OSoSwift Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 (edited) Many times, often on here, I have stated -in my state at least- you can dispatch snakes and it is not illegal. I have verified this and still been told I was wrong. I certainly do not advocate the killing of snakes especially when they are out in the bush doing their thing. This is purely for cases where you have a snake in your house/yards/right near your kids or pets etc. So. See I am not full of shit or a lier!!!! http://m.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-residents-allowed-to-kill-snakes-if-they-feel-threatened-20141021-119fke.html Edited January 23, 2016 by OSoSwift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I think it's definitely confusing. It would be hard to prove that a brown snake was trying to attack you - if you leave them alone they leave you alone... I do know people who routinely dispatch red belly black snakes that get too close to the house. And I also know that a lot of people get bit when they try to kill the snake - ie if they hadn't tried to kill the snake they would have been fine. Personally - I've shared a horse feed shed with a brown snake - who was extremely well fed - so we only saw him on the first warm day of spring and not any other time. We did try to get the snake catcher to relocate him but the snake catcher - said better to keep the snake who knows you and your habits and will stop other snakes moving in, than get a new one in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted January 23, 2016 Author Share Posted January 23, 2016 I know all of those things. I am merely point out it isn't illegal in WA as I have had many people tell me I waswrong and I am not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlaznHotAussies Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 It's easy to say that if you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone. But horses, dogs & children (my nieces are 2-3 year olds) may not know to leave them alone so I'd rather not take that chance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted January 23, 2016 Author Share Posted January 23, 2016 (edited) I believe two or 3 kids have been bitten in WA over the last week or so, plus one adult. One person picked up a snake got bitten repeatedly and died after refusing to seek treatment, that'sjust the Darwin awards in action. But yes. Easy to say ???? Edited January 23, 2016 by OSoSwift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlaznHotAussies Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 Yeah bit scary any snake around is a threat to my animals (chooks, dogs, horses - all very curious creatures) so unfortunately for Mr Snake Im not taking the risk. I do be careful not to run them over on the roads if they're just out around paddocks etc. I actually quite like snakes but not around my house because they're usually Gwardas and they're not friendly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teebs Posted January 23, 2016 Share Posted January 23, 2016 I was told this by WIRES, that we could only kill them if they attacked first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted January 23, 2016 Author Share Posted January 23, 2016 The Department of Park and Wildlife has confirmed WA residents can kill snakes without penalty - so long as they feel immediately threatened by the slithery customer. Read more: http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/wa-residents-allowed-to-kill-snakes-if-they-feel-threatened-20141021-119fke.html#ixzz3y4kfJu1O Follow us: @watoday on Twitter | WAtoday on Facebook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 I guess the best option is - if you feel threatened by the snakes - to dispatch safely and then bury deep between the trees in the orchard, and put a giant rock on top to stop the dogs digging it up. And don't tell anyone. Personally - been on so many farms where there is a large population of various snakes and very few critters get killed by them. My dog not being at all snake savvy - I keep her on lead so she can't go investigate. But the farmers generally dispatch any that appear in the house yard. Good idea to cut the head off and put that somewhere it can't bite anything accidentally... sigh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted January 24, 2016 Author Share Posted January 24, 2016 (edited) I live on a farm and we lose livestock reasonable often. A friend has lost 3 horses over time, my inlaws have lost at least 6 cats I know of, I have had one cat bitten. They have lost a couple of dogs. I worked in the local vets when there was 3 clinics, we treated in excess of 20 dogs a year, that was those that made it and those people wanted treated. May died before they got there or were euthed and never brought in. I have been part of a team fighting to save purple dogs who couldn't maintain their own airway, when someone had multiple dogs bitten we took turns ventilating by breathing down an et tube to keep the dog alive, then by hand as we had one ventilator. Its great in the area you know that snakes are not much of an issue. My area is reknowned for high snake numbers, defensive snakes and high incidences of losses. I have not had a dog bitten but am extremely vigilant and have had some close calls, I have come within inches of stepping on many, within feet of more and had one flick it's tongue out and "lick" my heel as it managed to pull it's head back just as I stepped out the door on my way to work and very nearly stepped on it. So yes, that is why they occassionally get dispatched. And yes you need to make sure they heads are not left sitting around and why we get jumpy!! Edited January 24, 2016 by OSoSwift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 That does sound bad - OSoSwift. Is there lots of open ground in your area or is it really scrubby with lots of long grass? I have ridden a Canberra Bike path with my feet on the handlebars as a snake headed across the path to the creek and then changed its mind. I had zero chance of stopping but fortunately snake got out the way and I missed it. Lots of long grass around that creek and trees and stuff. Out the back of the AIS. But where the horses lived, was mostly bare paddocks most of the time and all the horses were hand fed (hence snake in the feed shed). Didn't even lose one of the jack russells - tho one of my cousins occasionally loses a dog at her hobby farm house. Too much water close to the house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westiemum Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 I know and understand that others advocate for snakes - but I'm sorry I'm not one. I know its irrational but I've had a recurring nightmare about snakes since I was a small child and there's nothing I fear more. So as far as I'm concerned the only good snake is a dead one. Sorry snake lovers but I'm irrationally terrified of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dame Aussie Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 I don't think it's irrational. They can kill you! I don't like killing anything but if it came down to my child/family/dog etc I wouldn't hesitate to kill a snake. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted January 24, 2016 Author Share Posted January 24, 2016 (edited) We have 5 acres around our house that is mowed and has large trees, all long grass is either mowed or sprayed, so no no snakey areas as such. There are no flower beds, no shrubs no junk or wood piles. The paddocks around the house are grazed low especially over the warmer months to reduce fuel for fires and we have large mobs of livestock in there as much as possible as that seems to help keep them down a bit. The troughs in the paddocks are at the opposite side of the paddock to where the house it as much as is possible. We do have low lying wet areas and the closest one would be a good 1 to 2 kms as the crow flies, we have a couple of dams that are 2kms and up to 10kms from the house. We have done cool burns in the tree lines within a few kms of the house to reduce fuel loading and to reduce hidey holes for snakes. One thing we do now have in residence which we rarely saw before is King Skinks - they love to scare me on purpose I am sure - apparently they like to eat baby snakes??? Who knows but after a rather snakey start to peak season we haven't seen many snakes. Every year we lose 4 to 6 chooks when they go in after the eggs, this year we have only lost two, so lets hope the trend continues. Edited January 24, 2016 by OSoSwift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gillybob Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 If you have chooks you will have snakes, they come for the chicks, mice and rats and eggs and water. Snakes don't like to be out in the open so cleared areas around your home is the best thing to do. I have lived with many kinds of snakes, bitey and non bitey. Most just go on their way, but in mating seasons they can travel a long way, which brings them in contact with people. I had a foster JRT Loulou who went to live with my friend and her family out in the bush. She has been bitten twice, the second time a few months ago by a RBB. She has survived both times without antiv. Both times the snakes were near 'her' twin girls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivory & Beau Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 My cousin has two dogs and recently they had a dugite in their front yard. Hubby chopped it in half with a shovel and the front half slivered off. He had the impression it would die. It slivered towards the backyard but he left it. Next morning their JRT cross was found playing with the still alive snake and it had bitten the dog. He's one strong doggy as he came through the other end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Animal House Posted January 24, 2016 Share Posted January 24, 2016 I've never disputed the fact that you can kill a snake if you feel threatened or are in danger. It is illegal to kill snakes just because you see one though. Unfortunately more people will get bitten trying to kill one. Chopping off their head is NOT the way to safely kill a snake. The head can still deliver a deadly bite many hours after being cut off. There isn't many places now that don't have snakes, even suburbia, we are building into their habitat, and if you're on land, you expect snakes, this is Australia after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pjrt Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 I moved to a 30 acre snake pit in 2002. I moved off that block in early 2012 and lost 5 dogs to snakes in that time. A few members here visited that property during that time and will tell you the 1/2 acre house yard was impeccably kept, and the surrounding paddock slashed and clean. In all but one case I came home to dead dogs, and the one that was still with us, we'll, no vet in town, 1/2 hrs drive in either direction to Murray Bridge or Birdwood plus the time to get in the car and get going. I moved into my current home in the town in late 2012 and the river Murray is directly across the road. I have a very small yard. Since I moved in I have sighted 4 snakes around the yard. One walk over the road we had to dodge one on the grass reserve. My neighbour told me last week her dog was paddling over the road and one swam right by it. There is no getting away from them out here. You could spend all the money you have trying to "snake proof' but you'd be wasting your money. I knew of someone who spent thousands concreting there dog runs with colour bond set into the concrete, gaps you couldn't run a credit card through etc etc........then one day a snake got in there.......and couldn't bloody get out when the dogs bailed it up. Several dogs were bitten. So I figure you're just as safe with yards that snakes can easily move out of if they feel threatened. In the last two weeks I have sighted 2 snakes at the old place where I run the dog. A few weeks before that I dispatched one near the old house. Have killed a few others near the house over the years when I lived out there. All Browns out here. It's just a fact of life in this area. No amount of money or strategy will ensure you avoid them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Rusty Bucket Posted January 25, 2016 Share Posted January 25, 2016 Chopping off their head is NOT the way to safely kill a snake. The head can still deliver a deadly bite many hours after being cut off. That's why I don't like when the snake dispatcher (not quite) leaves the still active head around where the dogs can get it. ARGH. OSoSwift - I shouldn't be surprised. I'm sure that keeping everything less "snakey" would mean there are fewer of them but I admit a few years back I saw a half grown brown snake trying to get into the Bathurst tourist bureau - and it must have crossed some very busy roads and a cricket oval or two (being mowed at the time) to get there. Fortunately evil hound was on lead when she noticed the fun wriggly stick thing. She seemed less keen to investigate when it put its head up and hissed at us. Oops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OSoSwift Posted January 25, 2016 Author Share Posted January 25, 2016 (edited) The chooks live around the orchard which is fully enclosed 800 metres from my house. Must be mating season most of the year then. Two warm days in a row in the middle of winter and they are out and about and more defensive than ever. We get 7 or so different snakes I believe, however, Tiger Snakes are the most common followed by Dugites. Edited January 25, 2016 by OSoSwift Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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