AS the weather heats up, so too do the snakes start to slither. With reports of encounters with Eastern Brown and Tiger snakes across the region already on the rise, it is important to be familiar with some essential safety tips should one cross your path in what is, after all, a shared habitat.
The most important thing to remember when encountering a snake is to remain calm. Avoid sudden movements and either stand still or slowly step back, giving the animal plenty of space to move away. Most snakes will retreat if left undisturbed.
If a snake should be found in the backyard or around the house, bring children and pets indoors, or move them to safety as soon as possible into an enclosed space.
Never attempt to touch, catch or kill a snake, as aside from being a leading cause of snake bites, harming a native snake is illegal under Victoria’s Wildlife Act 1975. In any case, most snakes pose little threat when given an escape route and left alone.
If a snake is trapped inside your home, appears injured or refuses to leave a property, a licensed snake catcher should be contacted immediately for safe removal.
Preventing snakes around the home
You can reduce the likelihood of unwanted visitors this summer by keeping grass short and lawns well maintained around your home and property. Also remove potential shelter such as timber piles, rocks, corrugated iron and dense vegetation, and control rodents, which are a major food source for snakes.
With snake activity expected to increase throughout the warmer months, a tidy yard and a cautious approach remain the best defence against an unwanted, slithery encounter.
