Deadly Venomous Snake Found Hiding Inside Printer Paper Drawer
An extremely dangerous snake has been found hiding inside a printer by a terrified receptionist.
Snake rescuers from Australian Snake Catchers, based in Sydney, were called out to remove the snake safely. They then posted a video of the snake being removed to Facebook.
"This Snake decided to make this Printer into a 3D version," wrote Australian Snake Catchers in the caption of the video. "The Receptionist from a Windsor Dealership was about to refill the paper but when she pulled out the Drawer she Luckily saw this Eastern Brown Snake. We were dispatched to remove it so Business could continue. All is well that ends well. This could have been quite a Different and Dangerous outcome."
Eastern brown snakes, native to south and eastern Australia, are highly venomous, and are responsible for more fatalities in Australia than any other species. They have the second most toxic venom of all land snakes worldwide, according to data from the University of Melbourne's Australian Venom Research Unit. They are beaten only by the inland taipan native to central east Australia.
Between 2005 and 2015, eastern brown snakes were responsible for 41 percent of identified snakebites across Australia, and for 15 of the 19 snakebite deaths during this decade.
"He's pretty big," the snake catcher can be heard saying in the video. "Bigger than you think".
Eastern browns measure around 5 feet long on average, with the longest specimen recorded being over 6.5 feet. The snakes are also protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and cannot be killed or removed from the wild.
"This species is common throughout the eastern half of Australia and is particularly abundant in farmland and suburban areas where they can find their favorite prey: rats and mice. Because these snakes can thrive in suburban areas this also means that humans can come across them quite often," Alessandro Palci, a reptile researcher at Flinders University in Australia, previously told Newsweek.
They are a rather temperamental species, and will react defensively if they feel threatened.
Their fangs are relatively short compared to those of other venomous snakes, however, only measuring around 0.12 inches long, meaning that the fangs may be stopped by wearing a layer of clothing over areas within the snake's reach.
"However, if a bite does occur, medical attention needs to be sought immediately, because they have a very potent neurotoxic venom, which can quickly lead to paralysis and death," Palci said.
Their venom is a coagulant, causing blood to clot excessively, leading to high blood pressure, hemorrhage, and cardiac arrest, as well as kidney injury and seizures.
"Because of their small fangs, bites typically look like very small scratches and can thus be easily overlooked," Palci said. "If someone suspects that they have been bitten by an eastern brown snake they should immediately seek medical attention even if they are unsure. Antivenom for these snakes is available and can be administered in the hospital if necessary."
If bitten, victims are advised to apply a pressure bandage to the bite, and to get to a hospital as soon as possible. In order to aid with venom identification at the hospital, which enables healthcare professionals to administer the correct form of antivenom, the bite wound should not be cleaned or washed, Palci said.
Thankfully, the snake trapped inside the printer was successfully removed with some effort from the rescuers.
"I bet the poor receptionist will have a panic attack every time she has to open the paper tray from now on!," one user commented under the Facebook post sharing the video.
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