A red-bellied black snake that was coaxed into a large canvass-type bag for relocation in Australia last week apparently decided that was where it felt the safest.
The accompanying footage shows Bronte Hillen, a Newcastle snake relocation expert, trying to spill one of the venomous reptiles from the bag, but it keeps slithering back inside.
Red-bellied black snake wants to stay put.
“All releases go a little bit differently, and it’s very funny when they refuse to say goodbye,” Hillen stated via social media.
Finally, after more shakes and tipping of the bag, the snake slithered out and vanished toward cover behind Hillen, whose moniker is Snake Catcher Bronte.
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A top Instagram comment: “I would have stayed in the bag too, it’s a scary world out there.”
Red-bellied black snakes, among the most commonly encountered snakes in eastern Australia, are shy by nature. Bites to humans generally only occur when the reptiles are repeatedly harassed.
From the Australian Museum: “Many bite victims experience only mild or negligible symptoms, however a number also end up hospitalized.
“The health risks to children and pets are greater, due to their smaller size. As individual reactions to envenomation can vary, all suspected bites should be treated as serious and medical attention sought as soon as possible.”
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Venomous snake refuses to ‘say goodbye’ during release in Australia