Looking at a beautifully and carefully decorated Christmas tree can be so soothing.
There are all the ornaments, many of them linked to treasured memories, twinkling in the glow of the lights. Such a feeling of peace and security, right?
Well, not for Cheryl from Frankston, Victoria, in Australia. She was admiring her tree one morning when she noticed that one of the festive gold garlands looked a bit… off.
And that's because it wasn't a garland at all. It was a highly venomous tiger snake that had somehow gotten into the house and decided the Christmas tree looked like a good place for a nap.
Being that it was an artificial tree, the snake didn't hitch a ride the way some animals do on real trees. Likely, it entered the house some other way and simply ended up in the tree.
Luckily for everyone involved, Cheryl kept a cool head and didn't panic.
Instead, she called a local snake-catching company, Snake Catcher Victoria, and let the trained professionals take care of things. The snake was caught humanely and released into the wild, well away from humans.
In Australia and the rest of the Southern Hemisphere, Christmas marks the beginning of summer, and warmer temperatures mean creatures like snakes are out and about — and stopping in to try being a garland for a bit.
[H/T: Huffington Post]
Cheryl didn't immediately notice the deadly tiger snake coiled around her Christmas tree one morning in Frankston, a suburb of Melbourne.
And you can see why. Take a look at the photo above and see if you can spot the intruder.
Blends right in, doesn't it?
Luckily, Cheryl's sharp eyes managed to spot it. She immediately called a snake-catching company to come take care of things.
It was a tiger snake, a venomous snake native to southern Australia and Tasmania known for its bands of color, from which it gets its name.
The venom from these snakes can be fatal to humans, and they tend to like going out on warm nights.
Likely, the tiger snake was out, then sought shelter in Cheryl's tree.
Cheryl called Barry Goldsmith from Snake Catcher Victoria.
A highly trained professional, Goldsmith was able to catch the snake in a bag and release it back into the wild.
Goldsmith has a long track record of handling venomous snakes. Do not try this at home!
The image of the snake in the Christmas tree immediately caught the attention of those on Facebook.
One commenter even put a snaky twist on a classic Christmas jingle.
Goldsmith warns people in these regions to be on the lookout for snakes hiding out in houses, sheds, gardens, and even cars as the weather warms.
And while he's great at catching and removing snakes, he also strongly advises against killing snakes, and never does so himself.
"It's cruel and unnecessary," he told a local paper.
Cheryl's situation, Goldsmith said, only took 20 minutes to clear up, and the snake was released into the wild to go on its merry way.
To keep snakes from camping out, Goldsmith advises people to trim their grass and clear out brush where snakes can hide, and to keep pets in enclosed areas and on leashes to keep them safe.
And since snakes are so good at hiding, it's never a good idea to go poking around in brushy places.
Can you spot the snake in the photo above?
Sometimes, snakes even manage to slither into your produce!
Here, the snake-catching professional shows how easily a snake can tuck itself into a head of cauliflower.
Thanks to Goldsmith and her own levelheaded thinking, Cheryl's Christmas was saved from a scaly interloper, and the snake got a second chance to live in the wild. It was a win for everyone!
Just remember, if you ever find an unwelcome guest in your Christmas tree, let the professionals handle it!
Keep a cool head like Cheryl did, and contact your local animal control.
Let us know, and SHARE this crazy story with anyone who prefers their Christmas garlands to not have fangs!
