Snakes Alive in canberra

I lived and worked there for 20 odd years and there are plenty of snakes around. Especially in the suburbs bordering the bushland and green spaces.

Make plenty of noise when you are moving around and they'll be long gone before you se em.

Yep - it's never funny because you are basically looking death in the face - one bight in the wrong circumstances and ......? Had the same "focus of our attention" recently when observing a Tiger and a Dugite on our WA trip - impressive creatures but I'd somehow rather just read about them !

Gidday Richard

Remove all sources of water, such as the dog’s water bowl, then get out there and thump the ground for a while with the back of a shovel.

Snakes are very reactive to heay vibrations and usually nick off to places unknown.

It doesn’t always work, but I’ve generally found it to be effective.

Regards

Kim

Hi Richard

We get one in the yard every now and then. Its not a problem. I certainly wouldn't go around hassling it in any way. Don't hose it or bash the ground with anything. That will irritate it. If its in a bad mood - MOVE. Just stay clear and let it see you and it will go on its merry way. They just pop in here for a drink and to see if they can catch a frog in our water feature and then go back out to the rear paddock. Its what we live with in this country. Just leave them be. I would suggest you cut that grass. If its short they won't be in it.

Phil - Gilmore

Most snakes aren't to fussed about you. Problem is really only when you stand on one or disturb it unexpectantly. I got some really close up photos of some snakes on our travels. Sat next to them very quietly and when they got used to me being there I was not a threat and to big to eat so they were happy to go about they bussinesss. Had one go between my feet and even over my foot. It was a whip snake but was very happy for me to take photos and even touch it's tail. It just went on looking for food under the leaves on the ground. They are incredible animals and often feared more than they need to be. I do understand peoples fear of them though if you have not had much expirience with them. As said it is probably coming in for water or food so remove these and it will leave. An interesting point- if you have red bellie black snakes around you won,t have tiger snakes. Also you are unlikely to have blue tongue lizards and snakes at the same time.

Josh

hi richard c
you have in your back yard the exact enviroment that a snake likes bush and long grass
i'd suggest you get a mower guy in and wipper snip the grass and prune off the lower limbs of the bush/this will give you a clear view and make it less attractive for them
as they feed on small birds /lizards and mice they also use long grass to help them shed there old skin
it's up to you
but from my own experiences this will definetly make your back yard a safer place and save you from being paranoid
cheers
look before you leap

A shot gun works well on these evil things

our snakes are really quite non aggressive - its harder to get close to one than to provoke them to bite you.
Austalia does its snakes a great dis service by touting them as the worlds deadliest.

they dont even come close
the russels viper of sri lanka takes that honour and our deadliest snake for which you would have to lump all types of browns together is so far down the list it hardly rates a mention.