Aussie mum makes a terrifying discovery hidden inside her daughter's toy box

A Queensland mother got a huge shock when she found a highly venomous red-bellied black snake was hiding in her daughter's toy box.

The mother and her daughter were choosing toys to play with at their home in Maroochydore, on the Sunshine Coast, when they made the terrifying discovery. 

The concerned mother immediately called Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers, who urgently removed the snake from the home.

Stuart McKenzie, who runs the snake-catching service, said it was one of his 'wildest' jobs yet.

The 'very big' snake (pictured) was found hidden amongst the child's dolls and toys at their home on the Sunshine Coast

'A highly venomous snake within the kids' toys, not a situation you want to be in - that’s for sure,' he said.

Mr McKenzie used a hook to dig through the basket before he found the snake coiled at the bottom.

He said it was extremely lucky that none of the family were bitten by the huge snake.

'It sends a shiver down your spine,' he said. 'Look at the size of this bastard,' he said.

The snake was about three or four fingers thick and extremely healthy, Mr McKenzie said.

Stuart McKenzie (pictured), who runs the snake-catching service, said it was one of his 'wildest' jobs yet.

After catching the snake, he released it back into the wild.

Red-bellied black snakes are common throughout eastern Australia.

While the snakes are usually reserved, if provoked, they can deliver a deadly bite with their venom, causing bleeding, swelling, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea, sweating, muscle pain and weakness.

An untreated bite can be fatal.

Thousands of Aussies were left shocked by the discovery.

'I’d want my whole house inspected - could you imagine trying to sleep tonight,' one said.

Another added: 'What bothers me most is how long was that snake in the kids room before they noticed it?'

A third said: 'OMG, how did a child not get bitten? I am a grandma of a three-year-old, and kids just dive into the toy box.'

READ MORE: The urgent snake warning that every Australian needs to read - after hardworking dad died removing eastern brown snake from daycare centre