Happy Year Of The Snake

[Sheilaheel02]

Thanks for posting the link to the gate Espinay. I would say the mesh would need to be a minimum of a metre high, perhaps more. I've seen a startled brown go vertically up my garage door looking for a way into the garage. It would have been almost a metre up it I swear. Also, when the new kennels are up I will make sure all mesh is on the oustide of the run. If it is on the inside then I reckon a snake could climb up between the bigger mesh and the snake mesh if it was seriously wanting to get in and the dogs can damage it. It's a bugger to work with though, the mesh is really fiddly and sharp.

[griff]

I have seen snakes at different hours of the day morning, lunch ,early afternoon and dusk

I really dont think they keep time of when to come out at all.

Yes all snakes will slither up to where ever they want to go .

I watched an ABC show the other week and a catcher went to catch a RBB the darn thing

went up his trouser leg he stood still and then he undid his pants

got the lady home owner to help balance him as he keep his left leg out straight as he sat down

got lady to very slowy take off his boot and then his pants he was then able to stand up and catch the snake

NOW if that was me I would be a screaming babbling mess

Do like that Link on snake proofing a dog run the door is a good idea .

[espinay2]

Thanks for posting the link to the gate Espinay. I would say the mesh would need to be a minimum of a metre high, perhaps more. I've seen a startled brown go vertically up my garage door looking for a way into the garage. It would have been almost a metre up it I swear. Also, when the new kennels are up I will make sure all mesh is on the oustide of the run. If it is on the inside then I reckon a snake could climb up between the bigger mesh and the snake mesh if it was seriously wanting to get in and the dogs can damage it. It's a bugger to work with though, the mesh is really fiddly and sharp.

Yes, I was thinking just cover the whole darn fence with the stuff LOL! It certainly is horrid stuff to use - I use it on the smaller poultry pens and that is bad enough. Outside would be best, as you say. Would be great to see a photo of your new snake proof kennels once done.Looks like we both have a bit of work ahead of us

Edited January 13, 2013 by espinay2

[Guest crickets]

I don't believe there is any practical or reasonably affordable way to build a 'snake proof dog yard'. You can certainly minimise risks, but the plain fact is if a rodent can burrow under it the snakes can get in. I've never seen a fence that was rodent proof! I remember a case where a dog breeder had spent many thousands on concrete bases, concrete well down into the ground under the fence line, colourbond into the concrete base, gates gaps barely 2mm wide.....you guessed it, they lost a dog to a snake in that yard. More likely because once it got in through a mouse hole it couldn't easily slip out when bailed up by the dog.

The best thing you can do is have a clean well maintained area and implement a good rodent control program.

And yes, I have lost dogs to snakes.

Edited January 14, 2013 by crickets

[espinay2]

I don't think anyone (certainly not me) expects a fence to eliminate risk. In my situation at least, having a clear dedicated area that can be easily monitored (not something I can do currently with sheds and tanks and other structures in our farm house yard) and a fence that is a deterrent to most snakes will certainly help to reduce risk significantly.

[zeebie]

All this snake talk must be catching

I arrived home from work last night much later then usual around 1130pm and my normal routine is upstairs turn spot light on then back down let dogs outside into yard for toilet (they have indoor toilet mats for when I am at work)take plastic bags out to catch any rampant cane toads lurking in shadows.

well being late I didn't go up and turn light on just opened back door and off they went running and jumping and happy to be out of heat and free :laugh:

Suddenly Ms 13 month old poodle is doing her impersonation of a hunting dog where she stands dead still nose pointing to ground and front leg up, if I respond she will back away and normally I swoop on offending cane toad, so I trot on over into darkness and she moves back and i grab with bag only to suddenly see I have long thin slippery tail in hand well it got let go very quickly and as this "something" slithered off I bolted calling dogs into house, I raced up turned on spot lights returned to see 30cm hatchling snake of undertermined identity laying on grass. my best guess was a small python, worst case scenario was an eastern Brown which is totally uncommon in my area but could have come in under neighbours car on return yesterday from their Xmas camping trip.

So not wanting it to take up residence and really wanting to properly identify reptile my country upbringing and brother who is heptologist came in handy to a degree. So while dogs howled and performed behind closed security door here I am attempting to encourage said beastie into specialised glass tank (lucky I had one handy)at 1am this morning. If it had been adult or bigger then 30cm I would have been on phone to brother to come visit, but with my snake loop and protection gear besides dying of heat exhaustion managed to manouver the thing into the lockable tank. Fiesty little thing obviously more scared then anything, but once contained settled nicely.

Happy ending for all identification varified as a juvenile Hemiaspis signata (Marsh snake)Said snakey is now safely taking trip far far away to a remote bushland sanctuary, obviously combination of local fires +heat had it come to use my rock pool and sprinkler spray. Just hope it didn't invite others to the party :laugh:

Have no problem meeting snakes in daylight hours but geez last thing I expected at night in my suburban back yard, so poor dogs will be having penned toilet area set up for night use now so I can closely monitor area prior to them going out.

I don't recommend everyone take this approach better to call in an expert especially if adult snake

Timely reminder to swat up on dog and human snake bite treatment and have kit at the ready.

Signs of snake bite in pets include:

* Sudden weakness followed by collapse.

* Fang marks may or may not be visible, due to dog or cat's hair.

* Bleeding puncture wound.

* Swelling of the bitten area; can be sever and progress for more than a day.

* Pain.

* Blood does not clot.

* Neurologic signs such as twitching, drooling, shaking or twitching of the muscles and difficulty blinking.

* Vomiting.

* Loss of bladder and bowel control.

* Dilated pupils.

* Ascending paralysis (hind legs affected first).

* Blood in urine.

If you think your pet has been bitten by a snake you should keep your pet calm & quiet and take it to a vet immediately.

applying a pressure bandage – a firm bandage over and around the bite site (if on a limb)- to help slow the venom spreading to the heart. Do NOT wash the wound or apply a tourniquet. Try to obtain good description of snake for ID purposes to help with treatment.

[Sheilaheel02]

Thanks for posting the link to the gate Espinay. I would say the mesh would need to be a minimum of a metre high, perhaps more. I've seen a startled brown go vertically up my garage door looking for a way into the garage. It would have been almost a metre up it I swear. Also, when the new kennels are up I will make sure all mesh is on the oustide of the run. If it is on the inside then I reckon a snake could climb up between the bigger mesh and the snake mesh if it was seriously wanting to get in and the dogs can damage it. It's a bugger to work with though, the mesh is really fiddly and sharp.

Yes, I was thinking just cover the whole darn fence with the stuff LOL! It certainly is horrid stuff to use - I use it on the smaller poultry pens and that is bad enough. Outside would be best, as you say. Would be great to see a photo of your new snake proof kennels once done.Looks like we both have a bit of work ahead of us

Will do espinay but don't hold your breath as crickets pointed out affordability is an issue. I have snake mesh on the current dog runs, but it was only meant to be a temporary measure until I could organize a more permanent set up. Hopefully, it will be six runs with a walkway in the middle and a colourbond roof and concrete floor. Still looking at various options and designs to keep snakes out but special attention will be paid to the external gate. I'm guessing the budget will run into $10k plus. Of course though, the dogs won't be permanently in them, mainly when not supervised, so when they are out hooning around the yard, they could still sniff out a snake.

Now that I have a JRT, the threat comes not only from snakes but a pair of breeding Wedge Tailed Eagles who regularly circle overhead. Happy for them to clean up the rabbit population (which is crazy ATM), but rather they didn't fly off with my little dog.

[zeebie]

I have seen a couple of places I like but they are surrounded by cane fields which I'm assuming snakes love - I think maybe more pythons than venomous

How far down do you have to bury the snakemesh and how high up is it requires to go.

Is it only pythons who climb (up into a high set Queensander) or do venomous snakes climb stairs and posts?

Cane fields = ALL snakes, they love it perfect environs for all the insects and rodents

I have seen a RBB up on a electricity cable going across between posts to get to a birds nest up top of the 20metre high post, so yep all snakes have the ability to climb anything and everywhere if determined enough, food source = snake alert.

[snake catcher]

The snake mesh work ok, but i like to reenforce it with shade cloth.
On large areas, like this one, there is always a chance of a snake finding its way in.
Especially if on the scent of a mouse.