When thinking about surprises on Christmas, people usually imagine good ones. That incredible gift you've been waiting for, a puppy, or a loved one returning home. However this family got an unexpected Christmas gift that did not leave them feeling warm and fuzzy. Instead, it left them calling for help.
Unexpected Christmas Gift Leaves Family Startled
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I have come to realize that when you live in Australia, you just need to make piece with creepy crawlers invading your home. The amount of articles I have written now about giant bugs and or reptiles entering the home is insane. Well, turns out that these slithering serpents don't even take off for the holidays.
Imagine this, you are cleaning up after a fun-filled Christmas when you see an unexpected Christmas gift under your child's toy. That is exactly what happened to these two parents. They noticed a venomous tiger snake hiding under their child's baby bouncer. Luckily, they did the right thing and they called for help.
Mark Pelley, also known as The Snake Hunter, came to the rescue. He even posted a video of the capture on Facebook. As he moves towards the bouncer he calmly narrates the scene. "It's Christmas night, and all is quiet in this house — except for a tiger snake, which was sitting underneath a child's bouncer!"
Then, he goes on to relay a terrifying fact. He shares that this particular tiger snake is the "Fifth most venomous snake in the world." Definitely not the gift I want under my Christmas tree. Luckily, he was able to remove the snake with no issues or injuries to himself or the reptile.
Tiger Snakes A Hidden Threat
Perhaps more terrifying than finding an unexpected Christmas gift of a snake in your home, is realizing how often it happens. Pelley admitted that "The snake could have been there for a lot longer, it could have been crawling around the baby's toys, but they just didn't notice it." I don't know about you, but the thought of a venomous snake crawling around my home, unbeknownst to me is absolutely terrifying.
This family is not unique in its situation. Just last week another snake catcher was called to remove a different tiger snake from a family's home. While these snakes are venomous and dangerous to humans, they are surprisingly not responsible for the majority of bites. PEOPLE Magazine shares that the eastern brown snake now holds that title.
Regardless of the type, a slithering serpent is definitely not something I want to find under my Christmas tree this year or any other.
