Snakes 'Keep Getting Bigger' According to Expert After School Serpent Surprise

Upon removing a venomous red-bellied black snake from a local school in Queensland, Australia, a snake catcher remarked that it felt like, "The snakes keep getting bigger."

Local serpent control agency Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers' Stuart McKenzie remarked in an interview to Australia's 9 News that he's felt like most of the calls he's been sent on to remove and relocate snakes have been bigger than usual.

If you have ophidiophobia, which is a fear of snakes, don't fret though. McKenzie's observations are merely anecdotal. "The snakes aren't necessarily getting larger-I think I've just been lucky enough to see a few of the bigger ones," he told 9 News.

Although the snakes may not be literally getting bigger, it is worth noting that the likes of a red-bellied snake are venomous and caution should be exercised if you see one. "If you see a snake in your home or yard, please keep all kids, pets and adults away from the snake. Keep an eye on it from a safe distance and give your local snake catcher a call," he offered the advice if you see one.

"What a healthy individual. It certainly proved quite difficult to catch," a Facebook post from Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers read.

McKenzie also explained that it's currently breeding season for adult snakes, which is likely the reason why they've been showing up so frequently in unwanted places, like a carpet python in an elderly woman's trash can.

In the video shared to Facebook, McKenzie remarked that it was about three meters long and likely weighed about 10 kilograms. After lifting the trash can and seeing the snake, McKenzie exclaimed that it was much bigger than he thought. "That's double the size of what I was thinking," he said. "That's one of the biggest pythons I've seen in a long time."

After trying to get the snake in a bag that looks like its about the size of a pillow case, McKenzie says it's too big and takes it to a large net from his car. "It's not very often that as snake catchers we actually get genuinely surprised," he said before releasing the snake back into the wild "before he bites me in the face."

In the Facebook post, McKenzie wrote that the snake was taken back to its habit for two reasons: "to live a longer life and hopefully not scare anymore old ladies."

In another Facebook post, McKenzie revealed that that wasn't the only large carpet python he caught that day.

Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers did not respond to Newsweek's emailed request for comment in time for publication.