There is something a bit creepy about garages and basements sometimes, right? They're dark and quiet, and it can feel like there are eyes on you. But they are often large spaces that come in handy for storing our stuff. And if you have kids, you know that can be a lot of things.
A dad in Tennessee took a stroll out into his garage recently and got the shock of his life when he spotted a giant copperhead snake. We are officially never going into the garage again.
More from CafeMom: Kim Kardashian's Video of Daughter Chicago Playing With a Live Snake Has Some People Pretty Upset
The dad might have invited the snake into the garage.
Well, sort of. Autumn Maidlow told Fox 17 in Nashville that her husband, Tyler, had taken their daughter for a ride in her wagon and left the garage open. The couple was busy, as families always are, and just went about their day.
"I got home with groceries and he put the wagon in the garage and we took our baby out. We brought in our groceries and ate dinner, which took about 30 minutes," she explained.
Tyler needed something from the car.
After dinner, he went out to the garage, and that is when he saw something strange in the baby's wagon.
"He walked past the wagon and when he walked back in, he noticed the snake on the ledge of the wagon and right when he looked at it, it struck at him and he jumped back and hit my car," the mom explained.
Somehow, they got the courage to record the video.
Tyler and Autumn went back to the garage, and he showed her where he found the snake. He explained that it jumped up at him, and she was audibly shocked. And then that it started moving again. Obviously, he jumped a bit.
(We watched it several times.) Same, Tyler. Same.
This fearless dad is our hero.
Autumn told Fox 17 that her husband removed the snake safely from the garage and then killed it with a shovel. Even though the family averted what could have been a more serious situation, Autumn wants to warn other families about the dangers lurking around.
"Keep your garage door closed, don't keep blankets, toys or anything that would obstruct your view in anything your child goes in, keep garage clear and clean, and pay attention to your surroundings!" she warned.
More from CafeMom: 5-Year-Old's 'Purple Bruise' Turns Out to Be Potentially Deadly Spider Bite
Copperhead bites can be serious but rarely deadly.
We're not saying you want to go out and get yourself a snake bite, but thankfully, copperhead bites are generally not deadly. But there are definitely certain people who need to watch out.
As National Geographic explains, "Luckily, their venom is not among the most potent, and bites are rarely deadly; children, the elderly, and immunocompromised people are most at risk. Copperhead venom is hemolytic, meaning it breaks down blood cells. The snakes typically feed on mice and other rodents but also go after small birds, lizards, and frogs. After biting their prey, the serpents often hold it in their mouth until the venom has done its job."
