A Queensland woman has been left frightened after discovering a huge eastern brown snake lurking in her laundry sink.
It’s one of many snake sightings across Australia since snake mating season started in September. 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.
Speaking to Yahoo7, Steve Brown from Brisbane North Snake Catchers and Relocation confirmed the snake was spotted at a home in Samford in Queensland’s Moreton Bay area. Although the snake was first discovered on Saturday, it is not known how long the venomous reptile had been in the woman’s home.
According to the article, the mother believes the snake had made its way from one of the bedrooms before heading into her laundry. The woman said she had left doors open to keep cool during the warm weather because she doesn’t have air conditioning in that part of the home.
“It was a bit of a fright for her… She was petrified,” Brown said. “She’s not opening [the doors] any more.”
While Brown safely bagged the snake and removed it from her home, he received a call from the same woman the next day. Two more eastern brown snakes were spotted in the home. One of the snakes was spotted at the front door of the home, while the second was tapping on a window.
When Brown arrived, he could only locate one of the snakes. In another post shared on Facebook, it is thought the snakes were trying to get inside to escape the heat.
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.