A homeowner was left “nervous and shaken up” after discovering a deadly eastern brown snake in the washing machine, according to the snake catcher who was called to remove the reptile.
The snake was found at a home in Gladstone in Queensland, Australia. “I saw the snake’s head at the top of the washing machine, inside the machine where all the electrical stuff is,” Tom Maddin, from Maddin’s Gladstone Regional Reptile Catcher, told Newsweek. “I started poking around trying to gently coax it out. Then I just let the snake come out by itself and quickly put him into my snake-catching bag.”
Eastern brown snakes are highly venomous and are responsible for more snake bite fatalities in Australia than any other snake species. They are known for their nervous temperament and often react defensively if threatened.
This particular snake, however, just wanted to get away. “The snake was scared, as it would be when there’s a big predator in its space,” Maddin said. “Once the snake came out, it quickly looked for an escape route…. so I put my bag in front of it and gave it a gentle tap on the body and it saw a hiding spot, which was my bag.”
Once the snake was safely inside, Maddin took it outside, away from houses and people, where he released the reptile.
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Maddin said these deadly reptiles were quite common in the Gladstone area, where he works. “They are frequently seen in suburban areas, as that’s where their go-to food items are, rats and mice.”
Eastern browns have been found in washing machines before, although Maddin said they go into one only when they need to escape quickly.
While it is very difficult to prevent snakes from entering your property, there are things you can do to minimize the risk. “Don’t leave water outside, try to get rid of all mice and rats, and, finally, try to keep your house and yard tidy,” he said. “Snakes will only stay in one spot if they have a reason to, [like] a food/water source and hiding spots.”
If you do encounter a snake, Maddin said, the best thing to do is to stay completely still or walk very slowly backward away from it. “Most snakes are movement orientated. Stay still and they won’t see you as a threat, but as soon as you move they will see you as a predator and either defend themselves or quickly flee,” he said.
“If you have a snake in your yard, put all pets and kids inside and close the doors,” he went on. “Either wait for the snake to leave on its own accord or call a professional snake catcher. When you have a snake in your house, close the room door the snake is in and quickly put a couple towels under the door gap and call a snake catcher.”
This is exactly how the Gladstone homeowner reacted in this situation. “The homeowner…did a perfect job putting pillows and towels around the doors so the snake couldn’t escape and left the back door open so if it wanted to it could make its way out of the house,” Maddin said.
“They kept an eye on the snake until I got there, which was perfect. Most of the time when people don’t watch the snake, the snake is long gone by the time I get there. They called me as soon as possible, and I came as quickly as I could,” he said.
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