Red-bellied black snake found in shoe pile at Sunshine Coast home

An Australian family has been given the fright of their life after finding a massive red-bellied black snake hiding in a shoe pile at their front door. See the video.

A Sunshine Coast family had a slithering surprise waiting in one of their sandals after a highly venomous snake had a sunbathing session by their front door.

Daniel Busstra from Snake Catcher Dan was called to remove a red-bellied black snake from a Burnside home on Sunday, June 30.

Mr Busstra said the snake had been sunbathing by their front door and quickly retreated to their pile of shoes when it was spotted by the family.

With the home being close to a dam, the family have become familiar with their slithering cohabitants but did not like the idea of the snake being close to their front door.

Mr Busstra said it was a pretty easy catch, with snakes being not very active and “chilling out” in winter despite many sightings still occurring during sunny days on the Sunshine Coast.

Mr Busstra said he hasn’t attended to many jobs where a snake has sheltered in a pile of shoes, but it is certainly not an uncommon sight.

Snake Catcher Dan removed a snake from a sandal at a Sunshine Coast home. Photo: Snake Catcher Dan

Being “very shy creatures,” it is very likely for a snake or other critters to hide away in a pile of shoes left outside, he said.

“This one was big enough where you weren’t gonna put your foot in there without seeing it,” Mr Busstra said.

Red-bellied black snakes are a highly venomous and dangerous species but no deaths have been recorded in Australia.

Mr Busstra advised in such a scenario to leave a snake be and keep your distance to let it slither away, or keep your eye on it while keeping distance and call a catcher if you have concerns about dogs or children.

Do not handle snakes yourself.

Originally published as Red-bellied black snake found in shoe pile at Sunshine Coast home