Killing snakes?
 

Some one help me out here! A friend told me that it is illegal to kill snakes in Australia, but after searching, I can't find a thing about this! Lots of people have said to me that you just take a spade to them, so plently of snake deaths must occur!

So is it true it is illegal to kill snakes?

Kx

Re: Killing snakes?
 

Its probably a good thing its illegal becasue often its people who are trying to kill snakes that get bitten, the safest thing it to leave it alone. l thinks the laws a good thing if it deters hoons who just kill snakes for fun thinking it makes them look tough. Hitting it with a spade you risk getting bitten. But l guess theres probably lots of people that kill them on their property anyway as its unlikely they would get caught, l think if you can show the snake posed a risk to you or other people, like its in your house of something then its legal to kill it but l'm not sure.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

Try looking for protected rather than killing think it's the very fact they are protected means they can't be harmed. Brush Turkey's that are everywhere are the same even though they are total pests.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

I'm wondering if it varies from state to state. In Vic the DSE (Department of Sustainability and Environment) says that snakes are protected as are all native animals. However I can't find the specific law detailing it.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

Yes, its illegal.

There's something like a $35000 fine if you're caught. (can't remember the exact amount, but I know it was a huge number)

I worked on a road construction site which had to deal with a lot of snakes (mostly carpet snakes though) so we had a talk on what snakes were what and what to do (stay still, generally) if you came across one. The blokey giving the talk said that their biggest problem was educating people away from 'the only good snake is a dead snake' attitude

Re: Killing snakes?
 

Snakes are gorgeous, don't kill them, just let them be. found one yesterday when mowing, just moved it away so I didn't hurt it and it slithered off!

Re: Killing snakes?
 

Wrestling with snakes is permitted.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

I was in Qld when I had the talk on snakes - I found this on a general site, but at least it gives a statute name for Qld at least.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

I do that every morning

Re: Killing snakes?
 

Snakes are not a evil as everyone things, they are affraid of people and only bite people in self defence, if you leave them alone they leave you alone they kill rats and mice and help the environment, l think as many people die from bee and wasp stings in OZ.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

exactly

Re: Killing snakes?
 

So does my wife. Boom tsk.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

i'm single :lol:

Re: Killing snakes?
 

lmfao!!! Mate, that is bloody funny!!!

Re: Killing snakes?
 

Oh I say!! Ding dong!!

Re: Killing snakes?
 

okaaay...what about the 'agressive snakes' like eastern browns which don't give a monkeys fat clacker if your a mouse or not, it just wants to go for you if you impede on what it perceives as 'its territory' even though it may be your backyard??
I am not for mass cull of snakes, I just hate the bloody things, scared sh!tless of them!!! Didn't even like Slow Worms as a kid!! Ugh!

Re: Killing snakes?
 

My uncle Billy had a ten foot willy,
He showed it to the lady next door.
She thought it was a snake, and hit it with a rake,
And now it's only five foot four.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

How do you know your uncle Billy had a ten foot willy?

I must admit the incident with the neighbour sounds unfortunate.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

Does it cost much to request a snake catcher for help?

Re: Killing snakes?
 

as already mentioned, most snake bites/deaths are caused by people either trying to whack a snake on the head with a spade. (I would be pretty pissed off if some tall thing hit me on the head with a piece of metal. The first thing I would do is bite them) or drunks coming home from pubs trying to pick them up :rofl:

Just leave them alone, or call the local snake catcher. (or make sure the shovel is sharp and you dont miss the first time)

Re: Killing snakes?
 

So back to the original question - is it illegal to kills snakes in WA?

Just to set the record straight, I have absolutely no intention of killing a snake - i like snakes!! To be honest, I'm a little disappointed that after a year in WA, I have yet to see one!

Re: Killing snakes?
 

You need to move to a more rural area :D then you'd be far more likely to see lots of horrible creatures.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

Yes all those posts you get here from people moving to suburbia worried about how to cope with crocs and snakes crawling everywhere. :rofl:

Re: Killing snakes?
 

If I was moving to suburbia I would be more worried about dying from boredom. ;)

Re: Killing snakes?
 

About $100 - but the problem is gettign the catcher to show up whilst you see the snake. More likely is the following:

1) See a snake...
2) Run inside grab the phone.. look in the phone book or on www for snake cathcer phone number.
3) Call snake guy and describe snake
4) Walk back to snake last known location and stare at completely snake-free patch of ground
5) Call snake guy and tell him its gone...

REPEAT every few days for a while until:

1) See snake
2) Yell at family to grab phone
3) Hit speed-dial for snake guy whilst keeping eye on snake
4) Snake guy starts to get on his way
5) Pick up handy implement to keep snake in the open and stop it form hiding again before snake guy shows up
6) Hand over the $100 when snake guy comes at laughs at the panic over a harmless friendly serpent.

:D

Re: Killing snakes?
 

Protected species and so they should be, they do a wonderful job of keeping, rats mice and other little critters down. I remember the mouse plague a good while ago and boy you do not want one of them they were everywhere on th farms.

They will go away if you ignore them. The thing is if you live in QLD or an area that is known to have a lot like Snake Valley near Ballarat you would make sure you keep the fly wire door or any access to the house closed so they cannot come in.

I am frightened of them just like some people are of spiders and if there is one around I will see it, even nearly stepped on an Adder in the UK up on the Moors. Did my Achilles tendon on holiday once when I jumped when I saw one.

On another note there is a plague of red backs in Victoria at the minute and actually we found one under the couch while cleaning the other day, so keep a look out, they like dark places and make very untidy webs. Compost bins, sheds, wood pile, under beds favourite hiding places.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

It is much riskier to take spade or other implement to a snake than to walk away slowly and calmly.

There is a good chance that if you go for a spade that the snake will end up taking the spade off you and hitting you on the head with it.

For the same reason don't aim a gun at a snake.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

...because he might also be packing heat?

Re: Killing snakes?
 

Quite.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

Snakes are deaf and very nearly blind. I saw a snake guy with a brown, and he put it on the floor by his feet. Then he moved suddenly and the snake became defensive... curled into the 'S' pose ready for a strike. Snake guy stood still... snake backed off and lay happily over the bloke's shoe whilst he continued talking. Apparently they see like the 'predator' from the Arnie film. If you move, you become visible. Keep still, you're gone.

Given that snakes are territorial, if you kill one, another will move in eventually.

I have lots of snakes here down the bush. I try to photograph them but they're very timid.


PS - From the Wildlife and parks thingy:

'snakes are not habitually aggressive and venom is used primarily to secure food and not as a defence. Only in the breeding season may they become territorial. Where humans are concerned, snakes are actually shy animals preferring to move away and hide or lie still in the hope of being overlooked.'

Re: Killing snakes?
 

It is illegal in WA
Dugites (small snake) are very common around the Secret Harbour beach front .
You ring the .. Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC)
Wildcare Hotline on 9474 9055. They put you in touch with a snake handler.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

Where we live most folks living on rural blocks have a snake gun of some description, usually a shortened 410 or 12 gauge. We've had a few eastern browns on the block & have seen two large Red Bellied Blacks just recently, a huge carpet python lives close by as I've also seen it quite a few times.
I tend to steer clear of them if possible and wouldn't subscribe to the wholesale slaughter of every snake that came onto our block, however if as has happened, one came out of hibernation more cranky than normal and bailed up a pet or child it would meet with an unfortunate accident.
Early spring they can be a problem up here and a few dogs have been killed so they tend to get bad press and become top of natures most wanted.
One lady, who's house I was tiling, was telling us how she always kept a snake gun ready. A few days later we were just finishing up the job when her Cattle Dog started barking aggressively. The ladies 4 yr old son was playing out in his sand pit with his Tonka trucks & a Large Eastern Brown had bailed him up. We watched as the snake circled the sand pit & the dog protected the young lad by staying between him & the snake. The Lady calmly walked over waited for the snake to coil ready to strike & gave it one of the barrels, she then reloaded & gave it another. Questioning her for the reload she explained that quite often there were two snakes lurking so you never use both barrels on the one snake.
That reminds me I must post my latest snake encounter:o

Re: Killing snakes?
 

Hi here is a picture of a tiger snake I came accross while having a walk to the local town.
Gary

Re: Killing snakes?
 

funnily enough thats completly wrong,
your more likely to see a snake in a built up area than in the bush,
because in the bush there is a limit to the number of rats n mice in a given area so this limits the number of snakes
in a built up area lots of rats n mice so lots more snakes as there is the food to support them

regards steve

Re: Killing snakes?
 

I prefer the vacum cleaner method of sucking it up the pipe then binging thecend although I have never had the chance to personally test this method it should work.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

U mean 'bunging the end'?

Re: Killing snakes?
 

We get loads of snakes on our rural block - browns, red-bellied blacks, rough scaled, yellow headed whip snake (all are venomous) and lots of friendly carpet pythons. Unfortunately one or two are killed by the mower every year.

There are 18 different types of snakes in our area and snake catchers are plentiful and free. We're just careful to keep them out of the house by keeping the screens closed and blocking gaps under doors (keeps mice out as well).

I photograph them whenever I can.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

That's it, they are OBVIOUSLY hiding when they see me coming!! :p

Re: Killing snakes?
 

As long as it's in there doesn't matter if it's binging or bunging.

Re: Killing snakes?
 

I wouldn't want to eat it.... :unsure: