Locals warned to expect more snake sightings across the region

A tiger snake was spotted in a baby’s bedroom amid a series of recent snake sightings.

Geelong's Darren Keiller is having a busy season as a snake catcher, pictured with his pet pythons Wilson and Fedi. Picture: Mark Wilson

A snake was spotted slithering around a two-month-old baby’s bedroom on Monday amid a spate of sighting across the region.

Darren Keiller, from Geelong Snake Catcher, said he had been called out to 30 snake sightings across various suburbs, including Bannockburn and Torquay, since December 1.

“I was called out to Bell Post Hill where a woman found a tiger snake slithering around on the floor of her baby’s bedroom,” he said.

Mr Keiller said the snake had come into the house through an open door, which was the most common way for snakes to get inside.

A copperhead snake was spotted under a caravan in Indented Heads on Monday, while an eastern brown snake was found in a Lethbridge backyard.

Darren Keiller from Geelong Snake Catcher. Picture: Mark Wilson

Mr Keiller said snakes were moving around more this season amid warmer conditions and were returning to their usual movement patterns.

“This season there has been a big improvement from the last eight years,” he said.

Tiger and copperhead snakes are the most common to be spotting in our region.

“Usually after Christmas, we start to see smaller snakes coming out with the bigger ones not moving around as much,” Mr Keiller said.

“The two-foot size snakes are quite common around the Geelong area.”

In November 2020, Geelong girl Grace Tenuta, then nine, was bitten by a 1.3m tiger snake while looking for lizards.

“I said ‘Don’t worry mum I know what to do from (television personality) Russell Coight’ and then I just did what he told me,” Grace told the Geelong Advertiser at the time.

Barwon Health director of emergency medicine Dr Belinda Hibble said 27 people were treated with suspected snake bites in 2022 with two people requiring antivenom.

If locals spot a snake, Mr Keiller urged locals to move away slowly, keep an eye on it and call a snake catcher so it can be safely relocated.

Dr Hibble said those who suspect they have been bites by a snake should lie down and call triple-0 immediately.

“If it is known were the bite occurred, mark this with an X and apply a pressure bandage to the limb,” she said.

“Do not wash or suck the bite site.

“Splint the limb with anything you have available and remain lying down until help arrives.”

Originally published as Locals warned to expect more snake sightings across the region