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Snake Season & Dogs


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yesterday we go an unexpected visitor a snake about 1.5m long, we have no idea what breed it is and we dont know if it is venomous or not. It's got a creamish belly and black top (similar to a red belly black snake). We need to train our dogs (labs) to be cautious if they see one when they're alon and to stay away from it, if possible.

Any suggestions would be apprciated!

Thanx

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Always lived in 'snake' country and over the years I have taught my dogs to (hopefully) avoid snakes. Along with the snakes there's generally been a plentiful supply of blue tongue lizards so youngsters were put on a long lead and shown the lizard. With correction appropriate to the dog's reaction they would be discouraged from going near. I've always been able to call dogs from snakes etc. although there have been a couple I wouldn't entirely trust if I wasn't there. I've had snakes and blueys in the yard and the dogs will stay away but bark so I can come out and get rid of 'whatever'. Hope this may give you some ideas!

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We have an old golden and she appears to have some senile confusion, her memory is impaired I am sure of it cos of many other factors, she also has impaired vision.

I am terrified she will get bitten by a snake, she was bitten by a blue tongue the other day, too too close. The dog next door died from a snake bite.

Someone told me that in snakey areas of the US they sprinkle naphelene (moth ball flakes) around the fence line. I need to check if it will harm our native birds but am willing to do try.

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thanx for the advice. I live in the bush so we get heaps of bugs, lizards etc. & that summer is here now snakes are breeding and people here have a lot of animals, coz we have big plots (about 1 acre each). So chooks, birds, minature horses etc. Stuff that would bring mice and that brings the snakes.

Since we moved to the mountains about a year and a half ago we still dont know what the snakes are. Our neighbour can easily tell a snake. He said "oh we saw a copperhead a few days ago" and we have no idea what they look like. :thumbsup:

So i thought i'll try and make a refrence book of snakes for my family and little tips, basic aid etc.

I'll pass the advice unto my dad, see what he thinks!

Thanx a lot!

Do blue tongues actually bite?????????? i didnt know that! can they harm ur dog in anyway? We're lucky in a way the vet is only about 5min away!

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im sorry about yor dog! being imaparied. i love me puppies to bits , but you go outside and come back and you where there maybe for a minute or teo and the'll jump all over you.

GOOD NEWS! The snake is gone, but there is still a chance for one to hid again... we need to start getting a bit more strict with them, we have been a bit soft because of things happening all around us....

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yesterday we go an unexpected visitor a snake about 1.5m long, we have no idea what breed it is and we dont know if it is venomous or not. It's got a creamish belly and black top (similar to a red belly black snake).

from the description you gave it is a 99% probability that it is venomous

i dont think there is a python that is blac on top with creamy belly

it could possibly be a red bellied black tho

i have more problems with brown snakes.

just be careful you or the dogs dont get bitten

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A friend recently told me she used to teach her dogs by getting one of her blue-tongued lizards (small one) to latch onto the dog's nose. She reckoned it made her dogs very savvy.

It works like this: Hold your dog. Pick up the lizard and let it latch onto the dog's nose. The lizard will clamp on and hold as long as it's off the ground. Push the dog's head down so that the lizard's feet touch the ground (or provide the lizard a surface to stand on), it will then let go and scurry away. Job's done!

I don't like the idea of subjecting my dogs to being bitten by a lizard, but that one off bite may well save their lives.

BTW, at least we now know what to do if we ever find a lizard latched onto our dogs!

Sam

Editted to make sense

Edited by FeralSam
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This website might help you in identifying the snake cgs_surfin Australian Venomous Creatures (Uni of Melb)

It is a great page with lots of info on all venomous creatures including pics & locality they are generally found.

I heard about the naphelene flakes too & sprinkled some around on Friday - hopefully they do work as we get lots of Tiger snakes & Copperheads here. Lost 2 dogs to the one Tiger just before Christmas :happydance:

good luck - hope you have no more slithery vistors.

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Hi

Just so you know, there are yellow bellied Blacks in Australia, However, they are not very aggresive but will bite if agitated. thier venom is not as severe neither. but still requires vetinary help.

The other day one of our cats got bitten by a Tiger or brown snake, not sure which, and needed anti-venom. He got this after 2 hours of waiting and deciding what to do.

Just as a random fact, Cats have 80% of survival when bitten by a snake, this is with Vetinary Care but without being issued with anti-venom.

Our Cat would have been part of the Unlucky 20% if we hadnt acted.

If only dogs had the same reactions as cats when it comes to snakes!

-Jennifer

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Hi, we lost our 7yr old staffy X on Christmas eve to a young brown snake. Apparently the young brown is one of only a few snakes that travel at night which is when our girl interacted with it. :thumbsup: mind you the snake didn't survive either.

We recently moved into the country and she had never really had much to do with snakes but loved to chase lizards. She was at a boarding kennel and the lady operating it had never seen one in the 5 years she had had the property, neither had her neighbours.

Our boy was in the same enclosure but must have slept through the excitement. But we are now concerned because we still have him and two other dogs which wouldn't stop if they saw one and we have a large open area behind our place.

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Snakes are a problem. never know when one's going to suddenly appear! The first thing I would do is teach your other dogs that lizards are not to be chased. This is how I taught my dogs not to go near creepy crawlies. If you have any distance to travel to a Vet. then perhaps a search on here for Vitamin C and snake bite might help and you can then make up your mind if you think this is worthwhile. Good luck.

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Hey that's a fantastic idea! :mad I'm going straight to the toy shop tomorrow to get some. Actually I just had an idea which I'll try... tie the snake to my fishing rod and make it a little more realistic! This'll be interesting! (much prefer it over letting a lizard latch onto my dogs' nose!)

Jildee, so sorry to hear of your sad news. :( What a terrible thing to have happen, let alone on Xmas eve.

You might want to start with the plastic snakes too.

Sam

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