A man described feeling “the shudders” as more than 100 venomous red-bellied black snakes were removed from a pile of mulch in his Sydney backyard. David Stein called Reptile Relocation Sydney last week after watching around six snakes slither into the mulch.

Living in Australia means you might have to accept coming across a snake or two on your property at some point. But one Sydney homeowner got more than he bargained for when a snake catcher unearthed 102 of the slithery reptiles hiding in his garden.

When his colleague arrived, he discovered 40 red-bellied black snakes - four of which gave birth to more live young once he had placed them in a removal bag. Red-bellied black snakes are one of the most common venomous species in Australia but have not caused any human deaths on record.