Warning Re Snakes

[griff]

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/local/6910526...s-out-reptiles/

Experts are warning that warm weather combined with the recent rain across large parts of Australia has increased the prevalence of snake sightings and attacks.

Two people have sustained dangerous snake bites in New South Wales in the past 24 hours, while six people in Queensland were taken to hospital today after being bitten.

A woman in her 40s is in a serious condition in hospital after being bitten on the foot by a snake in the Blue Mountains, making her the eighth victim in six days in NSW.

She was taken by ambulance from her house in Winmalee to Nepean Hospital.

Among those treated in Queensland was a 15-month-old boy who was taken to Bundaberg Hospital with puncture wounds to his stomach.

Meanwhile a 26-year-old man was taken to Ipswich Hospital with a suspected brown snake bite.

Last night a snake handler was bitten twice on the face by a deadly eastern brown snake at his home at Aberdeen in the Upper Hunter Valley.

The 38-year-old snake handler was given antivenom and is recovering in hospital in a stable condition.

Dr Jane Melville, a herpetologist from Museum Victoria, says the face is a strange place to be bitten and a snake handler is an unlikely victim.

"Often professional snake handlers are careful and take precautions in what they're doing," she said.

"There are situations where people need to handle snakes with their hands of course, but I would say it is unusual to have a snake near your face."

The usual precautions include the use of heavy canvas bags and snake sticks that allow handlers to keep snakes a safe distance from their body most of the time.

Dr Melville says the eastern brown is not especially inclined to attack people.

"I wouldn't say it's an aggressive snake looking to bite people," she said.

"It's usually a situation it's put in that leads it to try to bite people."

Feeling the heat

A spokesman for Sydney's Taronga Zoo says the warm weather and rain has brought the snakes out.

"The warm weather means it's peak snake season, and the bit of rain we've had brings out other animals which the snakes eat," the spokesman said.

"Our advice is to give them a wide berth where possible."

An ambulance spokesman advises snake bite victims to remain still to prevent venom being pumped through the lymphatic system and to apply a pressure bandage to the affected area and dial triple 0.

Warwick Dyer from the Australian Reptile Park says if someone is bitten too many times, the antivenom can make them sick.

"There's a thing called serum sickness. Basically it's a foreign object going into your body attacking the venom and your body doesn't like that, so naturally it's going to react to it," he said.

- *ABC/AAP*

[frufru]

Yep, a brown snake in hubby's school yesterday - they blocked it off in a cupboard and got the snake catcher - he gave them top marks because they had someone watch it until he arrived and knew exactly where it was . He said people often phone him and then go for a cuppa - meanwhile snake has moved to a differrent part of the house!!!!

[OSoSwift]

We haven't seen to many this year. A few years ago we had heaps up near the house, and one in the wall for a day.

We have only had four near the house (as in around 6 feet away from us!) this year.

Three too many for me as I really don't like them. I have seen quite a number down the farm though going about their business.

Edited March 10, 2010 by Rommi n Lewis

[dianed]

My young dog hasn't learnt that we do not chase snakes. She thinks everything small that moves is fair game. On our walk this afternoon near the dam she chased a black snake but this time I wasn't close enough to see what happened, I ran and threw a large stick to separate them. To be on the safe side we went to the vet, but after 2 hours she wasn't showing any signs and we couldn't find any marks, so we came home.

I,ll be glad when this snake season is over, had way to many around the place..........

[snake catcher]

When you see a snake and if your calling a snake catcher, the best thing is to keep an eye on the snake till your catcher gets to your place.

Once you take your eyes off it the snake will disappear.

They can vanish into a tuft of grass and this will make capture a lot harder.

Yesterday i had to go to my local rspca pound in Pearcedale to pick up a young copperhead.

The good and caring people there had already caught the young snake and it was in a chinese food container when i arrived.

I congratulted the young girl who caught it and told her she had done well.

I found out later that she had been reprimanded by her boss for getting to close to it.

Well, i think she's a little hero anyway.

The article in this instance is not to bad.The media love to sensationalise snake bite and here they used the words snake attack.

I believe snakes dont attack people or dogs, but the bites that occur are when a snake is in fear and defending itself.

If anyone has snake related questions, please dont hesitate to ask me.

Cheers

Edited March 12, 2010 by snake catcher

[Kirislin]

I've only seen one this whole Summer and that was 3 days ago, it was dead just outside my place, I moved it off the road. I dont know if it's a RBB or copperhead, snake experts, can you tell me? The poor thing had alot of blood around its mouth and I photoshopped it out so it wouldn't look so gruesome.

Edited March 11, 2010 by Kirislin

[snake catcher]

That is a copperhead snake kirislin.

Very common, venomous, shy snake.

Not dangerous unless it is scared.

Red bellied blacks are shiny jet black on top

with red side scales and a white belly.

Copperheads can be very dark brown on top with reddish

orange or cream coloured side scales and yellowish belly scales.

Both these snakes are cannibals and actively eat other snakes.

[Kirislin]

thanks for indentifying it. I initally though RBB but then I wasn't so sure. Yes they are shy, a few years ago my 5 dogs had bailed one up near the back door at home while I was out. Even though I could see they'd bitten it, it still didn't try to attack, it just wanted to hide. The only time it bit was when I picked it up with long handled bbq tongs, it turned and bit them. I plonked it in a bucket and released it in the Nat Park just up the road. Lucky for me and the dogs it wasn't a tiger, we have them here too.

[snake catcher]

Poor tiger snakes cop a bad rap.

They are no where near as bad as some people might have you believe.

I have been working with these animals for many years now and

i am yet to find an aggressive tiger snake.

Like copperheads, they just want to be left alone.

I am a bit biased i spose, as i keep a few tigers as pets and they are very endearing once you get to know them..

It is a myth they are aggressive, in fact they are commonly used in displays and snakeshows because they are so good to work with.

In the old days snakehandlers and showmen would use tigersnakes for the show and many of these showmen would say how dangerous and aggressive they were to try to make the show more interesting and make themselves look like heros.

It was these guys that have perpetuated the tigersnake myth.