{"id":314134,"date":"2025-11-29T09:55:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-29T09:55:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/314134\/"},"modified":"2025-11-29T09:55:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-29T09:55:09","slug":"aussie-familys-clever-move-after-rare-encounter-with-deadly-intruder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/314134\/","title":{"rendered":"Aussie family’s ‘clever’ move after ‘rare’ encounter with deadly intruder"},"content":{"rendered":"

An Aussie family\u2019s \u201cclever\u201d move after discovering an unexpected and deadly intruder<\/a> in their home may have saved them countless hours of frantic searching.<\/p>\n

A woman was walking down the hallway of her suburban property in Chapman, in the ACT, last week when she accidentally startled an eastern brown snake<\/a> that had slithered inside.<\/p>\n

In an attempt to flee, the deadly reptile, which is believed to have snuck in through a small gap in the side of the garage roller door, made a beeline for the bathroom.<\/p>\n

But once it was inside, the creature soon realised there were not many options to hide and opted for under the toilet seat<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, Gavin Smith with ACT Snake Removals<\/a>, described the incidents as one of the \u201cmost unique and exceptional callouts\u201d he\u2019s ever had.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis was the first time [the family] have had a snake in their home, so they were feeling a mixture of surprise and consternation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut they cleverly isolated and contained the brown snake when it entered the bathroom, and that decisive action made my job much easier.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat said, I wasn’t expecting to find the snake actually on the toilet!\u201d<\/p>\n

How did the family contain the snake?<\/p>\n

Keen not to lose sight of the snake, the family placed damp towels around the bottom of the bathroom door.<\/p>\n

Then, they went outside and watched it desperately hunt for a hiding place through the window.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think they found the process simultaneously humorous, fascinating and frightening!\u201d Gavin told Yahoo.<\/p>\n

And they weren\u2019t the only ones.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the first time I have ever found a snake in this specific situation, although I have collected them from inside shoes and white goods before,\u201d the snake catcher said.<\/p>\n

\u201cOrdinarily, when our local snakes get inside properties, they often hide behind cupboards and under or inside things lying on the ground, so to discover one sheltering under a toilet seat is a rarity in my experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Left,<\/p>\n

After nine years in the job, Gavin said he’s never recovered a snake from a toilet before. Source: ACT Snake Removals<\/p>\n

Aussies around the country have also shared their shock online, as well as a few dad jokes.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t remember eating that last night… oops my bad,\u201d one man joked.<\/p>\n

“Definitely get your bowels moving lol,\u201d one woman said.<\/p>\n

Others said footage of the incident has prompted them to place a sensor light in their bathroom.<\/p>\n

Snake catchers respond to over 100 callouts in two months<\/p>\n

It’s been a busy few months for Gavin and his team, with some intermittent quiet days during the cooler weather locally.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe team has already worked with well over 100 snakes in and around the bush capital, with the vast majority being eastern brown snakes, which is the dangerously venomous species featured here.\u201d<\/p>\n

In January last year, a wave of photos of snakes hiding inside toilet bowls appeared online<\/a>. At the time, wildlife rescuer Tennille Bankes told Yahoo she believes the \u201cwild weather\u201d over the Christmas and New Year was one of the reasons behind the phenomenon.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe issue is the heat. <\/a>They\u2019re going wherever they can for the water,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@yahoonews.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

You can also follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Instagram<\/a>, TikTok<\/a>, Twitter<\/a> and YouTube<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>