An Oklahoma woman experienced quite an experience when she was bitten by a snake she discovered under her pillow.
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While speaking to local news station KXII, Donna Bratschun revealed the snake incident occurred when she fluffed her pillow.
As she finished adjusting her pillow, Braschun said she felt something sharp.
“It was pretty freaky and terrifying,” she recalled.
After pulling back her pillow, Bratschun stated she saw a snake, which confused her because seeing the reptile in her bed made no sense.
“It’s one thing to get into your house, it’s another thing to find your bed, climb your bed, and cuddle under your pillow,” she pointed out.
Bratschun further shared that she then grew concerned because she did not know what kind of snake had bitten her.
“It didn’t break the skin, but it did leave teeth marks,” she said about the wound. “And it was pretty tender.”
Regarding how she thinks the snake got into her home, Bratschun said the reptile may have been in some plants she and her husband brought inside before they left for Thanksgiving. It then made its way under the pillow.
What Type of Snake Was Discovered Under The Pillow?
Bratschun recalled her husband putting on thick gloves and putting the snake in a container as she looked up what type of reptile she encountered.
“My husband finally came to the conclusion that it was nonvenomous,” she revealed. “And it was a bull snake.”
Kayle Jobe, a local wildlife specialist, stated bull snakes are common in Green County, where Bratschun and her husband live.
“They’re not poisonous,” Jobe reassured. “They typically eat small rodents. Some rat snakes actually eat poisonous snakes, and so they’re good to have in your yard or around, but not necessarily in your house.”
Jobe pointed out snakes can fit through spaces as small as an inch and often take shelter in the winter.
“They want to be warm, and snakes specifically can’t regulate their own body temperature,” Jobe shared. “ So, they seek warmth typically in burrows, but sometimes occasionally, we’ll see them in people’s houses.”
According to iNaturalist, bull snakes are usually described as yellow, with brown, white, black, or sometimes reddish blotching. The reptile is considered docile but defensive. It is also noted that bull snakes are not the fastest movers and must take other defense actions.
“When threatened by anything as large as a human, a bullsnake’s next defensive action is to rear up and make itself look as large as possible,” the website explained. “While at the same time hissing at the perceived threat. It typically then begins lunging and retreating at the same time to escape.”
Bull snakes can be found throughout North America, including the U.S., northern Mexico, and southern Canada.