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Snakes are waking up. What should you do if you’re bitten? And what if you’re a long way from help?

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hamish-bradley-2217649">Hamish Bradley</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alice-richardson-252002">Alice Richardson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/breeanna-spring-1545193">Breeanna Spring</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a></em></p> <p>From the creeks that wind through inner city Melbourne to the far outback in Western Australia, snake season is beginning.</p> <p>Over the cooler months snakes have been in state of <a href="https://youtu.be/FjXOzNjZjoU?si=Mc0eeayVk4VU9906">brumation</a>. This is very similar to hibernation and characterised by sluggishness and inactivity. As warmer conditions return both snakes and humans become more active in the outdoors, leading to an increased likelihood of interaction. This may happen when people are hiking, dog-walking or gardening.</p> <p>The risk of being bitten by a snake is exceptionally small, but knowing basic first aid could potentially save your, or another person’s, life.</p> <h2>When a snake bites</h2> <p>Snake bite envenomation (when venom enters the blood stream) is a significant issue in Australia, with <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.5694/mja17.00094">3,000 cases annually and an average of two deaths</a>.</p> <p>Snake bite should always be <a href="https://stjohnwa.com.au/online-resources/first-aid-information-and-resources/snake-bite">treated</a> as a life-threatening emergency, and if you are bitten in rural or remote Australia, you will often receive an air medical emergency pick up to a regional or metropolitan hospital for advanced care.</p> <p>The effects of snake bites vary, depending on the species of snake and first aid measures undertaken.</p> <p>Australian <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/snake-bites">standard first aid guidelines</a> include:</p> <ul> <li>calling for help (dialing 000 or activating an emergency beacon)</li> <li>applying a pressure immobilisation bandage</li> <li>resting.</li> </ul> <h2>Why pressure is important</h2> <p>Snake venom is carried within the <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-are-lymph-nodes-and-can-a-massage-really-improve-lymphatic-drainage-209334">lymphatic system</a>. This is a collection of tiny tubes throughout the body that return fluid outside of blood vessels back to the blood stream.</p> <p>Muscles act as a “<a href="https://theconversation.com/pneumatic-compression-therapy-can-it-really-help-olympians-or-you-recover-after-exercise-236228">pump</a>” to help the fluid move through this system. That’s why being still, or immobilisation, is vital to slow the spread of venom.</p> <p>A firm pressure immobilisation bandage, applied as tight as you would for a sprained ankle, will compress these tubes and help limit the venom’s spread.</p> <p>Ideally bandage the entire limb on which the bite occurred and apply a splint to help further with immobilisation. It is very important that the blood supply to the limb is not limited by this bandage.</p> <p>Never attempt to capture or kill the snake for identification. This risks further bites and is not required for specialist care. The decision about when to give antivenom (if any) is based on the geographical location, symptoms, the results of blood tests and discussion with a toxicologist.</p> <h2>The tyranny of distance</h2> <p>People living in rural and remote locations may also have limited access to health care, including access to ambulance services, <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10871209.2020.1769778">snake bite first aid</a> such as bandages and splints, and to antivenom.</p> <p>Availability and the prompt use of antivenom have been identified as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590171022000558">crucial factors in the effective treatment</a> of snake envenomation – but not studied in detail.</p> <p>Over one year (as a component of a larger three-year study) we collected information on the pre-hospital care and in-flight care with the Royal Flying Doctors Service Western Operations.</p> <p>During this time, 85 people from regional, rural, remote and very remote Western Australia were flown by Royal Flying Doctor Service to hospital for suspected or confirmed snake bites. Reassuringly, only five of these patients (6%) ultimately received a toxicologist’s diagnosis of envenomation.</p> <h2>To move or not to move?</h2> <p>Troublingly, 38 (45%) of the 85 snake bite victims continued to move around and be active following their suspected snake bite. This raises questions about whether people lack knowledge of first-aid guidelines, or whether this is a consequence of being isolated, with limited access to health care.</p> <p>Either way, our as-yet-unpublished research highlights the vulnerability of Australia’s rural and remote people. All patients eventually received a pressure immobilisation bandage, with an average time from bite to application of 38 minutes. Three quarters of the patients made their way to health-care site by foot, or private car, arriving on average 65 minutes after the bite.</p> <h2>What needs to change?</h2> <p>Our results indicate rural and remote Australians need innovative health-care solutions beyond the metropolitan guidelines, particularly when outside ambulance service areas.</p> <p>Basic snake bite first aid education needs to be not only reiterated but also a pragmatic approach is required in these geographically isolated locations. This would involve being vigilant, staying safe and, when isolated, always carrying emergency technology to call for help.</p> <hr /> <p><em>The authors wish to acknowledge the efforts required through this research project as it continues, including by Fergus Gardiner, Kieran Hennelly, Rochelle Menzies, James Anderson, Alex McMillan and John Fisher. Hamish Bradley is an Aeromedical Retrieval Specialist and Principal Investigator in this project.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/234365/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/hamish-bradley-2217649">Hamish Bradley</a>, Adjunct Lecturer, Anaesthetist and Aeromedical Retrieval Specialist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-western-australia-1067">The University of Western Australia</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/alice-richardson-252002">Alice Richardson</a>, Associate professor and lead of Statistical Support Network, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/australian-national-university-877">Australian National University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/breeanna-spring-1545193">Breeanna Spring</a>, PhD student, Molly Wardaguga Institute for First Nations Birth Rights, Faculty of Health, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/charles-darwin-university-1066">Charles Darwin University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/snakes-are-waking-up-what-should-you-do-if-youre-bitten-and-what-if-youre-a-long-way-from-help-234365">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

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New details on man killed by snake at childcare centre

<p>A childcare centre in Queensland, where father-of-three suffered a <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/dad-dies-after-being-bitten-by-deadly-snake-in-child-care-centre" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fatal snake bite</a>, is under investigation by workplace safety officials. </p> <p>Jerromy Brookes, 47, was bitten multiple times on his arm while attempting to remove a snake from the premises on Tuesday afternoon. He was not a qualified snake catcher, and tragically passed away in Townsville Hospital after going into cardiac arrest at his home in Deeragun. </p> <p>“Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) is investigating an incident that occurred at a business in Townsville,” a spokesperson told 7News. </p> <p>“As this is a current investigation, WHSQ is not able to provide further information at this time.”</p> <p>WHSQ has the power to prosecute allegations of workplace safety breaches. </p> <p>Brooke is survived by his wife and three children. </p> <p>His wife was the person who called emergency services and provided first aid when Brookes began showing symptoms at home. </p> <p>A family friend has paid tribute to the fallen father saying: “Jerromy was helping remove a snake from another childcare centre in Townsville when the incident occurred." </p> <p>“He was doing his very best to keep the children safe.”</p> <p>It was believed that Brookes was trying to remove an eastern brown snake, one of the deadliest in the world, however the species has not been officially confirmed. </p> <p>Police are reportedly not investigating the incident as a criminal matter, but are working to provide a report for the coroner. </p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

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Dad dies after being bitten by deadly snake in child care centre

<p>A beloved father has passed away after reportedly trying to remove an eastern brown snake from a child care centre in North Queensland. </p> <p>Jeremy Brookes attended the child care centre on Tuesday afternoon after one of his relatives reportedly called him over to remove the snake, according to <em>The Courier Mail</em>. </p> <p>Brookes was not a qualified snake handler and was bitten multiple times on his hand and arm.</p> <p>According to Queensland Ambulance Service acting district director Paula Marten, Brookes then managed to drive to his Deeragun home but he soon went into cardiac arrest.</p> <p>HIs wife performed CPR until paramedics arrived and he was rushed to hospital, but unfortunately could not be saved. </p> <p>“(He) was found to be in cardiac arrest by our crews,” Marten said. </p> <p>“The call was made by the patient’s wife, who then commenced CPR as the patient went into cardiac arrest.</p> <p>“The information provided to us was that the gentleman had been bitten in a different location and attended back to his residence, where his wife has immobilised his arm and wrapped it, when the onset of the symptoms occurred.”</p> <p>She added that snake bites were common in North Queensland and they were rarely fatal, but advised that if "you’re not aware of snakes, treat them as if they are venomous."</p> <p>“It’s really important that you stay calm and keep the person calm.</p> <p>“Apply basic first aid, which would be immobilisation and using compression bandages, and contact triple-0.</p> <p>“If you are unsure about what first aid measures to take, call triple-0, and they will walk you through what you need to do for the patient.”</p> <p>Eastern Brown Snakes are one of the most deadly snakes in the world, with the second most toxic venom. </p> <p>They can be found across the east of Australia including the Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Victoria, NSW and the ACT.</p> <p>Brookes is believed to be the first person to have died from a snake bite in Australia this year. </p> <p>Last year, two people died from suspected eastern brown snake bites in Australia. </p> <p><em>Images: Facebook/ news.com.au</em></p>

Caring

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“What a legend”: Brave Aussie pensioner saves puppy from a snake

<p dir="ltr">An Aussie pensioner has gone the extra mile to save her terrified puppy from a carpet snake. </p> <p dir="ltr">Anne Murphy, a woman from NSW’s Lennox Head, captured the moment her 80-year-old mother went toe-to-toe with the slippery intruder who was terrorising her dog and shared the interaction on a Facebook page called Australian Country Memes. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to Anne, her mother bolted out the door one Monday evening when she heard her dog “screaming”, when she was confronted with the carpet snake. </p> <p dir="ltr">The non-venomous snake had wrapped around the small dog and bitten it on the chin, when the 80-year-old intervened. </p> <p dir="ltr">The woman was “bitten three times” by the snake, before she “caught the snake so it could be taken out to the bush and hopefully not make its way back to her place”. </p> <p dir="ltr">She then took her puppy to the vet, and got home three hours after the incident first happened.</p> <p dir="ltr">The post has since received over 2,000 likes and hundreds comments, hailing the 80-year-old as a “legend“, “gutsy” and a “wonderful woman.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“She is a true blue here. My hat is off to you, amazing lady,” one person wrote. </p> <p dir="ltr">Another added, “Way to go! That’s just what country people do. God love her, they don’t make them like that anymore.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Rare photos of Michael Hutchence’s daughter emerge

<p>New photos of Tiger Lily, who is the only daughter of late INXS singer Michael Hutchence and late UK television star Paula Yates, have emerged.</p> <p>The ultra-private Australian star, 27, has been quietly dating British model Ben Archer, who posted a few rare candids of Tiger Lily on her birthday. </p> <p>The post which was shared in July and went unnoticed at the time was captioned: “Happy birthday to the rock dog.”</p> <p>"I love you!” she replied in the comments. </p> <p>In one photo the couple can be seen wearing sheet masks while looking out a window, and in another Tiger Lily was pictured pulling a funny pose in a tin man costume.</p> <p>“Best tin man in town,” Archer added.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CvAMMFStNby/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CvAMMFStNby/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Ben Archer (@benarcher_)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Prior to her current relationship, Tiger Lily dated musician Nick Allbrook for six years before revealing that the couple had split last April. </p> <p>Despite her parents' fame, Tiger Lily has mostly stayed out of the spotlight, and it is not known where she is currently based as her Instagram account is private. </p> <p>She dabbled in the entertainment industry last February, with the quiet release of her first digital album <em>Tragic Tiger’s Sad Meltdown, </em>a play on a past headline written about her. </p> <p>After her mother's death in 2000, and the death of her father three years prior, Tiger Lily was raised by her mother’s ex-husband Bob Geldof, now 72, in London.</p> <p>When she was dating Allbrook, a former guitarist for the hit Aussie band Tame Impala, Tiger Lily was living in Fremantle, Perth.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

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Shocking moment Glenn McGrath grabs three snakes with bare hands

<p>Aussie Cricket legend Glenn McGrath has turned into a part time snake wrangler after having to remove three snakes from his rural Queensland property with his bare hands.</p> <p>McGrath found the carpet pythons slithering inside his home on Wednesday, and decided to share the footage of him removing the unwelcome guests in different locations in his house. </p> <p>One python was inside his pantry, another was in the living room and third was making its way across the hall.</p> <p>"After plenty of encouragement and support from my wife, all three Coastal Carpet Pythons that were in the house were safely released back into the bush," he captioned the video. </p> <p>In the video, his wife Sara screamed in absolute horror as he removed one of the snakes by grabbing its tail, carefully wrapping it around a mop, and taking it outside.</p> <p>"You're going to get bitten," she screamed. </p> <p>McGrath calmly reassured her that he had it all under control. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cw3aLO5yCV1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Cw3aLO5yCV1/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Glenn McGrath (@glennmcgrath11)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Fortunately, the carpet pythons are a non-venomous breed, so there was no real threat to McGrath. </p> <p>However, many fans of the cricketer still applauded his bravery in the comments. </p> <p>"Haha good technique mate. Steve Irwin couldn't have done it any better," wrote one fan. </p> <p>"This is better than his 50 he scored against New Zealand," quipped another. </p> <p>"Keeping a good line and length between self and snake! Good work!" wrote a third. </p> <p>"This 🐍 knows he’s being handled by a CHAMP.. " commented a fourth. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Snake catcher’s “hilarious” find in homeowner's toilet

<p>Adelaide man Rolly is no stranger to catching and safely relocating venomous snakes, but a recent job had him in stitches.</p> <p>He has been a snake catcher for over five decades and revealed to <em>Yahoo News Australia </em>that it’s not often the reptiles that shock him the most, rather it's his insight into other people’s lives.</p> <p>"I've seen everything," he said. "From whips and chains in the cellar to dope crops in a shed.”</p> <p>The most recent and “hilarious” insight came from a phone call he received from a panicked resident who asked him to retrieve a snake from her toilet. After receiving an image of the “reptile”, Rolly called the resident back immediately.</p> <p>"Look it's not a snake, it's some type of tapeworm... and it's probably come out of your bum," he recalled himself telling her. "I think you need to go to a chemist.”</p> <p>Rolly uploaded the image of the creature and shared the conversation with followers.</p> <p>“As snake catchers we do quite often get unusual phone calls and findings - so this one we just add to the list…,” he began his caption.</p> <p>“phone call “I’ve got a snake in my toilet”. Snake Catcher “Ok can you send me through a photo and I’ll call you back”.”</p> <p>“Caller “Sure I’ll do that now”.”</p> <p>“Snake Catcher “Ah I think you need to go to the chemist and ask for some Conbantrin - it’s not a snake”.”</p> <p>“Caller “Con wha”.”</p> <p>The post, which attracted more than 3,000 reactions on the social media site was instantly flooded with comments.</p> <p>“I'd rather see a snake in my loo then that lol,” one wrote.</p> <p>“At least the toilet is clean !” another joked.</p> <p>A person with seemingly first-hand experience chimed in and said, “I went on a call out years ago and had the same thing. I didn't know what to say to them.”</p> <p>The situation did not deter Rolly from his job and he seemed in good spirits.</p> <p>"I was going to ask her if she wanted to go fishing and she could have stood next to me and supplied the worms," he joked.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Facebook</em></p>

Family & Pets

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How to snake-proof your house and garden

<p>If there’s one thing that strikes fear into many Australians, it’s snakes. Sure, some of them are harmless but they are still the last thing you want to see in your home or garden. There are some ways to make your home less inviting to these reptiles.</p> <p><strong>1. Block their entrance</strong></p> <p>Snakes like to hide in quiet places such as your roof, garage or underneath the house. Try to make it harder for them to get in by covering any holes leading in or out, and ensuring that screens and doors are kept shut.</p> <p><strong>2. Keep your garden tidy</strong></p> <p>Snakes like to hide, so keep things neat in the backyard to stop them finding a place to do so. Keep your lawns mowed, and garden beds weeded. Keep your shed locked, and be sure to have a clear out regularly to remove any old boxes. If you have wood stored outside try to have minimal space between each piece so that they can’t use it as shelter. Avoid keeping grass clippings and mulch in a pile as snacks find the warmth appealing.</p> <p><strong>3. Seal holes in walls</strong></p> <p>Snakes love rock and brick walls as they can use them to keep warm, provide shelter, and find food. Block up any holes that they could hide in by filling them in.</p> <p><strong>4. Reduce the rodent population</strong></p> <p>Snakes like houses that have mice and rats, so try reducing their numbers. Place bait in your house and garden (ensure it is pet-friendly) and this should reduce the chances of snakes hanging around.</p> <p><strong>5. Keep birds safe</strong></p> <p>Ensure any chook pens or bird cages are well protected from snakes entering them. Also be sure to keep them clean so that rats and mice aren’t entering the pens either.</p> <p><strong>6. Keep your bins tidy</strong></p> <p>When you dispose of food scraps, always ensure they are in a sealed garbage bag in your bin, rather than just loose. This will keep rats and mice away, and therefore snakes too.</p> <p><strong>7. Watch your plant choice</strong></p> <p>Think about the types of plants in your garden if snakes are an issue. Low shrubs and bushes are the ideal spot for a snake. Taller trees and flowers could be a better option. Also be sure to keep leaf litter to a minimum as it’s the perfect hiding spot for snakes.</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

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"Don't die!": Chezzi Denyer takes on snake while Grant hides inside

<p>Grant Denyer has shared a video to instagram of his incredibly brave wife – Chezzi – defending the family home (and her own pet dog) from an advancing brown snake that had been lurking in the garden.</p> <p>As the slithering brown snake made its way towards the house, Grant remained<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;"> sheltered inside along with their daughters Sunday, Scout and Sailor, while Chezzi stood firm and attempted to shoo the invader away with a pair of barbecue tongs and a broom.</span></p> <p>After posting the video of the scary encounter, Grant wrote “Go Chez!" before going on to reveal why it was Chezzi who was taking on the snake rather than himself:</p> <p>“When Mr Brown comes to visit, trust the chick who had snakes as a kid to take care of it.</p> <p>“Mumma bear protecting the dog and family while TV Dad filmed it all from safely behind double glazed glass.</p> <p>“Didn’t think I ever saw Steve Irwin use BBQ tongs tho. Was she scaring it away or cooking it?”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnJd0Ctjf8Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CnJd0Ctjf8Z/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Grant Denyer (@grantdenyer)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Grant can also be heard shouting in the video, “You see it, Chez? It’s coming for the stairs.”</p> <p>As the snake gets closer to the back stairs, Grant yells again: “CHEZ?”, sounding truly worried.</p> <p>The camera then pans to Chezzi trying to shoo the snake away.</p> <p>“That’s the washerwoman Chez,” Grant can be heard saying in the background.</p> <p>One of the girls then shouts out, “I love you Mum!” and Grant adds, “Don’t die!”</p> <p>“Aw, this is really scary,” Sailor can be heard saying.</p> <p>“Mummy’s very brave.”</p> <p>After the encounter was over and the video had been posted, Chezzi herself took to the comments section, writing: “Just a Mum trying to cook dinner on time when the kids spot a big snake coming for the dog.”</p> <p>“Safely relocated the big brown to the bottom side of the paddock away from the kids ... and finished dinner on time.”</p> <p>Adding eye-roll emojis, she said: “And the eye rolls were for Grant and his helpful commentary from inside.”</p> <p>Of course Grant and Chezzi's Instagram followers did not remain neutral when it came to assessing who was the hero in the incident. </p> <p>The Morning Show co-host Larry Emdur even chimed in, joking: <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">“Bro, firstly I love it how you scream for Chezzi (what a brave husband and protective father you are ). </span>secondly grab a snake survival kit from my mates at @survivalfirstaid immediately.<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">"</span></p> <p>“Mum is so brave…I love you mum!” added TV personality Lisa Wilkinson, while podcaster Abbie Chatfield simply wrote: “Hell yeah!”</p> <p>“Chezzi Denyer you are a legend,” one fan wrote.</p> <p>“The girls’ commentary is the best!” noted another.</p> <p>“Not all heroes wear capes, some hold barbecue tongs,” observed a third.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Family & Pets

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"Just another day in Oz": Man bitten by snake while working from home

<p>An Aussie man was on the sharp-toothed end of a frightening surprise after a highly venomous snake slithered its way right under his chair.</p> <p>Footage has emerged showing the gentleman working outside enjoying a drink, all the while a snake emerges from the grassy patch behind him and slowly inches closer to his chair.</p> <p>The man is deep in concentration while the stealthy critter makes its way over to him.</p> <p>The snake pauses for a brief moment under his chair before it suddenly springs up and attempts to strike the unsuspecting man's foot.</p> <p>Startled, the man quickly pulls his legs up and springs his chair backwards to safety. The snake then rapidly moves offscreen as the man catches his breath.</p> <p>Posted on Reddit under the username, Riawarra, the man confirms that he was sitting for roughly 45 minutes before the reptile surprised him.</p> <p>Commenters speculated about its species, many believing it to be a red belly black snake.</p> <p>However, Riawarra confirmed it to be a tiger snake, having had a previous encounter with it inside the home two weeks ago.</p> <p>'This one must have a nest in the front garden and heard me,' he said.</p> <p>The video captioned 'just a normal day in Oz', had reddit users quick to comment on his frightened reaction.</p> <p>'Being Oz, I half expected the guy to casually pick up the snake and throw it back into the bush. Venomous or not,' one user wrote.</p> <p>Users were quick to dub the man 'Santa Claus' because of his long grey hair and beard.</p> <p>'That would have been the last straw for me this year... floods, Covid lockdowns, and then knowing the millions of sad kids this Christmas who won't be visited by Santa,' another user commented.</p> <p>Tiger snakes are responsible for the second-highest number of bites in Australia, as they inhabit areas along the east coast, including some highly populated metropolitan areas.</p> <p>They are one of the most venomous snakes in the world, they are responsible for 31 recorded deaths since 1893 - the most recent in 2020, a 78-year old man who was bitten five times on his farm in Tasmania.</p> <p><em>Image: Reddit</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Extremely valuable snake found hiding in city bin

<p>An abandoned pet snake has been spotted on bustling Oxford Street in the Sydney CBD, with authorities saying the precious reptile is worth around $1000.</p><p>The very out-of-place diamond head python was discovered hiding in a bin outside a Paddington barber's shop, after which a helpful bystander coaxed the snake into a leather bag for safe-keeping.</p><p>The native Australian reptile's rare appearance has sparked concern among authorities and wildlife carers, with the incident now set to be investigated by police.</p><p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/snake-on-bin.jpg" alt="" width="471" height="261" /></p><p>The snake was taken to a vet to be treated for minor injuries, which are believed to have been inflicted by its previous owner.</p><p>Once given the all-clear, the python will be given the chance to find a new owner and fresh start.</p><p>According to Australia Zoo, diamond pythons are closely related to the commonly recognised carpet python.</p><p>They are often black in colour with cream or yellow, diamond-shaped blotches covering the entire length of their body. Being a python, they are non-venomous. They constrict their prey in order to kill it and then consume it whole.</p><p><em>Image: Nine News</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Voicemail and a car crash: How Tiger Woods’ cheating scandal emerged

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite becoming the first athlete to make $USD 1 billion in 2009, it was also the year that saw Tiger Woods’ life crumble around him as </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://honey.nine.com.au/latest/tiger-woods-cheating-scandal-details-elin-nordegren-what-happened-explainer/b93a94da-8d22-4398-a9d3-2c4d58a26c11" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">it was revealed</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> he had been cheating on his wife Elin Nordegren with multiple women.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In November of that year, tabloids reported on Woods’ affair with nightclub manager Rachel Uchitel. Several days later, he crashed his car outside his Florida mansion at 2am, with rumours emerging that he had tried to flee after being confronted by Nordegren.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Following the news of his crash, reports of his infidelity continued to surface from a number of women.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Some outlets also reported that Nordegren made the discovery while looking at Woods’ phone.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A voicemail allegedly left by Woods for one of the women he was seeing was later published by </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">US Weekly</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Hey, it’s Tiger,” a man said in the message. “I need you to do me a huge favour. Can you please take your name off your phone? My wife went through my phone and may be calling you.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Woods initially denied the claims, he later admitted they were true and apologised.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Over the next few months, women continued to come forward with claims of sleeping with Woods during his eight-year relationship with Nordegren.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He would go on to speak about the situation and share new details at a press conference several months later.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I was unfaithful, I had affairs and I cheated. What I did was unacceptable,” he said at the time.</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I hurt my wife, my kids, my mother, my wife’s family, my friends, my foundation and kids all around the world who admired me.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A year later, Woods and Nordegren announced they would be getting a divorce.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Daily Beast</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">, the couple had a prenuptial agreement that would see Nordegren receive $20 million after 10 years of marriage.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Woods allegedly tried to negotiate their existing prenup to get Nordegren to stay – allegedly including an immediate $5 million payment and an added $55 million to the original value - the divorce was finalised. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to TMZ, she received $USD 100 million ($AUD 129 million or $NZD 106 million).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite their marriage ending, Woods and Nordegren have maintained a good relationship.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The former couple share two children: Sam Alexis, 14, and Charlie Axel, 12.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We communicate so much better now, it’s incredible,” Woods told </span><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">US Weekly</span></em><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in 2019. “I wish we would have done that earlier on, but it’s been incredible to have a best friend like that.”</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

Relationships

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Family finds 1.3m snake wrapped around mirror

<p><em>Image: Brisbane North Snake Catcher/Facebook</em></p> <p>Checking your rear-view mirrors is essential before driving off. However, one Queensland family has discovered another big reason to perform this important safety check.</p> <p>The family had been off enjoying a picnic north of Brisbane on Sunday. Upon returning to the car – much to their shock – have discovered a large snake wrapped around the rear view mirror.</p> <p>According to Brisbane North Snake Catcher director Josh Castle, this was an unusual place to find a snake. “I’ve never seen it,” he told 7News.</p> <p>“I have pulled them out of car bonnets and stuff like that, which is more to be expected because they can into a bonnet from underneath.</p> <p>“The fact it was actually in the car and soaking in the sun through the window on the mirror is quite weird.”</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7845991/new-project-8.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/44e7a1c59704460f8dd92137545a5f90" /></p> <p>The snake has been identified as a coastal carpet python approximately 1.3.m.</p> <p>“We’ve pretty much found them everywhere now. That pretty much tickets every box on where we’ve found them,” he said.</p> <p>Naturally, the internet absolutely lost its collective mind when photos of the car invader emerged.</p> <p>“Sell the damn car, it belongs to the snake now,” wrote another.</p>

Travel Trouble

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Tiger Woods' secret Kiwi home hits the market

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">An estate on the Kāpiti Coast, to the north of Wellington, which has been home to diplomats, Danish heavy metal icons, and famed golfer Tiger Woods has entered the market in a rare sale.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 40s-styled manor is surrounded by manicured gardens and native bushland and features an extensively remodeled interior that is just as luxurious.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But, it’s guest-list has been kept tightly under wraps by its current owners Ralph Green, his wife Letizia Columbano, and their son Lorenzo Green.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We don’t kiss and tell about our guests,” Green </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/homed/houses/127024230/inside-tiger-woods-secret-kiwi-hideaway-beloved-of-nottobenamed-rock-stars-and-foreign-dignitaries" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Tiger Woods was rather hard to hide. He was meant to be a secret, but it got out because he’s like that. Other guests… I’m struggling to remember on purpose.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Woods stayed at the 1.89-hectare Greenmantle estate in 2002 while competing in the New Zealand Open.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Before Green took over the property in 2012, the then-owner was the former head of New Zealand’s Criminal Investigation Bureau.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“This was just after September 11, and there was a lot of scuttlebutt around that they were going to target an American ison, and that New Zealand was seen as a soft target area,” Green explained.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“So there was something like 13 police patrolling around this place, the security was unusually high.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">More recently, Green said the Greenmantle estate had been approved to host heads of state by the diplomatic protection squad.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We have quite high clearance,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Without revealing too many details, he said the most “surprising” celebrities he’s hosted had included “well-known” rock stars, with the lead singer of a Danish metal band with a quite profane name topping the list.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">But the chance to host A-list guests wasn’t the reason why Green and his family took over the property.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After seeing the “beautiful pink house sitting proudly up a lovely drive” while growing up in the area, Green and Columbano jumped at the chance to tour the property when it hit the market years later.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We went in there and fell in love,” Green said, referring to the tour he and his wife took of the gardens and the nikau forest behind the house.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“To have a virgin nikau forest in your backyard, it was just too much. We surprised the real estate agent by saying, ‘yes, we’ll take it’. He was a little shocked.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">After the previous owner had run the home as a boutique hotel, Green and Columbano converted it into “a luxury lodge”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Having a home and income combined quite usefully. THat’s how we ended up here, because of the gardens, the birdlife, looking at Kāpiti [Island], and having something that’s quite distinctive,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The house boasts six bedrooms - each with balconies and stunning views - as well as seven bathrooms, two separate guest cottages, a heated outdoor pool, and a permanent marquee house nearby.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Within the nikau forest, walking trails lead to a secluded spa.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s like going to Indonesia but without the heat or the insects,” Green said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“There is an area we call the nikau amphitheatre that people seem to want to get married in. It’s so nice to sit under all these nikau and listen to the sound of the owls at night.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having just become grandparents, Green and Columbano are saying a reluctant farewell to the property and moving to be with their daughter in Venice.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s a question of priorities, we’ve become grandparents for the first time, and we want to be grandparents,” Green said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Having last sold for $2.05 million in 2012, propertyvalue.co.nz values the property between $3.25 and $3.5 million now.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The property, which is expected to sell for an even higher price, is on sale for tender by </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nzsothebysrealty.com/purchasing/property/wtn10334/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sotheby’s International Realty</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> and closes on Thursday, December 9.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Getty Images, Sotheby's International Realty</span></em></p>

Real Estate

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Tiger King star found dead at 53

<p>Erik Cowie, star of Tiger King has died aged 53.</p> <p>The zookeeper’s body was found “face down in a bedroom of a residence” in New York on Friday. Sources say there is nothing suspicious about the death at this point and no drugs were found on the scene, though a toxicology test will likely still be performed” according to TMZ reports.</p> <p>Erik appeared on the Netflix reality series as one of Joe Exotic’s eccentric animal caretakers. After Joe was imprisoned, Cowie stayed and took care of the big at the GW zoo.</p> <p>He later went on to testify against former boss Joe Exotic who is currently serving a 22-year prison sentence after allegedly trying to hire two hitmen to kill business rival, Carole Baskin.</p> <p>Erik Cowie’s death comes four months after he was arrested driving under the influence following a car accident in the US. Allegedly the Netflix star had been drink-driving when he crashed into another vehicle.</p> <p>In 2020 Carole Baskin’s Big Cat Rescue was awarded complete control over GW Zoo as part of the settlement in her long-standing lawsuit against Exotic. Carole went on to sell the Oklahoma property with one of the provisions being the land cannot be used as a zoo for 100 years.</p> <p>In a statement released from prison, Exotic suggested Erik Cowie succumbed to a drug and alcohol addiction. “I did everything I could to help him and save him from himself and he turned on me for fame. And Money” he wrote.</p> <p>“RIP Erik. I will be making a donation in his name to a drug and alcohol treatment centre”.</p>

News

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Sneaky snake stumps social media

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A photo shared by a snake catcher has left dozens scratching their heads while attempting to spot the hidden reptile.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The image, shared by Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7, asked followers if they could see where the snake was in the photo.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though many people commented on the “fairly easy” post with their guesses, with the apparently normal-looking hedge making some followers question their eyesight.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.53846153846155px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843356/bef582329eea8dc282fa83f634b91c739e44667e.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/6734aa1f44754460b304507088e54da9" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Facebook</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“If this is easy I have no chance with a hard one,” one person commented.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I would die in Australia because I would never see snakes,” a second added.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The snake catchers later revealed the answer, sharing how the snake was in the corner of the bush.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.53846153846155px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7843355/6eafa83184257125b349b84513c8a407e9319e78.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/fdec6f5e04c74c5bb321f33548a225c6" /></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Facebook</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The team had rescued the reptile after residents saw the Coastal Carpet Python near their house.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though Coastal Carpet Pythons aren’t venomous, they can still cause considerable damage to people.</span></p>

Family & Pets

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Woolworths shopper finds python snake in the spice section

<p>A woman shopping at Woolworths in Glenorie says she was looking in the spice aisle and her face was suddenly 20cm away from a three-metre-long python.</p> <p>Speaking to 7NEWS.com.au, the shopper – Helaina Alati - said: “I was browsing and turned to my left and he had come out and his face was about 20cm from mine, just looking at me.”</p> <p>“It was almost like he was asking me to take him outside!</p> <p>“I just happened to be the one that found it.</p> <p>“He must have been there for at least a few hours. He was sort of hidden behind the spices and I didn’t see him at first.</p> <p>As luck would have it, Alati is a former volunteer snake catcher, so she offered to rescue the slithery fellow.</p> <p>“It was super mellow, not aggressive at all. I’m guessing he came down from the ceiling. He was about 10ft (3 metres) long!” she said.</p> <p>“I’m glad I’m the one that found him, most people would have freaked out!” she added.</p> <p>“I told the staff I used to be a volunteer snake catcher so I grabbed my snake bag and relocated him into the bush.”</p> <p>Most shoppers at Woolworths would’ve have been so calm to find a three-metre python in the spice aisle of their local supermarket, but Alati said there was nothing to worry about.</p> <p>“He was so relaxed and non-aggressive,” she said.</p> <p>“Don’t want to demonise these beautiful animals anymore!”</p> <p>Alati bundled the python into a material bag and released the snake safely to the surrounding bushland shortly after.</p> <p>A spokesperson for Woolworths told 7NEWS.com.au the matter was dealt with calmly and safely.</p> <p>“A slippery and rare customer was spotted in the spice aisle of our Glenorie store yesterday morning,” the spokesperson said.</p> <p>“Once it was sighted, our team members reacted quickly and calmly to cordon off the area for the safety of customers.</p> <p>“A snake catcher removed the slithery customer, who was released safely into bushland shortly after.”</p> <p>It’s still unknown as to how the snake came to be inside the store but it’s believed Woolworths has animal control measures in place and the Glenorie store has done some checks of these measures.</p> <p><em>Photo: 7NEWS.com.au</em></p>

Family & Pets

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Police reveal cause of horrific Tiger Woods car crash

<div class="post_body_wrapper"> <div class="post_body"> <div class="body_text redactor-styles redactor-in"> <p>Authorities have revealed that golf star Tiger Woods was driving at an "unsafe" speed nearly double the 70km/h speed limit when he crashed in California in February.</p> <p>The SUV was travelling up to 140km/h before it veered off the road and rolled several times, leaving Woods with a shattered right leg.</p> <p>“The primary causal factor for this traffic collision was driving at a speed unsafe for the road conditions and the inability to negotiate the curve of the roadway,” said Alex Villanueva.</p> <p>“Estimated speeds at the first area of impact were 84 to 87 miles per hour (135-140km/h).”</p> <p>There were “no signs of impairment” or evidence of any “distracted driving”, and Woods voluntarily allowed the results of the investigation to be made public, officials said.</p> <p>Fans have complained that Woods hasn't been charged for speeding, but police said as there were no witnesses or police present, he won't be charged.</p> <p>The crash would have been investigated further “if there was a significant injury or fatality” and had involved another person, said Captain James Powers.</p> <p>Woods himself doesn't recall the incident, but investigators did not check his phone or test his bloodwork as there was "no evidence of any impairment or intoxication", according to Powers.</p> <p>Sheriff Alex Villanueva confirmed this in a Facebook Q&amp;A with reporters.</p> <p>“He was lucid, no odour of alcohol, no evidence of any medication, narcotics or anything like that,” Villanueva said. “That was not a concern so no field sobriety test and no drug expert needed to respond. This is what it is — an accident.</p> <p>“We don’t contemplate any charges whatsoever in this crash.</p> <p>“This remains an accident. An accident is not a crime, they do happen unfortunately.</p> <p>“The Deputy on the scene assessed the condition of Tiger Woods and there was no evidence of any impairment whatsoever.</p> <p>“He was not drunk … we can throw that one out.”</p> </div> </div> </div>

Travel Trouble

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"Never seen anything like it": Snake catcher's horrific find in family home

<p>A snake catcher was left in shock after finding 57 snake skins in a family's attic in Queensland.</p> <p>Reid Newell from Snake Catchers Brisbane &amp; Gold Coast was called to the home where he found 57 snake skins in a 7 x 7 metre roof space of the family's new home.</p> <p>"I've never seen anything like it, I've been in quite a lot of roofs, and the most I've seen before that was maybe four or five, so this was a massive jump," Mr Newell told the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/stuff-of-nightmares-terrifying-evidence-that-home-was-infested-with-snakes/news-story/c18e563771c4025dece7236dc4024d02" target="_blank">Courier Mail</a>.</p> <p><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fwww.snakecatchers.com.au%2Fposts%2F1532113400310601&amp;width=500&amp;show_text=true&amp;height=677&amp;appId" width="500" height="677" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></p> <p>Newell said that the photo only showed a small amount of the shedded skins he found in the property.</p> <p>"I couldn't say how many snakes it was from, but it definitely wasn't one. It wasn't just from the one species either, there was carpet python sheds in there, and also common tree snake sheds."</p> <p>He predicted that the former owners of the home had poultry which attracted mice to the home which then attracted snakes.</p> <p>Newell didn't find a single snake on the property, which was surprising to the family who called him in.</p> <p>"The owners were pretty cool about it, they were also shocked," he said.</p> <p>"I told them the amount of skins from multiple species was crazy to me and I think they thought that was pretty cool."</p>

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