Glove boxes tend to collect owner’s manuals, registration papers, forgotten receipts and other junk. However, one Queensland driver recently opened his glove box and found something much more frightening than an old parking ticket.
The older man discovered a 1.5-meter coastal carpet python occupying the compartment. That works out to nearly five feet of snake packed into such a small space.
Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7 documented the unusual find. A catcher named Summer arrived to remove the unexpected passenger safely for everyone involved.
Summer described it as a good-sized carpet python for such a cramped hiding place. She suspected it might have eventually moved farther behind the dashboard if it had been left alone.
The Python Was Perfectly Curled Inside the Glove Box
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The original Facebook reel documents Summer slowly opening the compartment and finding the patterned python folded comfortably inside. The snake barely appears to fit. Its body fills the back of the compartment and continues into the surrounding dashboard area.
A follow-up video from the snake-catching service records the careful removal. Summer warned a nearby person to step back while she worked with the defensive reptile. Summer ultimately successfully removed the python from the vehicle.
A Glove Box Is Not Completely Sealed From the Dashboard
A glove compartment may look like an enclosed plastic bin, but it normally sits within a much larger dashboard cavity. In many vehicles, removing the compartment provides access to wiring, air ducts or the cabin air filter.
That leaves more room behind the visible box than a passenger might expect. The snake-catching service did not explain how this particular python entered the vehicle or reached the dashboard, but snakes have been found in other parts of cars throughout Queensland. A Bundaberg Regional Council report previously documented a coastal carpet python hiding above a vehicle’s front-right tire.
Engine compartments, wheel wells and underbody openings can provide temporary shelter. Drivers in snake country may want to look before placing their hands into a dark vehicle compartment that has been left open or unused.
The Snake Was Nonvenomous but Could Still Be Dangerous
Carpet pythons are nonvenomous, but that does not make an encounter inside a car harmless. A frightened python can still defend itself by striking and biting. The Queensland government says carpet pythons average about two meters in length, while some can exceed four meters.
Carpet pythons are primarily active at night and eat mammals, birds, reptiles, and frogs. They are frequently found in trees, although their climbing ability can also lead them into roofs, buildings, and other elevated hiding places.
According to the City of Moreton Bay, carpet pythons rarely attack when given the chance to retreat. They can become defensive when cornered or provoked, which is another reason a glove box is a poor place for an amateur to attempt removal.
Drivers Should Leave Surprise Snakes to Professionals
Queensland officials advise anyone who encounters a snake to remain calm, move to a safe distance, and allow it an escape route when possible. Most bites occur when people attempt to capture, interfere with, or kill a snake.
A snake inside a vehicle presents an additional distraction risk. Drivers should stop somewhere safe, move away from the animal, and contact a licensed snake catcher instead of assuming it will remain in one compartment. Children and pets should also be kept away while help is on the way.