Snake catchers have warned that an increased number of snakes could be spotted in Australian homes as breeding season kicks off for another year, and now a venomous snake has been found in a truly unique hiding spot.
A photograph of a red-bellied black snake lurking inside a wine glass has gone viral online after being shared by the official Snake Catchers Adelaide Facebook page. In the photograph, the serpent can be seen making itself right at home inside a common wine glass.
“Glass of red….belly,” the post joked. “This red belly is almost a metre long, it’s just to show you how small of a space snakes can inhabit.”
The snake’s head was popping out of the top of the glass as it relaxed next to a couple of bottles of red. If the post is anything to go by, it’s quite common for snakes to be found in tight hiding spots such as glasses.
“They love tight confined spaces,” the post continued. “It makes them feel safe and secure.”
Snake Catchers Adelaide also confirmed the snake didn’t want to get out of the glass.
People were quick to comment on the unique photograph of the snake.
One person wrote: “I’ve also sought comfort at the bottom of a wine glass before.”
Another comment joked: “A hint of snake…and has a lingering feel on the palette (bite).
A third added: “Yikes!!! That’s enough to give up drinking… not.”
It’s not the first time a snake has been spotted in an unusual hiding spot this snake season. Earlier this month, a Queensland woman got the fright of her life after discovering a huge eastern brown snake lurking in her laundry sink.
According to Brisbane North Snake Catchers and Relocation, a “panicked lady” made a call to snake catchers over the weekend when she discovered the snake hiding in her laundry.
In photos shared online, the snake could be seen hiding under a bucket in the sink.
The woman told catchers she thought the snake had originally been in one of the bedrooms before heading to her laundry and admitted she left her doors open to keep cool during the warm weather because she didn’t have air conditioning in that part of the home.
Australia is home to 21 of the 25 most venomous snakes in the world, with the brown snake, red-bellied black snake and tiger snake, often sighted across the country. Their bites can cause severe reactions and even death, with NSW Health releasing a statement in September warning people not to interfere with snakes to minimise the risk of being bitten.
Covering up by wearing long pants and boots if walking in areas where snakes could be present is also recommended, while there are things people can do if they get bitten. For example, an elasticised bandage on the affected area should be applied.
“Tourniquets should not be applied, and the bite site should not be cut or sucked,” Newcastle’s Calvary Mater Hospital toxicology expert Geoff Isbister said in a statement. “Move slowly away from the snake and don’t try and kill it [the snake].”
Experts don’t recommend applying a tourniquet to the bite as it can be fatal once released and warn not to rinse the bite with water as medical staff need the trace venom to identify the type of snake. Symptoms of a venomous snake bite can include nausea, vomiting, headaches, while some species can cause people to collapse and require cardiopulmonary resuscitation.