Bit Of A Snake Scare Today

[Bullbreedlover]

OK so we have had some flooding around home over the last week. I thought to myself the other day that we needed to be on snake alert with all the water lying around.

But to be honest I didnt think we would actually see one. Until today.

Hubby was walking outside to go to the car before we went off to get groceries and called out to me.

Slithering across the yard behind one of the cars was a King Brown and he/she wasnt in a very good mood.

I immediately called out to the neighbour to give us a hand while hubby watched where the snake went to.

Just heading straight for the dog area.

Luckily I had made the decision not to put the dogs out in the outside runs and they were safely tucked up out of harms way.

The snake went into the garage and when he discovered that he could only get out one way he became really upset. Hubby thinks he may of been able to smell the dogs etc as he clearly was not happy.

So hubby and the neighbour relocated the snake.

We keep the grass in our section really short(hubby only mowed it yesterday) but unfortunately the neighbouring farmland grass is quite long and we are pretty sure where he came from as such.

So all in all it was quite nerve racking.

Now this is the first snake we have had(that we know of) anywhere near my furkids and us and I told hubby I would ask around about snake repellent stuff.

Has anyone got any recommendations or websites to visit please.

Thanks

edited topic

Edited December 30, 2010 by stonebridge

[mita]

I was recently talking to my SIL about snakes because she has issues with them on her property on the Mornington Peninsula.

She said that the snake-catcher had told her to be aware of setting up any food chain which attracts snakes. Like a pond brings the creatures that snakes prey on. Or outside lights at night attract the insects which then attract other creatures which prey on them....& snakes go after them.

She also said snakes like good cool hiding places, like provided by certain kinds of plants.

Then, by sheer chance, I saw info about something that claims to be a snake repeller via setting up pulsing vibration. Snakes are supposed to experience this as a 'danger zone'. The thingy is called The Sentinel & is solar powered. Claims a single unit 'protects' an area up to 600 square metres. This info was in a Grass Roots magazine, June/July 2010. Doesn't give a website, but an email & phone no.

I have no idea how proven this idea is, nor how proven this thingy is. Could be just snake-oil (sorry about that! )

I was going to photocopy it & send it to SIL who's the kind of person who'd check something out down to its sock-tops!

Edited December 30, 2010 by mita

[Bullbreedlover]

Thanks Mita

We also have our house on concrete poles so of course underneath is full of water ruts and is lovely and cool.

I am really hoping this is just a one off but better safe than sorry.

With farm land bordering two fences of our section(and the grass is not upkept by the owners) it looks like we have to do this ourselves to keep a really clear fence line.

[mita]

What do you know! Trust DOLers to have been there first.

There was a past thread asking about The Sentinel snake repeller.

http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=178349

The Qld Gov EPA isn't wildly helpful about how to avoid snakes getting close. But does show the ground conditions that won't encourage snakes near a house.

http://www.derm.qld.gov.au/wildlife-ecosys...ith_snakes.html

Edited December 30, 2010 by mita

[D4DOGZ]

OK so we have had some flooding around home over the last week. I thought to myself the other day that we needed to be on snake alert with all the water lying around.

But to be honest I didnt think we would actually see one. Until today.

Hubby was walking outside to go to the car before we went off to get groceries and called out to me.

Slithering across the yard behind one of the cars was a King Brown and he/she wasnt in a very good mood.

I immediately called out to the neighbour to give us a hand while hubby watched where the snake went to.

Just heading straight for the dog area.

Luckily I had made the decision not to put the dogs out in the outside runs and they were safely tucked up out of harms way.

The snake went into the garage and when he discovered that he could only get out one way he became really upset. Hubby thinks he may of been able to smell the dogs etc as he clearly was not happy.

So hubby and the neighbour relocated the snake.

We keep the grass in our section really short(hubby only mowed it yesterday) but unfortunately the neighbouring farmland grass is quite long and we are pretty sure where he came from as such.

So all in all it was quite nerve racking.

Now this is the first snake we have had(that we know of) anywhere near my furkids and us and I told hubby I would ask around about snake repellent stuff.

Has anyone got any recommendations or websites to visit please.

Thanks

edited topic

Don't waste your Money on the 'Snake Repellers'

I put 10 around my house last year after Buster had been bitten twice in 5 days by a Brown. We placed them closer than was suggested due to our fear.

This year we have caught two Browns in netting, one around the dog run approx 3 metres from a working 'Snake Repeller' i have a picture etc on this forum.

Then about 6 weeks ago the dogs were barking like crazy around the hot water service, so i suggested to my Husband to put netting around the base of the Hot water service, we came home to find another Brown caught in the netting, this is approx 2 metres from the Gate to the Dog Run. and the snake would have come past at least three working 'Snake Repellers'

We get Red Belly Blacks and Browns here, i have not seen a red belly black this year so maybe they deter them, but we will only use the netting.( and still have the usless repellers in the ground )

I check the netting several times a day and have only caught one Mouse and One willy Wagtail in it in over a year, the Willy Wagtail was removed succesfully.

Some people say it is cruel, to capture the snakes in it, but if the snake has got caught in netting around an area my dogs reside wilst iam not home i have saved my Dogs, because if the snake could get in the Area then i would have a Dead Snake and most likely a Dog or Three bitten as has previously happened.

I did e-mail the company about guarantees but have heard nothing, i also had the 'Snake Repellers' on my website, but they were removed as soon as i realaised they were a waste of Money.

Thank-fully i had not sold any.

You can purchase the netting from Bunnings it is in a roll and white, i believe so it is more easily seen by birds, which i would say is correct as we have a lot of Bird life more so around the Dog Area as they stir the dogs up and only had one Bird get tangled, it is a good price also. We use cable ties, pegs what ever is suitable for the area we are putting it, make sure you have a bunch at the bottom as well.

We had it go about 400mm high around fences etc.

Please note the brand of 'Snake repellers' i have are Sentinel, they are expensive for what they are ( as there is nothing at all to them ).

[D4DOGZ]

http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...c=208221&hl=

Hope this works this was the thread i started after the first Snake got past the repeller!

[dogfan]

Yikes! Glad you and your dogs are ok!

[Bullbreedlover]

Great stuff

After bringing in a big self propelled mower(which didnt work cause the grass was way too long) we managed to get hold of the farmer who owns the land next door and he is bringing his tractor down to mow a really big strip all along the boundary. So after he has done that we can at least maintain a mown strip on the outside.

We found another brown as we tried to mow this morning.

[dancinbcs]

Yep they are out and about. We met a brown in the park this morning on the edge of metro Sydney. First time I have seen one there next to the picnic tables. Luckily it had a clear plastic cup on its head and that made me notice it but one of my dogs got to within less than a metre of it before I noticed it and called her back.

Too close for comfort.

[OSoSwift]

I know how you feel, we have two types of brown and tiger snakes and a few others we see rarely.

I have had 9 near the house this year 4 activly trying to get into the dogs runs (snake mesh and shade cloth) and one "in" there, at least I squished it in the top of the door ABOVE my head after I had just walked trhough it!

We have 5 acres mowed around the house adn our adjoining paddocks are not wild with grasses either.

Fingers crossed you do not see any more!