Greytmate Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 nd listen out for your birds. Most of mine were alerted by the Mickey Minors and Magpies. If the birds go into alert we stop what we are doing and go and check This morning the kookas were going off their heads about something. So I went outside to look and one had a small snake in its mouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 What about Copperheads whos main (or only) diet is frogs. What about them? Lots of snakes love frogs. Lots of birds love frogs as well. So do foxes, cats, bats, and quolls. Platypus live on the edge of water bodies. That's their habitat. Doesn't mean they are going to come live in your yard because you have dog bowls full of water. I believe that water definitely is a factor in snake populations.... in particularly, the Copperhead species. I think you will find water is definitely a factor in any population of pretty much any species of animal on earth. With a few exceptions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PossumCorner Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 .... on a cold and frosty morning in Nortons park. .... Thas scary. I always stopped by Jells or Nortons to photograph birds last year. Never saw a snake, not even around the lake. Have never seen one on our place either, though we are bordered by Glen Harrow Gardens, Sherbrooke Forest and the Puffing Billy line-side forest reserve. There must be plenty around but have not seen one here in ten years. Might need to get used to them from next week, and I do worry about the ponies in the paddocks as well as the dogs. Do rabbits actually "attract" snakes. We had our final inspection of the property the other evening, and there must have been twenty rabbits frisking around between the dam and the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic.B Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 nd listen out for your birds. Most of mine were alerted by the Mickey Minors and Magpies. If the birds go into alert we stop what we are doing and go and check Yes, birds have been great at letting me know there is something odd going on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic.B Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 (edited) What about Copperheads whos main (or only) diet is frogs. What about them? Lots of snakes love frogs. Lots of birds love frogs as well. So do foxes, cats, bats, and quolls. Platypus live on the edge of water bodies. That's their habitat. Doesn't mean they are going to come live in your yard because you have dog bowls full of water. I believe that water definitely is a factor in snake populations.... in particularly, the Copperhead species. I think you will find water is definitely a factor in any population of pretty much any species of animal on earth. With a few exceptions. I guess the difference is that birds, foxes, cats, bats, quolls and platypus dont have the potential to kill your animals or heaven forbid your children. I have never seen a fox, bird, cat, bat, quoll or platypus in my yard, or any other animals for that matter who pose a threat. As you have already said, water is a factor for any species of animal. Edited August 30, 2011 by Nic.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Well where I live we get a lot. The Tigers seem to like water and are quite regularly found in or very close to it including buckets and troughs, so I guess life experience tells me that if I have water around and close to my house they will seek out the water I have out as I have seen them doing just that, but hey what would I know I only live with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Do rabbits actually "attract" snakes. No! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missymoo Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 My friend who is a vet on the border of Vic just had thier first snake bite yesterday, so far the dog is doing ok... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Well where I live we get a lot. The Tigers seem to like water and are quite regularly found in or very close to it including buckets and troughs, so I guess life experience tells me that if I have water around and close to my house they will seek out the water I have out as I have seen them doing just that, but hey what would I know I only live with them. I have lived around a lot of buckets and troughs and never seen any snake of any species around or in them. But hey, what would I know, I only live around buckets of water in snake territories. My aunt and uncle lived for years above a small creek where they had seen a Tiger snake. They had a pond stocked with small frogs and water dishes for the dogs and never saw a Tiger in their yard. Does it mean Tigers don't seek out water dishes or ponds? No. Tigers are complex creatures and we don't entirely understand how they use their microhabitats and what drives their movements. Maybe that Tiger dropped by regularly and was never seen. Maybe it was never seen becuase it never went up there. Maybe a neighbour had a pond the snake liked better. I'm not picking on you or refuting what you have seen. I am not saying you are wrong. I am suggesting you may not have the full story and therefore your conclusions might be premature. What makes your experiences more truthful than anyone else's? You say you've seen them seeking out water, suddenly someone else realises they have seen them near water, and someone else sees one curled up by the ceramic water bowl where the temperature is just right, or under a trough where there is shelter and now snakes seeking out water is conventional wisdom. That's how all the silliness about snakes not sharing yards with Blue-togues and so on comes about. Anything dangerous tends to be surrounded by myths. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 (edited) Whatever I have Guinea Pigs and have never seen a snake neither their house or lost one. I do know of one Guinea Pig that was bitten by a snake, but I doubt it would have been because the snake was attracted, more just wrong time/place senario Edited August 30, 2011 by OSoSwift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkySoaringMagpie Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 I think this post from a few years ago on DOL is the most sensible advice you can read on this subject: http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/71657-when-snakes-attack/page__view__findpost__p__1176684 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snake catcher Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 (edited) i have been out to quite a few snakes in the last month and im predicting that that with this weather the way it is we will see our fair share. If anyone sees a snake and they dont want it there they really need to ring their local catcher. A lot of people just kill them but this in itself is iilegal and dangerous. If anyone needs any more snake related information, dont hesitate to contact me. There is a phonenumber at the bottom of this news article from last week. Snake Catcher Article Edited August 31, 2011 by snake catcher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nic.B Posted August 31, 2011 Author Share Posted August 31, 2011 I think this post from a few years ago on DOL is the most sensible advice you can read on this subject: http://www.dolforums.com.au/topic/71657-when-snakes-attack/page__view__findpost__p__1176684 Thank You There is some really good advice. I have been sitting here cracking myself up at some of the DOLer comments, so funny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 (edited) Friends of mine have just come back from one of their regular holiday trips to Holland and Switzerland. Showed some beautiful photo shots of the country-side and national parks where they ARE allowed to have dogs (off lead) and where tracks are even made for the purpose. I love Australia and I don't hate snakes so much that I think they should be killed, but I do like the thought of being able to enjoy the beauty of nature in the country/bush in beautiful sunny weather with one's dog WITHOUT the fear that your dog would be likely to come across a snake, as is the case here in Australia. Edited August 31, 2011 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dotdashdot Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 i have been out to quite a few snakes in the last month and im predicting that that with this weather the way it is we will see our fair share. If anyone sees a snake and they dont want it there they really need to ring their local catcher. A lot of people just kill them but this in itself is iilegal and dangerous. If anyone needs any more snake related information, dont hesitate to contact me. There is a phonenumber at the bottom of this news article from last week. Snake Catcher Article Thanks for posting that link. I'm a snake and dog lover and I hate hearing about people killing snakes just because they were a potential threat. I've had the misfortune of losing a dog (not in my care at the time) to a snake bite, a most beloved puppy only 6 months old but I definately don't blame the snake for using it's ONLY defence. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snake catcher Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I hate being called out to a snake and finding it has killed the family pet. In feb this year i was called to a place in Rosebud Victoria and the guy had his pet staffy that had died and it was still on the couch and this guy was so grief striken, He was in his 30s and shared a house with his mum. and his mum was worried about his mental state ect.. After a short walk out the back i found the tigersnake that had killed the dog on a track that led to the beach. It was also dead and pretty mangled. So basicly, there must have been a hell of a fight and both the animals were mortally wounded. The snake was not actually on the property and if the dog had been contained, or trained,the tragedy could have been averted. If your dog is in the habit of killing or harrassing a bluetongue lizard,or even if it has just attacked one, then its chances of being bitten are hugely increased. Every callout i have been to involving snakebite to a dog has been because the dog has attacked a snake. Dogs can be trained not to attack snakes if are not against the use of the remote control pulse collar and a pet bluetongue or pet snake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RallyValley Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I hate being called out to a snake and finding it has killed the family pet. In feb this year i was called to a place in Rosebud Victoria and the guy had his pet staffy that had died and it was still on the couch and this guy was so grief striken, He was in his 30s and shared a house with his mum. and his mum was worried about his mental state ect.. After a short walk out the back i found the tigersnake that had killed the dog on a track that led to the beach. It was also dead and pretty mangled. So basicly, there must have been a hell of a fight and both the animals were mortally wounded. The snake was not actually on the property and if the dog had been contained, or trained,the tragedy could have been averted. If your dog is in the habit of killing or harrassing a bluetongue lizard,or even if it has just attacked one, then its chances of being bitten are hugely increased. Every callout i have been to involving snakebite to a dog has been because the dog has attacked a snake. Dogs can be trained not to attack snakes if are not against the use of the remote control pulse collar and a pet bluetongue or pet snake. I know she was likely the exception rather then the rule but my old girl Lilly used to kill blue tounges however when she saw a snake she would stand rock steady and alert bark until we noticed, then recall back inside. My current two saw a blue tongue yesterday and proud to report they both seemed a bit frightened of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snake catcher Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Some dogs are smart like that but a lot of the time the dog can not tell the difference between one reptile and onother. So i usually advise trying to make a snakeproof enclosure, coutyard, ... area and if you live in a snakey area,,like Australia, then at least you can feel secure about your dogs not coming into contact with them. But the best thing is to teach the dog not to attack, but just alert you. Seems you have unwittingly done this already and any tips you can supply relating to what you did could come in handy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kia Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 snake season terrifies me...I have had several browns in dog areas over the years but the worst time was when I got home from work one day. Hubby had let the dogs out and I found them playing with a dead baby brown . Have had a few close calls with dogs and snakes passing each other <shudder> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluedeer Posted September 1, 2011 Share Posted September 1, 2011 The snakes are out already but they will probably still be a bit sluggish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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