A hissing sound from the kitchen is usually a sign of a gas leak or a faulty faucet. But, for a woman in Sydney, Australia, the suspicious sound came from a perhaps more unsettling source.
When she saw the small, shiny black head "poking out" from underneath her fridge, the woman quickly called in snake catcher Cory Kerewaro, of Reptile Relocation Sydney, to remove the venomous visitor.
"[Snakes] like tight dark spaces as they associate that with safety and under a fridge, or at the back of a fridge where the motor is, is normally tight dark and warm so the snake feels safe," Kerewaro told Newsweek.
Kerewaro and the resident took out the fridge to find the red-bellied black snake curled up against the wall.
The snake likely came inside to avoid the high temperatures outdoors, Kerewaro said. "As the snakes can't regulate their temperature like us humans, they can overheat quite easily so when a snake is trying to move away from the heat and it's moving along a wall they push into any hole they can to try get into a cooler area. Unfortunately for snakes they can't tell the difference between a rock wall in the creek/bush to a brick wall of a house so sometimes they end up pushing inside to cool down."
Red-bellied black snakes are found along the east coast of Australia and are recognizable by their black shiny body and distinctive red underbelly, from which they derive their name. The species can grow to around 5 to 6.5 feet on average and is usually found in moist habitats, like swamps and streams, according to the Australian Museum.
The snake carries a potent venom that attacks the blood and muscles. Although rarely fatal, bites from this species can still inflict serious damage and should therefore be treated with immediate medical attention.
Luckily, this species tends to avoid aggressive encounters. "Red-bellied black snakes are normally a pretty chilled-out animal and tolerate people when they aren't too close," Kerewaro said. "If you do approach them, they can do a couple of things but the majority just take off as quick as possible. Some will flatten their neck out as a defensive display and move away slowly and some just try and hide under the nearest object. "
After capturing the snake, Kerewaro released it into a natural habitat, far away from people and properties.
If you find a snake in your home, Kerewaro said that the best thing to do is to keep an eye on it from a safe distance and call in a professional. "If it has gone into a room that you can safely close the door and wedge a towel into the gap under the door then [...] call a licensed snake catcher to remove the animal."
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Pandora Dewan is a Senior Science Reporter at Newsweek based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on science, health ... Read more
