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Australian Dad and Daughter Duo Struggle to Remove Ticks from Feisty Snake

A dad and daughter duo struggled to remove ticks from a rescued snake in Westbury, Tasmania.

This footage, filmed by Ebony Bannister, shows her sister attempting to remove ticks from a snake, as her father holds the animal. The snake then hisses and tries to strike, spooking Bannister’s sister.

“Dad!” Bannister’s sister calls out. “Could you just not let it do that again!”

Ebony told Storyful that her dad, Bert Bannister, is a local native snake rescuer in northern Tasmania, Australia.

“He has a holding pen for snakes that have been rescued that have been hurt or removed from place that aren’t safe for them like people’s homes, farms and parks,” she said. “Dad started doing this for free to encourage people to have them relocated rather than killing them.”

“People have an unnatural fear of snakes, when in reality you are more likely to die from being hit by lightning. Dad is passionate about rescuing native snakes because of their bad rap, people often try to kill them even though it is illegal in Tasmania.”

“As a family we have become accustomed to helping with the care of the snakes that he has rescued, some that have been damaged that he has nursed back to health are family members and are accustomed to being handled regularly by dad, they are calm and usually don’t try to bite him.” Credit: Ebony Bannister via Storyful

Video transcript

- Oh, there's one there, Dad. I thought you said you were-- that's quite a big one there.

- You ain't see nothing yet. You wait till see the one I got off that one.

- Oh, Dad!

- It's because you're hurting him. You need to stop being--

- Can you just not let it do that again?

- Yeah, I'd be crabby with you too.

- You hurting it, Mommy.

- I'm sorry. I'm really sorry.

- Just look what you're doing, will you?

- The snake nearly [MUTED] bit me.

- Did not.

- One was trying to bite you.

- Just shut up Hayley.

- Tweezers is no good.

- It's just-- I don't want to pull the scale of with it.

- Just pull the scale with it.

- What?

- Oh, God, you're frustrating me.

- Shut up, or you can do it yourself.

- He's got his poison out.

- It stuck in the scale dad.

- Use your finger nails.

- I'm not, I'm not, I'm not.

- Oh, my gosh, Mommy. You're actually such a baby.

- I think I've peed a little bit in my pants.