Week Of The Snake Bite

[SkySoaringMagpie]

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/week-of-the-snak...00309-pv2i.html

A woman was bitten by a snake in the Blue Mountains this afternoon, the second attack today and the eighth in six days.

A NSW Ambulance spokeswoman said the woman, believed to in her 40s, was bitten on the foot on Hawkesbury Road at Winmalee just before 3pm.

She was taken to Nepean Hospital in a serious but stable condition, with "extreme pain" in her foot, the spokeswoman said.

It is not known what type of snake bit her.

In the early hours today, a snake handler was bitten on the face twice at his Aberdeen home in the upper Hunter region.

Five people were bitten in a three-hour period in different parts of the state on Saturday.

And a four-year-old boy spent two days in hospital after being bitten by a suspected red belly black snake at Badgerys Creek, in western Sydney last Thursday.

The Ambulance Service said the jump in snake bites could reflect "the high incidence of wet, overcast but warm conditions" combined with a few dry days here and there.

Australian Reptile Park general manager Mary Rayner said last month the park had recorded a "huge increase" in snake-identification requests on its website, as well as many phone calls.

[Sheilaheel02]

I was telling someone the other day that I used to ride two horses nearly every day, year round, when I was growing up and I had two encounters with snakes in all that time.

Now I don't get to ride nearly that often unfortunately, but I see them regularly when I'm riding out. I won't even ride in the long grass.

I had rarely heard of anyone losing a horse to snakebite either, but I lost one of mine a few weeks back and have heard of many other recent cases

Snakes coming around the house and biting me or my dogs is also a major concern.

I just think there are more of them and they are breeding up now that they are protected.

S

[Donna]

so the fact that we are taking much of their natural habitat and they are running out of places to hide wouldn't be a factor then?

Donna

[Sheilaheel02]

Yes, Donna I don't doubt that is also a factor. We are having that impact on numerous species of wildlife all over the country. Around here though they find a way to justify rounding up the Kangaroos and culling them while simultaneously having legislation to protect poisonous snakes.................

S

[Liebhunde]

Two of our dogs were killed by an Eastern Brown two weeks ago. In their own back yard and within minutes of each other. It had come from a bushy reserve behind us and was nearly six foot long. The dogs had attacked it and naturally were bitten repeatedly.....no hope. two months earlier..same story next door, but in their garage. Day before yesterday..a black snake killed the same neighbours new pup.

[Liebhunde]

Double post...but its the weather conditions I think is the reason.....very warm and humid equals active snakes.

Edited March 9, 2010 by Liebhunde

[Sheilaheel02]

I'm so sorry to hear about your loss Leibhund

S

[Liebhunde]

Thank you....not the Danes...our two others, A Pointer cross and a Mastiff cross. Very distressing end for them though.

[Diva]

Sorry to hear that Liebhunde.

I was very suprised to see two dead snakes on roads around here over the past week. I usually see no more than one all summer and I didn't realise they were active in this type of weather. It has scared me off my usual walking routes for a while, we'll be sticking to the footpaths for a bit.

[Rozzie]

We lost our little JRT Minnie and Peter, our donkey, a couple weeks ago. red belly got Minnie and she ripped into the snake. Peter was bitten by a brown.

[Liebhunde]

My son lives in suburban Nth Richmond and found a shed brown snake skin in the yard!! Im very wary now when Im out there and also at home. Wouldnt dream of going for a walk in the local paddocks.

Rozzie what a shame about Minnie and Peter. Damn brown snakes..they are aggresive buggars.