Horror as “large” venomous snake found hiding under child’s toy in backyard

A snake wrangler in Australia managed to calmly remove a serpent hiding underneath an upside-down children’s plastic play pool.

Glen Peacock, Illawarra snake catcher, removed a snake from a home in Shell Cove, New South Wales, after it slithered away from a nearby golf course.

“Having water features, or swimming pools will attract frogs and lizards, which will attract snakes,” Peacock told Newsweek.

In the video, initially posted on Facebook on Saturday, the snake wrangler can be seen walking up to the children’s plastic play pool before lifting it up, revealing the red-bellied black snake underneath.

The snake remained largely motionless, only flicking its tongue, and was calmly taken by the wrangler who slid it into the reptile bag.

Peacock told Newsweek the area where the snake was captured is close to a golf course that has a lot of places where snakes prefer to live.

The snake was first spotted heading away from the golf course and nearby residents tried to guide it away from their homes. Despite their efforts, it ended up under an upside-down plastic kids pool.

Peacock said it was the eighth red-bellied snake that needed to be relocated over two days. He thought in this case the male was likely looking for females as it is breeding season.

According to the Australian Museum, the red-bellied black snake is mainly found along the western coast of Australia, and while it is large, very few human deaths result from its bites.

“Many bite victims experience only mild or negligible symptoms, however, a number also end up hospitalized,” said the museum’s website. “The health risks to children and pets are greater, due to their smaller size. As individual reactions to envenomation can vary, all suspected bites should be treated as serious and medical attention should be sought as soon as possible.”

“People need to be mindful if living in areas with snakes,” said Peacock. “Also keeping birds and chickens outdoors will attract rodents. The snakes generally aren’t interested in chickens or eggs but are attracted by the rodents that come for the bird and chicken feed.

“Another common place we see snakes is around veg gardens. Often, fruit and veg patches will attract lizards, another favorite food source.

“The best way to keep snakes away is to keep your yard clean as possible: cut grass, keep bushes and trees trimmed underneath so snakes can’t hide, plus you can see them. Avoid piles of timber, bricks, general waste—all these things create snake habitats.”

“If you do come across a snake in your yard, it is best to stay calm and move children and pets to safety,” Peacock warned. “Keep an eye on the snake and call a professional snake catcher. Do not attempt to catch or kill a snake yourself.”