A little gardening work landed one mother in the hospital. She learned to her horror that a deadly snake bit her not once but three times in the ankle.
The incident happened in Australia, so you know how bad things could have ended. The continent is known for its highly venomous and deadly snakes. Even a trip to your own backyard can land you face to face with one of these scary reptiles. Such was the case for the Australian mom, who was just trying to enjoy the outdoors.
Deadly Snake
A highly venomous tiger snake ended up biting her limb. 48-year-old Tracey Alexander said she was in the garden at her house in Duncraig, Perth. That's when she felt something sting her on the leg. At first, she thought it was a tree branch. The Australian mom immediately went inside. Upon closer examination, she realized a snake had bitten her three times on her ankle.
"I just looked down to have a little look and I noticed that there were three bite marks," she told 7News.
Tiger snakes have a highly toxic venom that's full of neurotoxins and coagulants. Four people have died from the reptile. In fact, tiger snakes account for 17 percent of all snake bites on the continent and is the fifth most venomous on the planet. Snake wrangler Gianni Hodgson from Hodgson Snakes in Victoria previously told Yahoo News Australia, "The best thing you can do if you come across any snake is to keep your eyes on it and walk backward until you are a safe distance away."
That's if you see the snake. In Alexander's case, she did not. "They're really defensive, and aren't reluctant to bite and will defend themselves quite readily," Jack Gatto, the owner of Bellarine and Surfcoast Snake Catching added.
Alexander's niece quickly bandaged up her leg while her daughter called for emergency service. Paramedics rushed her to the hospital where she stayed overnight. Symptoms of the bite include swelling, bleeding, headache, pain, nausea, and difficulty breathing.
"It's a bit scary. I keep seeing that snake head in my head," Alexander said. "I don't think that's going away in a hurry."
