#flooding #naturaldisaster #cyclonealfred #wildweather #natureforyou #venomoussnakes #wildlifeinfloodwaters #floodwaters #snakesinfloodwaters
Natural disasters are a horrible experience for both humans and animals alike. We wish everyone affected a speedy recovery, emotionally, physically and with all your worldly goods.
Whilst there is never a good time for a natural disaster, Alfred hit while we were still having warm weather. This is a time when our reptiles are most active. They take advantage of the warmer months to find food to get into peak condition for breeding. Whilst we encourage people to remain calm in the face of our native reptiles, we understand that some people have a fear they cannot control. We hope that this blog will come in handy for those with that fear. (No judgement, you should see me around a cockroach!)
At this time a lot of snake catchers are flooded in but will still happily provide you a free ID via messenger. In flood affected areas, it may be quicker to send a photo taken from a safe distance via a phone message, not Messenger in Facebook as the net can be patchy and your message may not be sent in a timely manner. If you prefer to have a snake removed, save your local snake catcher’s number under Snake Catcher – you will probably not remember their name if it’s someone you haven’t dealt with a lot, or are in a panic.
It is a great idea to find out what snakes are in your area and familiarise yourself with the snakes’ appearance. With some species of snakes this can be hard as they can be variable in both colour and pattern, but there are a lot of snakes that are easily identifiable by a standard description. Knowing the difference between a venomous snake and a non-venomous snake can be a life-saving piece of knowledge.
Close up of a python's heat sensing pits. The python is a Olive python, Liasis olivaceus barroni The second picture is a Tiger Snake, Notechis scutatus scutatus with no heat sensing pits.
All Australian pythons have heat sensing pits along the jawline, giving an appearance of a smile. There are two Australian pythons who don’t have clearly visible heat sensing pits, these are both species of Aspidites, The Black-headed python, Aspidites melanocephalus and the Woma python, Aspidites ramsayi.
The two Australian pythons without easily seen heat sensing pits. The first photo is the Black-headed python, Aspidites melanocephalus and the second photo is the Woma python, Aspidites ramsayi.
There is a fantastic guide out to the snakes of Australia. It covers all of the snakes in Australia and has a fantastic price point of only $30 – not much at all if you are not interested in snakes but would like to be proactive in discovering what snakes are in your local area. You can get the book here:
If you live near bush or vacant unmaintained land you may want to keep the name of your local snake catcher and vet handy for others if you are not available. A business card or magnet on the fridge for both a snake catcher and your vet will help out anyone whilst you’re not home.
The most important thing for you to understand is the animals are just looking for a safe haven. I can promise you, they are not out to attack you, especially if you leave them well alone. Like us humans, in flood affected areas they are just looking for survival on dry ground. Snakes are defensive when startled, not aggressive by nature. There is a massive size difference between a snake and you and I. While we are (for the most part as adults) 5ft + in height, snakes in height are mere centimetres. It would be comparative to a giant coming your way…… Of course you are going to think the worst and your fight or flight mode will kick in.
In this time, snakes may not choose a natural shelter site like a tree or cave over a house or car. In flood waters they will be seeking out anything dry. Whilst most snakes are quite adept at swimming, like us they get tired after a while, hence the need to stop at the first bit of dry land they come across. Here I need to address an old wives tale that venomous snakes don’t climb. They do. Whilst many don’t climb as much as most pythons do, they will readily go up a tree or rock ledge in the pursuit of food. They are just as agile as pythons, so please do not assume that if the snake is in an area well off the ground it is a python.
If you have concerns about the snake’s welfare due to injury and are unable to locate a snake catcher that is available, try to contact your local wildlife carer.
As the flood waters recede, don’t put your hands where you cannot see them. Snakes don’t go out of their way to bite people, but when startled (and in these instances they will already have a heightened sense of alarm) it is their mode of defence. If your flood water is still high, don’t go wading around in it. (This really shouldn’t need to be explained!) Not only could you encounter scared wildlife trying to desperately locate sanctuary, but that water is a hazard. Any open cut has a very high risk of becoming infected. You also can’t see what objects are in the water. Rubbish, debris, sewerage and all sorts of nasties come out in floodwaters. You also have no way of knowing if the ground is as flat and solid as it was when it was dry…… Should the unfortunate bite or injury happen, if you are flooded in, how are you going to get to hospital when time is of the essence?
The power outages along with the flash flooding is the perfect combination for food spoilage. After you are able to safely enter your premises again, one of the first things you should dispose of is spoilt food or damaged packaged food. Spoilt food is a beacon for rodents. Rodents are also looking for dry ground, food and a way back to life they know. Snakes eat rodents….. If you are not able to remove the food you are unfortunately going to attract snakes that will come to eat the rodents. When you are cleaning up after a natural disaster wear closed in shoes, and long sleeves and pants. Always be aware of where you are putting your hands and feet!
Did you know horses kill more people a year than snakebite? Most snake bites actually occur from people trying to harm or kill snakes. There are penalties for harming or killing our native wildlife too. You could receive a fine of over $200 000 and/or receive jail time. Yet another reason to leave alone a snake just trying to survive!
A final word on snakes - there are some “repellers” on the market. As retired snake catchers I can tell you they don’t work. The vibrating snake repellers send out vibrations. We’ve lost count of how many snakes we have removed from customers houses and workplaces either curled up on them, underneath them, or lying quite close to them. There are oils and pellets on the market also. Like the repellers, they are useless. I would suggest to not to waste your money, and instead make sure you and your family become aware of snake safety. These products rely on peoples fear, and mindset that the purchase will give them piece of mind. You will find with the oils and pellets, if anything you will harm birds, possums, garden skinks etc, not the snakes you are trying to repel.
We are always available to field questions regarding snakes, identification and envenomation. Scott can be reached on 0419 328 251 and Tie can be reached on 0438 335 009.
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