Australian mother’s ‘scary’ garden encounter with deadly snake: ‘They’re really defensive’

An Australian mother is lucky to be alive after a deadly encounter in her backyard when she came face to face with a highly venomous tiger snake that attacked her.

Tracey Alexander, 48, was in the garden of her property in Duncraig, Perth, when she felt a sting on her ankle. But it wasn’t until she rushed in that she realized she had been bitten three times.

Tiger snakes are incredibly dangerous due to their size and powerful venom, which has powerful neurotoxic and clotting effects. The species is responsible for an estimated 17 percent of snakebites in Australia and four deaths, according to Australia Wide First Aid.

Snake catcher Gianni Hodgson of Hodgson Snakes in Victoria previously told Yahoo News Australia: “The best thing you can do if you come across a snake is to keep an eye on it and back up until it is a safe distance away have.”

They are the fifth most venomous snake in the world and do not shy away when threatened. “They are very defensive and are not reluctant to bite and will defend themselves quite readily,” added Jack Gatto, owner of Bellarine and Surfcoast Snake Catching.

Mother was immediately taken to hospital after a fatal snake bite

Alexander said she noticed a scratch on her ankle but initially thought a tree branch might have been the cause. “I just looked down to take a little look and noticed there were three bite marks,” she told 7News.

Her 17-year-old niece rushed to her aid and bandaged her leg while her daughter called an ambulance. She was taken to hospital, where she spent the night in care.

Paramedics say bandaging from the extremities of the bitten limb to the body to restrict movement is critical. Victims of tiger snake bites must also remain still until help arrives.

“It’s a little scary. I keep seeing that snake head in my head,” the 48-year-old said days after the ordeal. “I don’t think it’s going away anytime soon.”

It’s not clear how the poison affected the Perth mother. However, the immediate symptoms usually associated with a tiger snake bite include:

The highly neurotoxic venom can also cause paralysis, and a bite can cause some people to go into anaphylactic shock.

Australians share terrifying encounters with a tiger snake

Tiger snakes can be identified by their distinctive black and yellow stripes. The species is commonly found near aquatic environments such as streams, dams, drains, lagoons, wetlands and swamps. They are commonly found in southeast Australia and the southwest of the country.

In March this year, an experienced snake catcher found himself in hospital fighting for his life after he was bitten by a highly venomous tiger snake while on a move.

Mark Pelley, popularly known as “The Snake Hunter,” was moving the snake with his stick when it suddenly broke and the snake bit him on the hand. The effects of his poison were almost instantaneous.

Meanwhile, an Australian dog owner was left heartbroken after his beloved French bulldog Knox died after being bitten by a tiger snake.

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