Aussie mum makes a terrifying discovery hidden inside her daughter’s toy box
A Queensland mother was in for a huge shock when she discovered a highly venomous red-bellied black snake hiding in her daughter’s toy box.
The mother and her daughter were choosing toys to play with at their home in Maroochydore, on the Sunshine Coast, when they made the terrifying discovery.
The concerned mother called immediately Sunshine Coast snake catcherswho quickly removed the snake from the house.
Stuart McKenzie, who runs the snake catching service, said it was one of his ‘wildest’ jobs yet.
The ‘very large’ snake (pictured) was found hidden among the child’s dolls and toys in their Sunshine Coast home
“A very venomous snake in the kids’ toys, not a situation you want to be in, that’s for sure,” he said.
Mr McKenzie used a hook to dig through the basket before finding the snake coiled at the bottom.
He said it was extremely lucky that no one in the family was bitten by the huge snake.
“It sends a shiver down your spine,” he said. “Look how big this son of a bitch is,” he said.
The snake was about three to four fingers thick and extremely healthy, McKenzie said.
Stuart McKenzie (pictured), who runs the snake catching service, said it was one of his ‘wildest’ jobs yet.
After catching the snake, he released it back into the wild.
Red-bellied black snakes are common in eastern Australia.
Although the snakes are usually reserved, if provoked they can deliver a fatal bite with their venom, causing bleeding, swelling, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, sweating, muscle pain and weakness.
An untreated bite can be fatal.
Thousands of Australians were shocked by the discovery.
‘I would like to have my entire house inspected. Can you imagine trying to sleep tonight,” someone said.
Another added: ‘What bothers me most is how long was that snake in the nursery before they noticed it?’
A third said: ‘OMG how has a child not been bitten? I’m the grandmother of a three-year-old and children just dive into the toy box.’