Deadly Australian creature hiding in door frame – can you see it?
The Sydney resident hadn't noticed the deadly snake lurking in the unusual spot.
An unwelcome guest made itself right at home in one Sydney property, choosing an interesting hang out location even the resident didn't spot.
After her dog continued to bark at the foot of her sliding door last Wednesday, the resident – who operates a hairdressing business out of her Orangeville home in the far southwest of the city – decided to investigate and was stunned to find one of the world's most venomous snakes coiled up inside her door frame.
Cory Kerewaro from Reptile Relocation Sydney responded to the resident's call and explained why the juvenile eastern brown snake would have chosen the subtle hiding spot.
“With snakes they associate tight, dark places with safety," he told Yahoo News Australia.
As snakes are cold-blooded, meaning their bodies are unable to thermoregulate, they often seek environments that help change their body temperature, with Cory believing the snake was looking for "somewhere to keep cool" in this instance. The behaviour is similar to when snakes are seen basking in the sun's heat, often observed when the reptiles are attempting to warm themselves.
Scary moment as family bicker while handling deadly snake: 'Typical Aussie drama'
'I love Australia': Tradie's laid-back approach to snake amuses onlookers
Freaky snake find in Aussie family's backyard: 'Now that's wild'
Juvenile snake already 'fully-loaded' with venom
Despite the eastern brown snake being in its infancy, the juvenile's venom can already pack a punch and poses a deadly risk to anything that gets too close to it.
"The toxicity of a snake's venom is the same whether its a juvenile or an adult," Cory said, before likening the strength of a snake's venom to an alcoholic spirit.
"Say you have a shot glass of vodka and a schooner of vodka, the strength is the same just the volume is different."
The bite of an eastern brown snake is incredibly potent and contains powerful presynaptic neurotoxins which result in progressive paralysis. Most of the recorded snake bites in Australia have come from eastern browns, according to Billabong Sanctuary Wildlife Park.
The deadly species is responsible for 60 per cent of Australia's snakebite fatalities every year, Australian Reptile Park’s Billy Collett told Yahoo in February.
Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com.
You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter and download the Yahoo News app from the App Store or Google Play.
