KatieStar

I lifted a peice of ground cover in the garden and what I thought at first was a gecko slithered at me. I stepped back and it kept coming at me, meanwhile I was realising it had no legs and was maybe a very big worm. It was only after I had shood it away with the ground cover cloth that I realised it must be a baby snake. :scared: :scared: :scared: I neraly had a heart attack

My question is what should I do, it is only small, should I ignore it or phone a snake person to take it away.

logan

oh god Katie.....purely cos, I have no experience like yourself at identifying...I'd call a snake person. call your rental agent, they might even pay for it, bearing in mind there's a baby living there...not sure if it's part of their jurisdiction. Where's there's one...are there more and all that.! Given me the shivers girl! :scared:

NedKelly

My wife found a 6ft. snake outside the front door one morning as she tried to leave. She called the emergency number and they laughed at her.

Timber Floor Au

Sounds like a red belly black. !!!

Buggers BITE !

We were workin southside, last year and got nipped a few times, buggers are aggressive !

Pollyana

Try the RSPCA, they should be able to help. Have also sent you a pm.

spalen

I am newly briefed on things slithery.

On the front page of the bayside times it says ' snake season' or something similar which is like ' hey its that time of year again ' meanwhile Im having palpitations trying to pick the paper up off the drive with visions of said slitherer striking me from within the rolled up paper... anyhoo....

You are supposed to :

1) Leave them alone, they generally move on
2) Do not get a stick and poke them , they'll bite you
3) Do not get a shovel and chop them in half , they'll bite you
4) Do not go and get your mates and laugh at it, they'll bite you
5) Leave them alone, did they say that already?

IF it is in your house ( by now Im on the floor in convulsions ) , close the doors to the inner part of the house so it cant go in any further (duh!) remember to block the bottom of the door so it cant slither under them into thee inner house. And open the outside doors so it can get back out.

General Advice was :
- Cut your grass
- Dont leave sheets of metal or other stuff out that make snake hidey-homes
- If you do get bitten you do NOT need the snake to take to hospital , (refer to 1,2,3,4,5 above) they swab the wound and get the venom type from that.

It is against the law to kill a snake (!) but not for the snake to kill you.

Apparently the snakes are looking for a mate and the warm weather means they are more mobile. (gulp)

Stitch

LOL, probably because I'm now a quivering wreck! Cheers for the post, it's one of those ones that will stay with me for a long time!

Cheers

Ginny

KatieStar

Thanks for all your replies. I apprecite the advice. I went out this am to hve a look for the snake. I could see under the peice of wood where it slithered without touching it. It was not there so did not bother phoning anyone as I didn't think they would come out when the snake had maybe moved on to pastures new.

Of course I would like them to search the garden for me to make sure, but I really doubt they would do that.

Katie

spalen

Really - the newspaper said they move on pretty regularly so dont worry its probably gone. Take the precautions (and get rid of that cover!).

Meanwhile.... Can you believe this ! in todays BBC News..

its ok cos its in america but even so Crikey! As Mr Steve Irwin would say.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4313978.stm

An unusual clash between a 6-foot (1.8m) alligator and a 13-foot (3.9m) python has left two of the deadliest predators dead in Florida's swamps.

The Burmese python tried to swallow its fearsome rival whole but then exploded.

The remains of the two giant reptiles were found by astonished rangers in the Everglades National Park.

The rangers say the find suggests that non-native Burmese pythons might even challenge alligators' leading position in the food chain in the swamps.


Clearly, if they can kill an alligator they can kill other species
Prof Frank Mazzotti

The python's remains with the victim's tail protruding from its burst midsection were found last week. The head of the python was missing.

"Encounters like that are almost never seen in the wild... And here we are," Frank Mazzotti, a University of Florida wildlife professor, was quoted as saying by the Associated Press news agency.

"They were probably evenly matched in size. If the python got a good grip on the alligator before the alligator got a good grip on him, he could win," Professor Mazzotti said.

He said the alligator may have clawed at the python's stomach, leading it to burst.

"Clearly, if they can kill an alligator they can kill other species," Prof Mazzotti said.

He said that there had been four known encounters between the two species in the past. In the other cases, the alligator won or the battle was an apparent draw.

Burmese pythons - many of whom have been dumped by their owners - have thrived in the wet and hot climate of Florida's swamps over the past 20 years.

Tiawamutu

EWWWLLLL :scared:

lucyb

That'll teach it for being such a greedy b*stard. That picture was horrific. :scared:

Neil S

Apparently there is a snake catcher in Brisbane called Geoff Jacobs but he'll cost you. Not sure how you contact him. You could try the Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service.

spalen

Snake Catcher? Dont you have to hang the carcase of a blackbird on your fence and tie three sticks at right angles to summon his services... haha sounds like something out of the dark ages...

' I needs me a snake catcher '

Bella Donna

Is he the snakes' equivalent of Crocodile Dundee?

Neil S

They have snake catchers in most of the big cities. There's one in Perth who rides a Harley and is called Bruce George.

Gosh I ought to claim something for advertising their services, shouldn't I.