Melbourne man forced to hold down tiger snake for 30 mins

The tiger snake is one of the deadliest snakes in the world. Photo / Snake Catcher Victoria Australia/Facebook

A Melbourne man was forced to use a rake to hold down one of the world's deadliest snakes for half an hour before help arrived, after it was caught eating his birds.

The tiger snake managed to find its way inside an aviary in the suburb of Langwarrin, in Melbourne's southeast and killed three birds before being caught.

By the time the owner realised what was going on, the snake had already eaten two budgies and killed a cockatiel.

Snake Catcher Victoria's Barry Goldsmith was called to remove the snake and when he arrived he found the homeowner pinning the animal down with a rake.

"When I got there, there was a guy in the aviary and he had a steel rake pinning the snake by the head," Mr Goldsmith wrote on Facebook.

"He said 'I'm glad you're here. I've been holding the snake for half an hour like this!'

"Needless to say when I removed the rake this little guy went crazy, flattened its head to the dimensions of a cigarette paper and proceeded to try its hardest to give me a little kiss."

The snake managed to eat two budgies and kill another bird before being caught. Photo / Snake Catcher Victoria Australia/Facebook

Goldsmith was eventually able to capture the snake and released it in a different area later that day.

Tiger snakes are often categorised in the top 10 deadliest snakes in the world and are often found across Australia's southeastern coast.

"In Victoria, tiger snakes can be found across a large area of the state," the Wildlife Victoria website states.

"They are generally absent from the lower rainfall parts of the state and are frequently found in the suburbs around Melbourne, particularly in the western suburbs."

Tiger snakes are extremely venomous and can be aggressive if confronted, though they will usually choose to flee if given the option.

"When they feel threatened, they raise themselves off the ground and flatten their heads and neck, almost like a cobra," Wildlife Victoria said.