An Educator from a Gold Coast early childhood centre, discovered a red-bellied black snake curled up behind a child's backpack, initially thought it was a toy snake until she saw it breathing.
Tim Hudson, a snake catcher in the area, told Today, "We were called to a daycare here on the Gold Coast, at 2 pm".
The staff swiftly called the snake catcher and evacuated the room.
Tim explained, "They promptly isolated the snake, called us, and sealed every door with a towel rolled up beneath the door".
Tim argued that even if there haven't been many fatalities caused by red-bellied snake bites, there is still cause for alarm.
"They can occasionally make that snake hazardous if they're in the wrong hands or if people try to tamper with them," he said.
"Clearly, it's a little frightening in a childcare setting. But thankfully, the employees handled the situation as professionally as they could.
Tim told 7News that despite the daycare being "well-sealed," the poisonous snake undoubtedly managed to get past the front doors.
In the Gold Coast, "they're in every street," he claimed.
About Red-Bellied Black Snake
The red-bellied black snake is s one of eastern Australia's most commonly encountered snakes. Averaging around 1.25 m (4 ft 1 in) in length, it has glossy black upper parts, bright red or orange flanks, and a pink or dull red belly.
It is not an aggressive species and generally retreats from encounters with people, but can attack if provoked. Although its venom is capable of causing significant illness, no deaths have been recorded from its bite, which is less venomous than other Australian elapid snakes.
Common in woodlands, forests and swamplands, the red-bellied black snake often ventures into nearby urban areas.
The red-bellied black snake is generally not an aggressive species, typically withdrawing when approached. If provoked, it recoils into a striking stance as a threat, holding its head and front part of its body horizontally above the ground and widening and flattening its neck. It may bite as a last resort. It is generally active by day, though nighttime activity has occasionally been recorded. When not hunting or basking, it may be found beneath timber, rocks, and rubbish or down holes and burrows.
One of the snakes commonly kept as pets in Australia, the red-bellied black snake adapts readily to captivity and lives on a supply of mice, though it can also survive on fish fillets, chicken, and dog food.
References:
Venomous Snake Discovered By Teacher Behind Bluey Backpack In Daycare Centre, Kispot Australia
Red Bellied Blck Snake, Kiddle