This baby snake may look relatively harmless, but its bite could have had deadly consequences for the woman holding it with her bare hands.

Key points: The woman thought the baby was a 'virtually harmless' red-naped snake

The woman thought the baby was a 'virtually harmless' red-naped snake But a bite from the eastern brown snake could have been deadly, professional snake catcher Richie Gilbert said

But a bite from the eastern brown snake could have been deadly, professional snake catcher Richie Gilbert said He said people should avoid touching snakes and take photos of them from a safe distance for identification purposes

The woman, known only as Lucy, picked up the snake for a photo and sent it off to Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers owner Richie Gilbert for identification.

She was stunned to learn it was not the red-naped snake she thought it was — she had been holding a deadly eastern brown.

Red-naped snakes are venomous, but Queensland's Department of Environment and Science says they are "virtually harmless to humans".

Eastern brown snakes, however, are deadly.

They have caused more deaths from a snake bite than any other species in Australia.

When the ABC asked Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers owner Richie Gilbert about whether the small baby snake was venomous, he did not mince his words.

"Absolutely," he said. "It's just as venous as a full-grown eastern brown.

"One drop of venom is enough to kill someone."

He said Lucy's grip would have made it easy for the snake to bite her, making this encounter an "extremely close call".

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Lucy was "really embarrassed" after learning how deadly the snake was, but agreed to let Mr Gilbert share the image to teach people about what not to do when seeking identification.

Word quickly spread, with the post being shared nearly 500 times since Tuesday.

Mr Gilbert and his team identify snakes for locals through the Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7 Facebook page, which has attracted more than 60,000 followers.

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He had sound advice for anyone wanting a positive identification.

"Send us a photo of the snake on the ground, not in your hands," Mr Gilbert said.

"If someone has a snake in their yard, we say get your dog, get the kids, get everyone inside."

If a snake is inside your house, Mr Gilbert said it was best to close the door to the room and block the gap between the door and the floor with a towel.

At that point people should contact a professionally-trained snake catcher to relocate the unwanted guest, he said.

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