Aussie kid's 'deadly' find lurking behind Christmas tree
The boy's mother called in the expert as she kept her kids safe.
A young boy got more than he bargained for when he tried to sneak a peek under the Christmas tree and, hidden among the presents, caught sight of a deadly snake.
Drew Godfrey, of Hervey Bay Snake Catchers in Queensland, said he was called to the Nikenbah property on Friday after getting a call from the boy's mum to say an eastern brown snake was slithering through the living room of her house — and it's happening more and more often Godfrey told Yahoo News Australia.
Eastern brown snakes are "the second most venomous terrestrial (land) snake in the world," Godfrey said and are found throughout eastern and southern Australia. It's second only to the deadly inland taipan found in remote and outback areas.
This one was roughly 50 or 60 centimetres long, and is juvenile, Godfrey confirmed. "Probably about three years old."
Thankfully, the family were "responsible" when spotting the venomous reptile and kept an eye on it until he arrived, "which is the right thing to do," he said. "If they didn't keep an eye on it, the snake could have got lost anywhere in the house and can make it a very difficult job," he explained.
Christmas tree a 'natural' place to hide
The snake catcher said the Christmas tree is a "natural" place for the snake to hide because it resembles an outside tree. Additionally, the presents underneath "emulate a bunch of rocks or logs underneath a tree that it can hide under".
Hotter weather means more snakes in Australia
Godfrey revealed he's had a higher-than-normal number of house calls of late due to the hotter and dryer conditions.
"We're having a hotter than usual summer and snakes are coming inside more often. Friday was an incredibly hot day here in Queensland," he said. "I think it came in under the garage door where there was a bit of gap. Probably just looking for a cool, shady spot."
Smaller snakes often 'the most dangerous'
Small, juvenile snakes are "actually harder to handle than a big one" — so it pays to be aware. Many people think they can tackle a smaller snake themselves without calling in the experts, but the result could be deadly.
"They're more skittish when they're young because they're a lot more terrified of everything. But because they're small, if they whip around to your hand, they're much closer to your hand and they move much faster," Godfrey explained.
"If they bite, they're more likely to give a good dose of venom. People think babies, like young snakes, can't control their venom, but they can. They're the most dangerous ones to try and catch."
To help prevent a snake from entering your home, Godfrey said to place a few containers of water in your yard. "People think it'll attract snakes, but the fact of the matter is that snakes are there anyway. If they have water in the garden, they're more likely to stay in the garden. If they have no choice but to come around our house, then that's what they'll do."
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