A police officer was stunned to discover a rattlesnake while searching a car for drugs, with the shocking incident caught on his bodycam.

Footage released by the Wheat Ridge Police Department in Colorado shows the officer opening a bin in the backseat to discover the snake hissing and rattling at him.

“Yo, you got a rattlesnake in here? What the f*** dude. Are you kidding me? There’s a f***ing live rattlesnake in this bin. It’s rattling at me,” he exclaims.

“It just cocked back and started trying to snap at me and I when I opened that,” he explains to another officer on scene, who says, “Holy s*** that’s a big one.”

The discovery was made as officers were searching a car they said had “drug paraphernalia in plain sight.”

The owner of the car, who said she lent it to a friend, was on scene and appeared taken back by the discovery herself.

“I can honestly say I never expected to see that,” the officer continued, asking, “Does he have any other things that might bite me?”

“As soon as I opened it, I saw it cock its head back at me and I slammed it shut,” he added. “I’ve seen enough Steve Irwin documentaries. I know how these things go.”

The car’s owner was not facing charges but police were still searching for the friend who borrowed the vehicle.

Police recommended the snake be taken to a vet, Fox 31 said. Credit: Wheat Ridge Police via Storyful

Video Transcript

Yo, you got a rattlesnake in here?

What the, are you kidding me?

There’s a live rattlesnake in his bin.

Yeah, it’s rattling at me.

Did you, did you know about that?

Yeah, I, I’m not gonna open the box again.

Ok. That explains the noise I was hearing.

Hey, h you look at this thing, it just cocked back and started trying to snap it, man.

I opened that.

Holy.

Yeah, that’s a big one.

Yeah.

Well, so you guys got a passenger on board?

Um.

Wow.

I can honestly say I never expected to see that.

Ok.

Does he have any other like things that might bite me or?

Yeah.

No, no, no.

Was I ok?

I, I’m just glad it didn’t bite me.

I mean, hey, it’s a funny story now.

So.

Oh, well, that’s as soon as I opened it, I saw a cock its head back at me and I slammed it shut.

I’ve seen enough Steve Irwin documentaries.

I know, I know how these things go.