‘My tongue doesn’t work’: Confronting clip after snake catcher bitten

A Queensland snake catcher has filmed a video message from his hospital bed after being bitten by a deadly eastern brown snake on a Facebook live stream.

A Queensland snake catcher who was bitten by a deadly eastern brown snake has revealed his “tongue doesn’t work” in a video message from his hospital bed.

Tony Harrison, who runs Harrison’s Gold Coast and Brisbane Snake Catcher business, with his wife Brooke, was bitten by a snake during a removal in Logan, about 20km from Brisbane, on Sunday afternoon.

The incident was live-streamed on the business’ Facebook page but was later taken down.

In a video update shared on Facebook, Mr Harrison appears to be holding his eyes open as he pleads for a break from the media while he recovers.

“My eyes don’t work and my tongue doesn’t work, please give us a break,” he said as his speech slurred.

“Brooke has been in hospital herself. Please leave us alone a bit.”

Mr Harrison appeared to hold his eye open in the video. Picture: Facebook

His speech slurred as he sat in his hospital bed. Picture: Facebook

The business added that Mr Harrison is suffering cranial paralysis following the incident.

“This means the neurotoxins are effecting [sic] his eyes and tongue. This should clear up in a few days as it’s only temporary,” it wrote in a comment underneath the video.

“This doesn’t happen often in people and is usually something you find in pets.”

Ms Harrison earlier told the Courier Mailher husband was bitten while holding two eastern brown snakes, the second-most venomous snakes in the world, before he was rushed to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

She posted an update on his condition on Monday night, where she confirmed it was only her husband who was bitten, despite also being hospitalised.

“Tony’s bloods are showing signs of improvement … his levels of envenomation were/are very low,” she said.

“As for myself, I was not bitten. I suffered stomach and chest pains, exhaustion and stress which is why they administered me.”

She later added that Mr Harrison’s eyes and tongue muscles are not working the best due to the neurotoxins”.

Tony and Brooke Harrison, pictured with their son, were reportedly removing snakes in Logan. Picture: Nigel Hallett

It’s the second time Mr Harrison has been bitten by an eastern brown snake on a livestream.

In 2019, he suffered a venomless bite after trying to remove a snake from underneath an airconditioning unit in Pimpama.

“When I stuck my hand under there, its face was right there waiting for me,” he told Sunrise at the time.

“I’m very aware of the potential possibilities, so I was scared to say the least.”

“I was worried about not seeing my family again.”