By Adriane Reardon, ABC
A tiger snake was retrieved from a vehicle after slithering across a car passenger's foot. Photo: Supplied/VRA Rescue NSW Narooma via ABC
A passenger in a car has had the fright of his life, after a tiger snake slithered across his feet during a drive on the NSW far south coast.
Tanny Parsons was in the car with his friend and a pet dog in Narooma on Friday, when he felt something touch his feet.
Parsons, who was barefoot, initially thought it might have been a plastic bag, before realising it was actually a snake.
"I felt something on my feet, I looked down and this large snake was just across my feet," he said.
"I just yelled out to my friend to stop the car, get the dog and jump out.
"It gave me a hell of a fright."
Shock of your life
The car had been parked in Parson's driveway in Tilba Tilba for about six weeks while he was in Victoria visiting family.
The incident happened the day after he returned home, after he went grocery shopping in Narooma.
Parsons said it was not uncommon to see snakes on his property, and they do not bother him.
But encountering one in a car was a different story.
"It was the shock of your life to see a snake in your car in such a small space where you've got nowhere to go," he said.
"It's a very small space to have your feet and have a snake there."
The VRA members had to search the vehicle, and dismantle parts of it, to find the snake. Photo: Supplied/Tanny Parsons via ABC
After jumping from the car, Parsons began making calls to find a snake catcher.
Malcolm Barry, captain of VRA Rescue NSW in Narooma, came to his aid.
He and his daughter, Sarah, who are both trained snake handlers, searched the vehicle and dismantled parts of it to find the snake.
It took some time, but they eventually located the tail.
"They tend to puff themselves up if they're grabbed by the tail, and they won't come out," Barry said.
"You have to wait for them to relax and come out that way."
It took some time for the VRA to locate the snake in the vehicle. Photo: Supplied/VRA Rescue NSW Narooma via ABC
The VRA members used a hook to lift the snake out and put it in a bag, where they were met with a round of applause from onlookers.
Parsons initially thought it was a brown snake, but VRA informed him afterwards that it was actually a five-foot tiger snake.
Tiger snakes are highly venomous, but are generally considered more aggressive than a brown snake in nature.
Captain of the Narooma VRA Rescue squad, Malcolm Barry, helped retrieve the snake. Photo: Supplied/VRA Rescue NSW Narooma via ABC
Patience is key
Barry has relocated nearly 400 snakes in the region over the past three years.
He said pythons, black, brown and tiger snakes were common in the region, especially as the weather warms up.
The tiger snake has been released back into the wild. Photo: Supplied/VRA Rescue NSW Narooma via ABC
Barry commended Parsons for keeping calm, given the unique situation.
"He was relatively calm for someone who had a snake all over his feet while driving," he said.
"We've pulled snakes out of homes and hidden behind furniture, but it's our first car.
"It wasn't a close call, there was no hint of the snake biting, it was actually a pretty easy catch."
It is suspected that rats, which are a perfect food source for snakes, had made their way into the car while Parsons was out of town.
Parsons gave the VRA a donation as a thank you for their help on the day.
The snake has since been released back into the wild at Corunna Lake.
- ABC
