Aussie snake catcher injured after losing 'game of snakes and ladders'

The snake catcher said this part of the job is often overlooked despite it arguably being the most dangerous.

Sophie Coghill
·News Reporter
Updated ·2-min read

A snake catcher has admitted to losing a literal "game of snakes and ladders" while attempting to rescue a coastal carpet python over the weekend.

Clinton 'Jonesy' Jones was called out to rescue a two-metre snake in a home at Dundowran Beach near Hervey Bay in Queensland on Saturday. He was trying to apprehend the reptile as it hid inside a garage roller door, forcing him to climb up a ladder to reach it.

"I lost sight of the snake and I was trying to work out where it was when the ladder folded in on me and I fell close to three metres to the ground," Jonesy told Yahoo News Australia.

Left, a coastal carpet python hiding in a crevice. Right, the snake catcher wearing sunglasses while wearing a snake around its neck.
Snake Catcher Jonesy fractured two bones in his arm after the ladder he was standing on folded in on him. Source: Supplied

The fall ended with a visit to the emergency department and two fractured bones in his arm, but Jonesy believes he got away lightly with his injuries.

Another local snake catcher was called to the home after the accident to catch and relocate the snake, however it was gone once they arrived.

Most dangerous part of the job not what people assume

Despite handling some of the world's most venomous snakes, Jonesy said the most dangerous part of being a snake catcher is not what most people think — and is often overlooked.

"Often we don't take into consideration how dangerous it is to be that high off the ground. I bet more people are injured every year from falling off a ladder than being bitten by a snake," he said.

Left, Jonesy's arm in a cast. Middle, a coastal carpet python close up. Right, the snake catcher handles a python in a backyard.
Jonesy believes the most dangerous part of his job is when he needs to rely on ladders to catch a snake. Source: Supplied

He continued by saying snake catchers generally want to "go that extra mile" to make residents feel safe and sometimes that means they "go a little bit further than we should" — believing his accident was all in the name of good customer service, until he had to hitch a lift from the resident to the hospital.

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