Man Catches Venomous Snake Lurking Behind Kitchen Cupboard in Video

Professional snake catchers in Australia have shared a video showing how they removed a venomous reptile from behind a kitchen cupboard at a surf club.

Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7, a company based in the northeastern state of Queensland, posted the video, featuring a red-bellied black snake on their Facebook page Monday.

Also known as red-bellies or common black snakes, these creatures grow to 6.5 feet in length on average. They are characterized by the black scales that cover most of the top half of their bodies, and their bright red lower halves that fade to a pinkish, orange color at the belly.

The client in the video can be heard explaining to the catcher that he had seen the snake periodically poking its head out from behind a kitchen cupboard.

In an attempt to find the snake, the crew member gets on his hands and knees and shines a torch around the back of the cupboard.

The video then cuts to him holding a crowbar as he gestures to the snake's nose pointing out from behind the fixture. At first, the catcher is not sure whether it is best to take the cupboard apart or wait for the snake to emerge by itself. The video then cuts to him sitting on a chair, suggesting he opted for the second idea, before he scraps that and decides to take away a piece of board.

This reveals the venomous snake curled up on the ground.

The snake catcher says: "So I've got real lucky here. I've just taken this kickboard off... I should be able to just grab him and bring him in." He then grabs hold of the snake and pulls it out from the kitchen fixture.

"Oh gosh!" someone can be heard saying in the background.

As the man explains his process, the snake wriggles in his hand. The bite of such snakes can cause a person to vomit and or have diarrhea, feel nauseous, get a headache, and suffer stomach pain, among other symptoms. The site of the bite may also become swollen and bleed.

The snake catcher says: "Wow, that was so lucky. I've taken that little bit of kickboard off and his tail was literally just sitting there, waiting for me to pick him up.

"That is a gorgeous red-bellied black snake. He's just come in here to get out of the heat. It's pretty warm out. You can see how chilled out he is. He's a pretty chilled out snake. That was so lucky."

On Australia's Sunshine Coast, temperatures in December can hit highs of 28 C, on average.

The video later shows the man releasing the snake back into the bush.

A spokesperson for Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7 told Newsweek: "It's not just red bellies that we are finding inside but a lot of snakes in general. Snakes are on the move in search of food but also to escape the heat."

The spokesperson said: "If someone finds a venomous snake inside they must keep their distance and keep all pets and kids away. Try and keep an eye on it or isolate it in a room and then call a snake catcher straight away."

This article has been updated with comment from a spokesperson for Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7.