Snake catchers video reveals snake hiding places in homes
Even before the summer snake season arrives these snake catchers have removed two death adders in two weeks. Their videos and photos show the scary places they’ve found snakes in people’s homes.
Blacktown
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Catching two death adders in two weeks is nothing out of the ordinary for professional snake catchers Tina and John Mostyn.
The couple regularly remove snakes from peoples’ homes and workplaces and there is no end to the weird and wonderful places they’ve found them.
In scenarios guaranteed to strike horror into the hearts of the average snake fearing resident, the Mostyns have pulled them from under couches, off kitchen cupboards, from laundries, out of pipes, pot plants, garden beds and work sites.
Then there was the snake that slithered into a child’s plastic ride-on toy at a childcare centre and had to be cut out.
It’s a warning of the coming summer season when snakes are most likely to come indoors to escape the heat or find water.
John Mostyn said one of the death adders he recently captured was found at a Umina Beach home by a man gardening in the late afternoon.
“It was a populated street with national park at the back of it,” Mr Mostyn said.
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“He freaked out a bit because he realised that he’s pretty much been leaning over it all day,” he said.
“Death adders are not uncommon but it’s unusual to see them because of their behaviour – they’re an ambush predator.
“Your red bellied blacks, your eastern browns, your diamond pythons – they move around hunting for food where as the death adder will sit and wait for the food to come to him.
“They have a little lure at the end of their tail which they wiggle when prey comes near – it’s a very elaborate display and when the animal comes close, the death adder gets a feed – it’s sort of like Uber Eats for snakes.”
Busy winter
Mr and Mrs Mostyn said warmer temperatures over winter had resulted in a higher than usual number of call outs despite the fact that snakes were usually less active at this time.
“We were still getting calls about the lesser known venomous snakes like whip snakes, golden crowns and marsh snakes,” Mr Mostyn said.
“But now that spring has hit, the males are on the move looking for food and looking for females.
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“The males are more adventurous – they will come and lay across your garden path and not care if you come out, whereas the females will go back into their hiding place if they see someone.”
One of the most common snake species removed by the Mostyns is the non venomous diamond python.
They encouraged people to leave the pythons on the property where they control mice and rats and possums which might get into the roof.
“I understand that some people are totally petrified and we do have to remove them, but we do it reluctantly,” he said.
Summer season
Mr Mostyn said when summer arrived people often came into more contact with snakes which would enter sheds and homes to cool down or find water.
“They don’t mean any harm, they’re just hot,” he said.
Mr Mostyn said six people died from snake bite in Australia last year – an “unusually high number” compared to the usual two or three.
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Four deaths were from brown snake bites, one from a tiger snake and one from a sea snake.
“In one case a man came home to find his dog playing with a brown snake. Instead of calling the dog to him, he picked up the snake which bit him. He didn’t apply first aid and even though his mother took him to hospital, unfortunately he died.
Know what to do
“Most people who die from snake bite do not apply first aid immediately – they either don’t know how or they didn’t realise they were bitten.
“Australia has the most toxic snakes on the planet – but we don’t have the deadliest – that’s in South East Asia, Africa and India where half a million people die of snake bite each year.”
“Every Australian should know the first aid for snake bite – if you live near the bush or do a lot of bushwalking, carry a snake bite kit – it could save your life.”
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Mr Mostyn said people should not approach snakes or try to pick them up but contact professional snake handlers.
John and Tina run John Mostyn venomous snake training at Wyong, including courses for wildlife rescue volunteers, zoo workers, police, firefighters and ambulance officers.