CAIRNS POST (Australia) 19 December 09 Snake terror in kids' bedroom (Ben Blomfield)

A Cairns mum who found an aggressive snake poised above cots containing her two young children was kept at bay for 20 minutes until help arrived.

The 2m brown tree snake was discovered on a shelf between the woman’s two children, aged one and four, as they slept in their Westcourt home.

The mum, who asked not to be named, awoke to find the "big boof-head" snake coiled near her children about 10.50pm on Wednesday.

The snake, of a species known to be aggressive when confronted, immediately arched to strike when the woman turned on the light. She was woken by hearing books fall from the shelf.

As she attempted to reach her children, the snake lunged at her, forcing her back to the door while she waited for snake handlers to arrive. For 20 minutes she waited and watched as the snake moved close to her children.

"There was nothing I could do, I couldn’t get the kids because every time I went near them the snake would get into a striking position," she said.

"I’m just thankful the animal didn’t bite the babies, I wouldn’t have a clue what to do if it did.

"I just remember waking up and seeing this huge snake heading towards my babies, it was horrible."

Cairns Snake Removals operator David Walton removed the animal and said it was the biggest specimen of a brown tree snake he had ever encountered.

"It was very aggressive, it had about seven attempts at trying to bite me," he said.

"I’ve been bitten by one of them a couple of months ago, it was only a baby one but it hurt so much and I could feel the venom running through my body.

"They’re a rear-fanged snake so they need a good bite to inject their venom."

Snakes are more likely to enter homes during the summer months and residents have been advised to take precautions.

Cairns Snake Removals operates 24 hours and are available on 0408 331 700.
Snake terror in kids' bedroom

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• AUS Press: Snake terror in kids' bedroom - W von Papineäu, Thu Dec 24 08:50:33 2009