Whats The Best Way To Stop Snakes

[griff]

Hi Boxagirl it was around 2 or 3 foot long .

[D4DOGZ]

hope these links will help:

http://pet-snakes.com/how-keep-snakes-away-home

http://www.aaanimalcontrol.com/snake-keep-away.htm

http://www.ehow.com/video_4950637_keep-sna...from-house.html

Thanks Paul Bright, i will check them out

[D4DOGZ]

walking out in my front yard to ther mail box at 2pm yesterday arvo

looked to my left and saw a head sticking out

of a very very small crack in the path

which totally had be dumbfounded how it got in there

yep a Brown :nahnah:

snake man came and took him away .

Do you get Many where you are?

Does the Snake man Charge you to take them away?

[griff]

Yes I get charged to have them removed 1 guy charges $50.00

the other guy just wants some fuel money .

I have lived here 24 years and seen 4 in that time 3 in my front yard , 1 in the back yard .

[OSoSwift]

Geez Griff I wish I had only seen that many and it would be nice if we could get someone to remove them. We have two local volunteeers but by the time they get out here they would have hidden somewhere. They also work in other jobs

[OSoSwift]

I have just spent another 5 hours doing more snake proofing on the dog runs! I have another day and need some more supplies before I can finish.

It will then be snake meshed to the roof.

I am attatching shade cloth around the bottom - which is snake meshed but I am not totally happy with some little gaps around the bottom. This will then be dug into the ground. All the gaps around the bricks and between the bricks and the back of the roof will be filled with expanding foam and/or steel wool.

I hope that stops them! I am really stressed because of all the snakes we have this year.

My friend that works at the vets has seen heaps of bites, but many are just not making it in and some live quite close.

Very scary stuff!

[idigadog]

We have our dog yards and house yard completely snake proofed - or so we thought! Three snake bites this year over January and March which resulted in losing one of our gorgeous yearlings, Drifter.

Last Friday, I had the 10 week old puppy in our house yard as my four year old son was playing with him while I was doing poo-patrol (as you do ;) ). I decided to let the puppy's sire into the house yard as well and not even 5 minutes later, he had caught a bleedin tiger snake Where he found it, was less than 2 metres from where Caleb has his digging pit with all his trucks and cars.

Someone must have been watching over us because if Cooper hadn't found it, I hate to think what may have happened. Needless to say, Cooper was the hero of the moment and I cannot believe he wasn't bitten or worse, that the snake didn't get the puppy or Caleb ;)

[OSoSwift]

Goodness me Cooper is a very special boy. And thankfully not bitten.

I have had my dog runs for 10 years. They have had what they have on them for that time. I have found two very small pencil thin snakes in there over that 10 years. Until I squashed one ( around 40cms long) in the top of the gate just above my head!

I am thankful I didn't get bitten, but I was soo thankful neither of the dogs were bitten because god knows how it got in or how long it had been in there for!

Ours have all been tigers so far. No browns as yet.

[idigadog]

Cooper must have got it at the right moment. He bit it in half ;) before I could get to him. It would have been over a metre long.

We had a brown get into the yard in January and that was when Rookie was bitten. Two days in ICU and he recovered really well. March was a baby tiger which would have been no thicker than my ring finger and less than a foot long. It killed Drifter and also put Sully into ICU for two days.

How did they get in? We have no idea Our yards have shade mesh (the thickest grade you can buy) all the way up the cyclone fencing as well as buried a foot into the ground. Gaps have been filled up with bird netting that has been scrunched so tightly you would have a hard time getting it out. Unfortunately, I have now gone to the extent of putting bird netting all around the bottom of our dog yards. I didn't want to do it, and I know what people think of those that use it, but you know what, when it comes to protecting my family I will go to any length ;) We check the netting twice a day to make sure there are no lizards caught and IF by chance we get a snake in it, well I'm afraid that I will be jumping for joy.

The tiger snake that was in Caleb's yard, we think may have been in the retaining wall over winter and it wouldn't surprise me if it was from the same batch as the baby one we had in March. So I guess in essence I have trapped them in but what else can I do?

[OSoSwift]

YEp even the little ones are very deadly.

I have been told that even though they need to bite an unfluffy area on the dog to envenomate - shorter fangs, as they are young they have no control over how much venom they inject and unlike the adults who can chose the amount of venom or deliver a "dry" bite so they can be just as deadly if not more so. They are also quite feisty if accidentally suprised!

WE were walking out of the garage and I saw something flivking around about a metre from Lewis who was totally oblivious and it was a tiny baby snake going right off. Luckily well out of striking range.

I can understand you using the bird mesh. Yes it isn't nice and you must check often as you do and dispatch of any snake caught in there quickly. But sometimes you just have to protect those within your small patch of turf

ETA - the small snakes needing a shorted haired area isn't very comforting for me - all my dogs hair is thin and short!

Edited November 5, 2010 by OSoSwift

[Erny]

I have been told that even though they need to bite an unfluffy area on the dog to envenomate - shorter fangs ...

I don't quite understand that. Sure, I can understand there may be more chance of a 'miss' on a longer/heavier coated dog by comparison to a short haired dog, but I wouldn't think a snake "needs" an unfluffy area on the dog to envenomate. Mind you - I'm no expert and I'm not asserting anything here as I truly do not know, but it is something that I'm inclined to query.

... as they are young they have no control over how much venom they inject and unlike the adults who can chose the amount of venom or deliver a "dry" bite so they can be just as deadly if not more so.

I've heard this before and as it did then (but I didn't take the time to ask) it again raises a query in my mind, that being : Does a snake really think to itself "hey, I won't deliver venom on this one" ??? I mean, why wouldn't it? What has it got to lose? Why not play on the safe side (from the snake's point of view)? What is it that would make the snake NOT deliver venom? Not aiming this question at you OSS (although if you are a snake expert, then yes I am ) but I would like an answer to satisfy my curiosity.

[OSoSwift]

I have been told that even though they need to bite an unfluffy area on the dog to envenomate - shorter fangs ...

I don't quite understand that. Sure, I can understand there may be more chance of a 'miss' on a longer/heavier coated dog by comparison to a short haired dog, but I wouldn't think a snake "needs" an unfluffy area on the dog to envenomate. Mind you - I'm no expert and I'm not asserting anything here as I truly do not know, but it is something that I'm inclined to query.

... as they are young they have no control over how much venom they inject and unlike the adults who can chose the amount of venom or deliver a "dry" bite so they can be just as deadly if not more so.

I've heard this before and as it did then (but I didn't take the time to ask) it again raises a query in my mind, that being : Does a snake really think to itself "hey, I won't deliver venom on this one" ??? I mean, why wouldn't it? What has it got to lose? Why not play on the safe side (from the snake's point of view)? What is it that would make the snake NOT deliver venom? Not aiming this question at you OSS (although if you are a snake expert, then yes I am :p ) but I would like an answer to satisfy my curiosity.

NOt an expert Erny, just have to live with lots of them unfortunately!

The idea with the less fluffy are is basically the fact they have small mouths and short fangs so if they strike at a fluffy say full BC coat they are more likely to get a mouth full of fluff and not get close to the skin. If they get the dog on the short coat say on the face or legs then they are more likely to be able to penetrate the skin. IT doesn't have to be short coated to bite, just they are more likely to succeed in gaining envenomation

Snakes from what I have been told by a snake guy will generally not waste venom on something that they cannot eat, unless they are in potential mortal danger. If they struck at everything they waste venom and they only make it at a certain rate. So if they struck and envenomated 50 large things they couldn't eat, then when they came across something they could eat they may not have much venom or concenration of venom to use. If of course a dog is razzing them up they will highly likely get killed so they will envenomate to attempt to nullify the danger. I am told that quite often a snake that has something get to close it will strike to get the danger to go away, and realistically that would be me gone for dust. They quite often don't envenomate at that time if they contact as it is more a warning which is quite often heeded. If the danger does not move away then they do envenomate.

I have personally found the young babies seem to arc up really quickly and are very quick to open their mouths and go hell for leather to strike, heads flattened out, even when you are not really close. The adults tend to try getting away and only arc up when cornered or attacked.

I am quite sure though that there are people on here that know way more than me I am just going on what I have been told in the past.

I do agree with the concentration of venom thing though as the dogs we used to get at the beginning of the snake season took more antivenom to treat and went down hill faster as a general rule that those towards the end of the snake season. We had a higher rate of success from around half way through the snake season.

My friend who works at the vet has said many are just not making it in even when they dog has been seen being bitten by the snake and they have hoofed it for town.

Edited November 6, 2010 by OSoSwift

[idigadog]

We have been told that also. Snakes at the beginning of the season have a higher concentration of venom because they have just awoken from winter hibernation. Not sure if it's true though as our boy Drifter was killed mid March, which is towards the end of the season no?

Pretty sure Drifter was bitten around the mouth and that's why we lost him so quickly. As to where Sully was bitten, we have no idea but we're guessing that he copped maybe the second or third hit from the same snake that killed Drifter. Sully did not show any signs of venimation until 14 hours after I found them with the snake :p

Rookie was bitten on the chest by the brown and we only know that because we saw it happen. Lots of fur there but it certainly didn't protect him. Two vials of anti-venom for that little mishap

[Guest Pandii]

Have spent the day cleaning up here too, so as to discourage the snakes, 3 already this season, scary stuff, for some reason we have alot of frogs this year too, they swim int he dogs water.

So no rubbish ouside, all plants trimed and lawns short, no water and no dog food left anywhere

I hope any more we see are passing through and not staying

[D4DOGZ]

Rookie was bitten on the chest by the brown and we only know that because we saw it happen. Lots of fur there but it certainly didn't protect him. Two vials of anti-venom for that little mishap :p

Thats where Buster was bitten Last Year, on the chest and he needed two vials as well as a Blood Tranfuxion, The Vet Shaved his Chest as it like a Blood Blister due to the effects of the Brown.

[idigadog]

Aww poor Buster. It's such an awful thing to go through. Rookie reacted really badly to the anti-venom. The second vial was actually put into his drip and given to him over a period of 5-6 hours. The black tar that he produced for the next two weeks was absolutely disgusting.

Rookie's sister was bitten by a Red Belly about a month ago. She developed a severe infection and was kept sedated at the vets for about a week and a half. I had never heard of a dog reacting that bad to a black snake. I worry greatly as to what damage has been done to her internal organs and whether she will be able to race again in the future. She doesn't live with me so I don't know all the details as to what her bloods revealed.

[D4DOGZ]

Aww poor Buster. It's such an awful thing to go through. Rookie reacted really badly to the anti-venom. The second vial was actually put into his drip and given to him over a period of 5-6 hours. The black tar that he produced for the next two weeks was absolutely disgusting.

Rookie's sister was bitten by a Red Belly about a month ago. She developed a severe infection and was kept sedated at the vets for about a week and a half. I had never heard of a dog reacting that bad to a black snake. I worry greatly as to what damage has been done to her internal organs and whether she will be able to race again in the future. She doesn't live with me so I don't know all the details as to what her bloods revealed.

Did the Vet give Rookie antihistamains (sp) first, every time Busters been Bitten ( 3x ) they have given them first, in case of a reaction, apparently its because the antivenin is from Horses and Dogs can be alergic to Horses, this is what one of the Vets told me.

Its really upsetting watching them wait while the antohistamin works before they get the AntiVenein in, this is when i break down and get nervous.

Busters first bite was a Red Belly Black at the end of the season, he came through that really well.

But after the Two Browns last year he has aged so much ( he was just over 4 1/2 when it happened ) He also has issues with his Kidneys, we have taken him to a Chiropractor, who helped a lot with manipulation and laser treatment.

I hope Rookie and his Sister never see another snake, what Breed are they?

[OSoSwift]

We have been told that also. Snakes at the beginning of the season have a higher concentration of venom because they have just awoken from winter hibernation. Not sure if it's true though as our boy Drifter was killed mid March, which is towards the end of the season no?

Pretty sure Drifter was bitten around the mouth and that's why we lost him so quickly. As to where Sully was bitten, we have no idea but we're guessing that he copped maybe the second or third hit from the same snake that killed Drifter. Sully did not show any signs of venimation until 14 hours after I found them with the snake :p

Rookie was bitten on the chest by the brown and we only know that because we saw it happen. Lots of fur there but it certainly didn't protect him. Two vials of anti-venom for that little mishap

They are of course daedly at any time of year, however my belief from what I have been told is that the venom is less concentrated towards the end of the season. There are many variables including how good a bite the snake got in, how much venom was injected, when they had their last bite was and where on the dog the bite occured. Quite often the actual spot of the bite is unknown. Sometimes you may find swelling or bleeding at the bite site.

An adult snake with the full power of it's strike behind it would be able to get through fur. It would be the babies that would struggle to get through lots of hair.

The fact that Sully didn't show signs of snake bite until 14 hours after would lead you to believe that the concentration of venom was low or the snake didn't get a good bite and amount of venom in.

I have completed phase two of trying to more snake proof the dogs runs. One more day should have it licked. Then I hope I make it too hard for them and they go elsewhere.

[idigadog]

Did the Vet give Rookie antihistamains (sp) first, every time Busters been Bitten ( 3x ) they have given them first, in case of a reaction, apparently its because the antivenin is from Horses and Dogs can be alergic to Horses, this is what one of the Vets told me.

Its really upsetting watching them wait while the antohistamin works before they get the AntiVenein in, this is when i break down and get nervous.

Busters first bite was a Red Belly Black at the end of the season, he came through that really well.

But after the Two Browns last year he has aged so much ( he was just over 4 1/2 when it happened ) He also has issues with his Kidneys, we have taken him to a Chiropractor, who helped a lot with manipulation and laser treatment.

I hope Rookie and his Sister never see another snake, what Breed are they?

Re the antihistamine - I don't know! We live about 25 minutes from the vet and by the time we got him in there it would have been close to 45-50 minutes so they had to act fast. I must ask them next time

Your poor Buster. Yes I can imagine that it has aged him. Two hits in quick succession, he's lucky to be still here with you :p

Our dogs are Siberians, so high prey drive and buckley's chance of them ever leaving a snake alone!!

[OSoSwift]

Not sure what your vets do, but at my vets they routinely give antihistamines when giving antivenon, along with other stuff including Vit B, C and anti inflammatories from memory. I think it is recommended to give antihistamines as vaccine reaction is not uncommon.

Gosh brings back some awful memories and the dogs we have treated, fought hard for and very occasionally lost. I hated every summer when working at the vets for that very reason.