Northern Beaches Family Discovers 180cm Snake After Mysterious Home Noise

A family residing in Sydney’s Northern Beaches reported hearing a loud noise within their home. Days later, Phoebe Ghorayeb made a series of unusual discoveries, including droppings and a yellow, crusty substance in her children's room, with further evidence found upstairs.

Approximately a week after the initial noise, while cleaning behind a bed, Phoebe located a 180cm-long snake.

She promptly contacted professional reptile handler Chris Williams for assistance with the unexpected resident.

Expert Identifies Mildly Venomous Brown Tree Snake

Williams identified the snake as a brown tree snake, which is known to be mildly venomous. He clarified that in Australia, only larger brown tree snakes are typically capable of injecting venom into humans, and the species is not generally considered particularly dangerous to people.

Williams also noted the significant environmental impact of the brown tree snake in Guam, where it has contributed to the extinction of 10 bird species.

Mystery Substance Explained

The strange yellow substance initially found by Phoebe was confirmed to be the remnants of the snake’s meals. Williams explained that it was likely urates or other waste products, providing an explanation for the perplexing findings.