
- “I thought if my Dalmatian realized that there’s a snake there, it is gonna be carnage,” — Rachel Bloor
- “It was me [who] was left in there to deal with it,” — Rachel Bloor
- “Unfortunately, the gaps in our garage doors… provide the perfect entry points for a snake,” — Kurt Whyte
This incident serves as a reminder of the unique wildlife interactions that can occur in Australia, particularly as urban development encroaches on natural habitats.
