It's the stuff of nightmares. A family in Australia realized that one of the stuffed animals in their young daughter's bed was not actually a toy – it was a real and very poisonous snake. The red-bellied black snake slithered into the unicorn-themed bed in Jimboomba, Queensland, and tried to blend in with some toys, but couldn't hide for long.
A snake catcher with Snake Catchers Brisbane and Gold Coast responded to the home to remove the snake, and video of the capture has gone viral. After grabbing the snake with a tool and his bare hands, the catcher allowed the reptile to slide into a bag.
Red-bellied black snakes, which are black with a brown nose and red stomach, are common in eastern Australia and, although venomous, are probably the least dangerous elapid snake on the continent, according to The Australian Museum.
Although very few red-bellied black snake bites have been reported and very few bites have resulted in death, the museum says bites should be treated seriously as individual reactions to the venom can vary. Typically, a bite will cause bleeding or swelling, nausea, vomiting, headache, abdominal pain, and other symptoms.
These snakes will often freeze when approached and then try to run away, experts say. But if they can't escape, they may hiss, taunt or attack if disturbed. If they attack, they may even grab onto each other and “chew wildly,” the museum says.
Australians are no strangers to wild and potentially dangerous animals, in some cases lurking in their homes. At the beginning of the year, a The family saw a dangerous eastern brown snake in her 3-year-old son's underwear drawer. The highly venomous snake was removed by local pest control specialist Mark Pelley, known as “The Snake Hunter”.
Pelley said the snake likely entered the home when the boy's mother grabbed clothes from a row outside and went into the drawer when she was folding clothes.
