Snake catcher's find stuns: 'Good chance you will get bitten'

It's almost like we're playing to the stereotype.

It doesn't get much more Australian than a bloke called Mick, sporting a beautiful mullet, fishing out a lethal snake from a kid's shoe. But for some, that's just another day in the office.

A Queensland snake catcher was called to a home in Rothwell this week to find the "highly venomous" reptile curled up deep inside a running shoe.

"They've gone to stick their foot in the shoe and got a surprise ... which is exactly what you don't want," the snake catcher says in the understatement of the week. "Something that you've definitely got to be mindful of here in Queensland," he adds as someone records the rescue effort.

As he picks up the shoe and gives it a shake and presses on the toes, the snake drops down to the heal, where it is now visible.

"You coming out little buddy? ... He's really tucked up in there," Mick says before fishing him out with a hook.

Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, snake catcher Dan, who sent Mick out on the job, said it really pays to give your shoes a good check if they've been outside.

"If you don't see the snake go into the shoe and you put your shoe on, there's a very good chance you will get bitten," he said. "They don't want to bite you but if you shove your foot in their face they might not have much of a choice," he laughed.

Australia has no shortage of deadly snakes – and they all like a nice hiding spot to curl up in. They associate somewhere tight and dark with safety and it helps keep them at a regular temperature.

"Snakes don't know what a shoe is but they do like dark crevices, places to hide where they feel more comfortable," Dan said.

"We've found heaps of different species inside shoes before ... It doesn't happen that commonly but it is a good reminder that if your shoes are at the back door, who knows what kind of creepy crawlies could make themselves at home during the day or overnight."

After posting a clip of the rescue online, some Aussie remarked that is was "amazing" how the snake could squeeze into such a small space. In fact, this time last year, a 1.2 metre-long red-bellied black snake was found curled inside a shoe at a home in Western Sydney.

Red-bellied black snakes are venomous and potentially deadly but according to the National Geographic, there has never been a recorded death officially attributed to a red-bellied black snake in Australia

While fees can vary depending on the nature of the job, if you're in need of a snake catcher to remove an animal from your property, you're typically looking at at least $150 for a call out.

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