Boy's close call after frightening find in bike wheel
A six-year-old boy is lucky to escape unscathed after he accidentally rode over a 1.5m eastern brown snake while bike riding with his family.
Mother-of-two Kate Nolan went for a bike ride on their farm in Goorambat, northern Victoria when the snake struck out at her son Dustin.
Thankfully, the snake missed him, and instead got caught up in the spokes of the back wheel of his bike.
Ms Nolan thinks the snake may have got spooked by her daughter who rode past first, before getting ready to strike when her son rode after her.
Early in the season for snakes
Luckily no one was harmed, although the incident served as a reminder to always be aware of your surroundings.
"I think the biggest shock was to see a snake so early," Ms Nolan told Yahoo News Australia.
"I hadn’t even warned the kids to keep an eye out yet," she continued. "He's a very lucky boy.
“It’s very early given it was a week ago,” she said. “We would normally get one or two on the property, so that’s one down for the season.”
What to do if you see a snake
Ranger Jackie, from Hands on Wildlife, told Yahoo News Australia last year that it's best not to run if you come across a snake.
“Snakes don’t have very good eyesight, so if you stand still the snake won’t feel threatened or scared,” she said.
“And they will be less likely to bite, and you basically disappear to the snake.”
She also suggested to slowly back away from the snake if you see one, so you don’t startle it or trip over, as well as treating all snakes as venomous and to just leave them alone.
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