Deadly Red-Bellied Snake Hides Inside Child's Asthma Puffer

A deadly snake was found hiding in a child's asthma puffer by snake catchers at home in Australia's Queensland.

The snake was first spotted slithering out of clothes and into a room by a teenage girl, who was bringing in the washing at a home in Bli Bli. The reptile, later identified as a red-bellied black snake, then sought shelter in an open top of a blue reliever puffer.

A team from Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7 was called to remove the reptile.

Snake catcher Stuart McKenzie wrote on his Facebook page, "It's one of the most incredible places we have ever found a snake before. I couldn't imagine picking what it would be like picking it up and discovering it in there."

McKenzie added the reptile was a juvenile, but its bite could still be dangerous.

"They are just exploring, seeking food this time of year before it gets cold again," McKenzie said. "We've found them in all sorts of places. Just recently we had a snake become stuck inside the tubing of a screen door."

Red-bellied black snakes are commonly found in the east coast of Australia. They mostly feed on a variety of vertebrates including fish, tadpoles, frogs, lizards, snakes (including its own species) and mammals. These snakes are not aggressive but if threatened are likely to attack. Symptoms of a red-bellied black snake bite include vomiting, headache, diarrhea and excessive sweating, according to the Australian Museum.

Last week, Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7's McKenzie warned the public not to approach a serpent or try to catch it without the help of an expert after a red-bellied black snake was sucked into a vacuum cleaner by a couple who panicked upon finding the reptile in their house in Queensland.

"We obviously do not recommend people doing this as it can hurt the snake and can also be dangerous for the home owners...," he wrote in a post at the time. "In the end the snake was okay and safely relocated which was a good result but Please never try and trap snakes using any devices! I had a good chat with the owners and they understand not to do that again and to call a professional."