This one mistake nearly cost a snake catcher everything—here’s why it matters
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Snake encounters are becoming more common, and while most are handled by professionals, even the experts aren’t immune to danger.
One snake catcher’s simple mistake led to a harrowing experience that could have cost her everything.
What followed was a painful reminder of just how quickly things can go wrong, even for those who know what they’re doing.
A snake catcher has shared her painful experience after being bitten by a highly venomous red-bellied black snake in Queensland, urging Aussies to learn from her mistake.
Hayley-Anne Hill had successfully rescued the snake from a school in Kuranda and was relocating it when she made one crucial error.
She admitted that her ‘mind wasn’t on the job,’ and that’s when she placed her hand in the wrong spot, resulting in a bite.
‘I just felt this nip on my finger and I thought, "bloody hell, I've been bitten". I looked down and saw the blood,’ she said.
With no one around to help, she had to remain calm and administer first-aid to herself while waiting for paramedics for two long hours.
The venom quickly spread, and the pain was unbearable.
‘The pain started within what, the first 10 seconds. My hand swelled up like a balloon. I didn't feel like I was going to vomit but the pain felt like somebody had grabbed a great big iron pole and it was hot, really hot, and it was being smashed into my arm,’ she recalled.
She later confessed that she had become complacent, placing her hand in a risky position.
‘I had my hand under where he was, and that's all it took... I don't want to put a fear into people because it was my own stupidity,’ she admitted.
Despite the incident happening years ago, Hayley-Anne chose not to share it until now, fearing she might unfairly demonise the reptiles.
‘I get looked upon as outrageous and eccentric, I've got a load of tattoos. I don't get heard a lot because of that and that's why I want to be a voice for snakes because they get exactly what I get,’ she said.
Hayley-Anne now lives with permanent nerve damage in her fingers and has lost her sense of smell, a common consequence of a red-bellied black snake bite.
Cory Kerewaro, a Sydney-based snake catcher, shared that snake encounters have been rising, with many people underestimating the dangers.
‘There’s definitely been a lot more people that are interacting with snakes,’ he said.
The increase in snake sightings has led to more bites, even when people are trying to be cautious.
‘Even when they're doing the right thing, bites can happen,’ Cory explained.
He spoke of a woman in Picton, New South Wales, who felt something tap her leg and discovered it was a brown snake that had bitten her.
Another incident involved a man in Sydney who was bitten by a red-bellied black snake while reaching for a piece of wood.
Fortunately, both individuals recovered without significant complications, but the close calls highlight the unpredictable nature of snake interactions.
Hayley-Anne stressed the importance of keeping a smart pressure bandage in every Australian household.
‘If you apply first aid to any snake bite, you're going to be OK as long as you apply that first aid quickly and get to hospital as quickly as possible,’ she said.
She swears by the $25 bandage, which works wonders for snake bites.
‘They're brilliant,’ she added, encouraging everyone to keep one on hand for both humans and animals.
Snake catchers like Cory also encourage people to respect these creatures and understand that even experienced handlers face risks.
What do you think is the most important thing to remember when dealing with snakes? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
One snake catcher’s simple mistake led to a harrowing experience that could have cost her everything.
What followed was a painful reminder of just how quickly things can go wrong, even for those who know what they’re doing.
A snake catcher has shared her painful experience after being bitten by a highly venomous red-bellied black snake in Queensland, urging Aussies to learn from her mistake.
Hayley-Anne Hill had successfully rescued the snake from a school in Kuranda and was relocating it when she made one crucial error.
She admitted that her ‘mind wasn’t on the job,’ and that’s when she placed her hand in the wrong spot, resulting in a bite.
‘I just felt this nip on my finger and I thought, "bloody hell, I've been bitten". I looked down and saw the blood,’ she said.
With no one around to help, she had to remain calm and administer first-aid to herself while waiting for paramedics for two long hours.
The venom quickly spread, and the pain was unbearable.
‘The pain started within what, the first 10 seconds. My hand swelled up like a balloon. I didn't feel like I was going to vomit but the pain felt like somebody had grabbed a great big iron pole and it was hot, really hot, and it was being smashed into my arm,’ she recalled.
She later confessed that she had become complacent, placing her hand in a risky position.
‘I had my hand under where he was, and that's all it took... I don't want to put a fear into people because it was my own stupidity,’ she admitted.
Despite the incident happening years ago, Hayley-Anne chose not to share it until now, fearing she might unfairly demonise the reptiles.
‘I get looked upon as outrageous and eccentric, I've got a load of tattoos. I don't get heard a lot because of that and that's why I want to be a voice for snakes because they get exactly what I get,’ she said.
Hayley-Anne now lives with permanent nerve damage in her fingers and has lost her sense of smell, a common consequence of a red-bellied black snake bite.
Cory Kerewaro, a Sydney-based snake catcher, shared that snake encounters have been rising, with many people underestimating the dangers.
‘There’s definitely been a lot more people that are interacting with snakes,’ he said.
The increase in snake sightings has led to more bites, even when people are trying to be cautious.
‘Even when they're doing the right thing, bites can happen,’ Cory explained.
He spoke of a woman in Picton, New South Wales, who felt something tap her leg and discovered it was a brown snake that had bitten her.
Another incident involved a man in Sydney who was bitten by a red-bellied black snake while reaching for a piece of wood.
Fortunately, both individuals recovered without significant complications, but the close calls highlight the unpredictable nature of snake interactions.
Hayley-Anne stressed the importance of keeping a smart pressure bandage in every Australian household.
‘If you apply first aid to any snake bite, you're going to be OK as long as you apply that first aid quickly and get to hospital as quickly as possible,’ she said.
She swears by the $25 bandage, which works wonders for snake bites.
‘They're brilliant,’ she added, encouraging everyone to keep one on hand for both humans and animals.
Snake catchers like Cory also encourage people to respect these creatures and understand that even experienced handlers face risks.
What do you think is the most important thing to remember when dealing with snakes? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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