Tiger snakes: Parks Victoria staff shock discovery under microwave at Westerfolds Park office

A killer snake under a Templestowe microwave has given Parks Victoria staff a huge fright, as an expert reveals Melbourne’s hotspots.

The tiger snake after it was found inside a cupboard, hiding underneath a microwave, at Parks Victoria's Templestowe office on Monday. Picture: Supplied.

Deadly snake spottings are heating up in Melbourne’s northeast, with a tiger snake slithering under a microwave to cool off from the hot weather.

Parks Victoria staff made the shock discovery in a cupboard at their Westerfolds Park, Templestowe office at 9.30am on Monday.

Melbourne snake hunter Mark Pelley quickly responded to the office’s call for help, safely removing the 1m reptile.

Diamond Creek snake catcher Mark Pelley with the tiger snake he removed from a cupboard at Parks Victoria's Templestowe office. Picture: Supplied.

“I opened the cupboard, which had the microwave inside, and a head popped out from underneath,” he said.

Mr Pelley said the snake was likely to be looking for shelter from the summer heat, and not anything inside the microwave.

He said the snake – ranked the fifth venomous in the world – had enough venom to kill all six staff in the office at the time.

“They were all fantastic; they stayed calm and knew exactly what to do,” he said.

Parks Victoria declined to comment on the incident.

Melbourne snake hunter Mark Pelley recreated the microwave find for a social media post. Picture: Supplied

Mr Pelley said he had removed double the amounts of snakes this summer due to Melbourne’s mix of hot and cold weather.

He said jobs included removing snakes from a shower basin in Craigieburn, a toilet in Doreen, and a staircase at an Eltham shopping centre.

Anyone bitten by a tiger snake could die within half an hour, he said, with hot suburbs for spottings including Park Orchards, Templestowe, Diamond Creek, Greensborough and Ivanhoe.

“They leave you alone if you leave them alone, but if you try to pick them up or kill them they’ll bite you,” he said.

Mr Pelley urged anyone who spots a snake to steer clear and contact him for removal, or to immediately call 000 if they are bitten.