Daily London
A woman has survived being bitten multiple times by an eastern brown snake that became trapped in the heel loop of her shoe.
Snake catcher Cory Kerewaro from Reptile Relocation Sydney told 9news.com.au the woman was geocaching in a garden bed in Narellan, in Sydney’s south-west, on Saturday afternoon when she felt something on her leg.
The woman jumped out of the garden and onto the road, shaking her leg vigorously before realising it was a snake.
“The minute she realised it was a snake, she stayed still,” Kerewaro said.
“It went to move off, it went around the back of her shoe, put itself in that loop, and then wrapped around her ankle a few times, trying to get itself unstuck.”
The woman rang an ambulance and when paramedics arrived, they immediately called Kerewaro.
They sent him a photo and he identified the snake as a highly venomous, young adult eastern brown snake.
He said the situation was unlike anything he’d ever dealt with before.
“It hit me heavy,” he said.
“I thought, if she dies, that’s on me.”
When he arrived, he realised the snake was suffering heat stress, having been trapped on the hot bitumen on a 36-degree day for more than half an hour.
“Seeing it was heat-affected, I was relieved,” he said.
“I was able to pin it very quickly, undo her shoe, she took her foot out of her shoe and moved away.
He said a paramedic then cut the heel loop to free the snake.
Despite being bitten multiple times, the woman survived.
She was taken to hospital and has since been released.
The snake died of heat exposure.
Kerewaro said not all bites from venomous snakes result in envenomation, but it is critical to seek treatment regardless.
He said the woman had done exactly the right thing in staying still and calling an ambulance.
“A lot of people think you get bitten and you’re gone, but staying completely still has a big part.
“Always go to hospital, even if you don’t think you’ve been bitten, the consequences can be fatal.”
He also encouraged people to carry a snake bite bandage when outdoors, and keep one in the glovebox of their car.
“It’s still unbelievable,” Kerewaro said.
“If someone had told me that it went through the loop of the shoe and I didn’t see the photos, I’d say bullshit.”
