What to do when you find a snake

Eastern Brown in defensive poseOutside of “who do I call for snake removal” it’s by far the most common question asked of Snake Catcher Brisbane. The response is dependent on a range of factors such as age of the observer, comfort level around snakes, the species of snake, location the snake is in and the size of the snake in question, Obviously we don’t want children in close proximity to snakes so exercise judgement when considering these factors.

Overall the best course of action when a snake is sighted is as follows:

  • Make an objective assessment as to the safety of people and pets: It’s always safety first when dealing with potentially dangerous snakes;
  • Immediately remove people and pets from the area, especially in the case of venomous species. In most scenarios excitable pets and “gun ho” observers will cause more problems than the snake ever will.
  • Do not engage the snake or attempt to make any contact with it. I am yet to find a case where someone who chose to leave a snake alone was bitten. However medical journals and media reports worldwide are littered with accounts of people instigating contact with snakes and then getting bitten. Simply put don’t touch it;
  • Do not take your eye of the snake! I cannot express the countless times snake catchers respond to snake removal calls only to find the snake has not been watched and has now moved location to avoid detection. These animals are highly cryptic and even in the confines of a suburban house can disappear without being noticed if not watched continuously. Sometimes you may require more than one person to assist where the snake is behind something and two escape points cannot be viewed from one observation point. Follow at safe distance if the snake moves. If the snake is in a confined space such as a bedroom and you do not feel comfortable remaining in the same room, simply close the door and place a damp scrunched towel across the gap under the door. Press the towel into the gap where possible to ensure the tightest possible fit eliminating potential gaps. Place heavy items such as books or bricks against the towel to further reinforce it. Do not take your eye off the snake or the position it is in until the snake catcher arrives! If you choose to close the room in this manner be sure to keep watch through a window so the snakes whereabouts can be consistently monitored.
  • Call your snake catcher if you feel the situation requires it. A Carpet Python in a tree at the back of your yard as opposed to an Eastern Brown Snake in your bedroom are two very different scenarios when considering personal and pet safety. If possible get someone who is not watching the snake to call the snake catcher.
  • If safe to do so take a photo or video with a camera, phone or video camera. But remember not to approach to close for your own safety and don’t intimidate the snake enough to cause it to want to move from its current location. This will allow for identification of the snake when your snake catcher arrives in the event the snake cannot be found or moves to an inaccessible location. Alternatively you can send your image or video to our free snake identification specialist for confirmation.
  • Most of all don’t panic! Snakes are not aggressive creatures looking to bite everything they see. In fact a snake encounter between yourself and a snake is most certainly more intimidating for the snake. Maybe even take the time to enjoy and appreciate your visitor,

So to fast track remember:

  • Consider the immediate safety of people and pets and remove from the vicinity if required;
  • Do not engage the snake iln any way;
  • Continuously watch the snake until your snake catcher arrives;
  • Call your local snake catcher
  • Take a photo or video for identification if safe to do so.

Did you know

95% of snake bites occur when people try to catch or kill snakes!! Simply put, take yourself out of the equation and the likelihood of a bite is virtually non existent!!