Video Shows Deadly Snake Curled Up in Child's Shoe

Snake catchers were called to a family home in Queensland, Australia, to deal with a deadly snake found curled up inside a child's shoe.

"Yes, that's an Eastern Brown Snake In A Croc!" Stuart McKenzie of Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7 said in a post uploaded to the team's Facebook Page on December 14.

The snake, from a species that's the second deadliest on Earth due to its powerful venom, was slithering around the home, potentially endangering the occupants, including two children and a puppy.

McKenzie went on to describe the incident in more detail: "We were called out to a job in North Buderim for a 'brown colored' snake on the move in a family's lounge room. When we arrived it had moved into the cupboard where the family keeps their shoes!

"We opened the cupboard to find the stunning snake hiding inside one of the kid's croc shoes. Crazy!"

The snake catcher believes that the snake, estimated to be about two feet in length and possessing an almost orange coloration, had crawled into the croc to find a safe place to hide.

Eastern brown snakes account for more human deaths than any other species in Australia, according to the Australian Museum. Because they have short fangs, usually no longer than one-tenth of an inch, when a human is bitten by an eastern brown snake it's often initially painless.

The bite of an eastern brown snake also tends to deliver only a tiny amount of venom, around 4 milligrams. But what this venom lacks in volume, it more than makes up for in potency, the Australian Museum points out.

If an eastern brown snake successfully envenomates its human victim, the toxins in its venom can result in progressive paralysis and uncontrollable bleeding. Any suspected eastern brown snakebite should be treated as a medical emergency

The venom is so potent that only Japan's inland taipan snake is considered more deadly.

The Australian Museum advises that untrained people should avoid attempting to capture or kill these reptiles. It adds that while exploring the outdoors in the territory of the eastern brown snake, walkers should wear long trousers, thick socks, and solid footwear, all of which can reduce the chance of a bite.

Snake catcher McKenzie praised the response of the home's residents. He added: "The family did a great job of keeping a safe distance from the snake but also keeping a close eye on it."

Following the capture and removal of the snake, Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7's McKenzie released it back into the bushland.