Slithering nocturnal snake found in family’s pantry

AT this time of year you would expect to find the odd mince pie and leftover bit of tinsel in your pantry.But the Wrightson family got a shock when they discovered a rarely seen snake in theirs.

AT this time of year you would expect to find the odd mince pie and leftover bit of tinsel in your pantry.

But the Wrightson family got a shock when they discovered a rarely seen snake in theirs. A bandy bandy snake had slithered inside and made itself at home in the cupboard, which they use for storage.

Jane said her daughter Olivia, 14, was horrified when she spotted the creature lurking in the panty of their home in Belrose.

“My daughter was walking past the pantry door, which was open, and there was a snake curled up in the doorway. She screamed,” she said.

“My husband and my son tried to get it out the door with brooms and mops, and it darted back in the pantry.”

Lynleigh Greig from Sydney Wildlife Rescue went and collected the creature. Picture: Braden Fastier

After leaving it shut in the pantry overnight, Mrs Wrightson enlisted the help of a friend, who contacted Lynleigh Greig from Sydney Wildlife Rescue, who is­ on hand for northern beaches animal emergencies.

She went and collected the creature — which she called liquoricie — kept it overnight and then released it where it came from.

Mrs Greig said the snake eats blind snakes and lives mostly underground. Rob Ambrose, from Sydney Snake Catchers, said although venomous, it was unlikely to cause much harm.

The other unusual thing about the bandy bandy is it coils vertically when approached or feels threatened, like the one pictured below.

The bandy bandy coils itself vertically as a defence tactic.