Folco Faber, a New Zealand man living in Adelaide, South Australia, narrowly avoided a dangerous situation when he accidentally stepped on an eastern brown snake, one of the world’s most venomous land snakes.
The incident happened shortly after he returned from visiting family in New Zealand. Unaware of the snake’s presence, Faber was holding his cat, Lily, when his socked foot landed just behind the snake’s head.
Security footage captured the tense moment. While the snake didn’t strike immediately, Faber only noticed it after about 20 seconds and quickly stepped away with his cat still in his arms. He described the experience as “the shock of his life.”
Faber called a professional snake catcher to safely remove the snake from his home. The catcher noted the snake had several bite marks, likely from Lily, suggesting the cat had already encountered the reptile before Faber arrived.
Although the situation was unsettling, both Faber and Lily escaped unharmed. He spent the rest of the day checking his furniture for any other surprises. Eastern brown snakes are responsible for most snakebite fatalities in Australia, making this a truly lucky escape.
