Dangers in doing the right thing

[sjastro]

Since the fire season is rapidly approaching for Victoria, I'm in the process of clearing my property.

Only a few moments before the image was taken, this friendly fellow was mistaken for a tree branch which I had picked up.

This is the third time I have accidently handled snakes all of which were the venemous tiger snake variety.

Steven

[[1ponders]]

Yep they are on the mover everywhere Steven. We don't get a lot of tigers up here but plenty of other nasty ones.

[renormalised]

Keep your eye's peeled!!!

Those are the branches that bite!!

[multiweb]

:eyepop: Mate, I'd be myself if I had this in my backyard. This stuff is deadly right? :sadeyes: Do they go after you or they just scare away if you leave them alone?

[sjastro]

People have died from Tiger bites.

Tigers are not generally aggressive unless provoked or cornered.

The first time this happened to me the Tiger somehow wrapped itself around my forearm. When it flattens its head and looks somewhat a Cobra you are in potential trouble. Fortunately I was able flip it off my arm before it became very aggressive.

Steven

[AlexN]

Completely different viewpoint... Thats a beautiful looking snake.. I suppose you can be thankful it was a tiger as opposed to an Eastern brown or a coastal taipan.. Tigers are generally fairly placid and would prefer to disappear back into the bush than face confrontation..

Do yourself a favour Steven.. Don't pick too many more of them up!! If theres plenty around, it might be a good idea to go to the nearest hospital or even a zoo and get yourself a small vial of anti-venom... Last thing you want to have to do is get in the car and drive somewhere if you're bitten...

Alex.

[AlexN]

Ps - Very few species of snakes get "aggressive" They get very defensive when they feel threatened.. In Australia, the Eastern brown is the only "aggressive" snake we have. The rest get hyper-defensive.. and will strike without warning when threatened. You must always realise, the snake can't talk, it cant growl like a dog to tell you its feeling threatened, its only method of simple, quick conveyance of this message is to strike.. There are many subtle signs, like the flattening out of the body, repeated tongue flicks and posing that can give away when a snake is scared..

I've caught and relocated about 30 snakes in my local area in the past 4 months.. they are definitely out in force this year.. I would caution everyone to watch your step..

[renormalised]

Yes, taipans and browns can be rather aggressive and nasty when they want to be. I've had one chase me...just lucky I can run fast!!!.

I'd heed what Alex said...get a small vial of anti-venom for your first aid kit and stash it in the fridge...it has to be kept cool before use.

[sjastro]

This is the first Tiger I've seen in about 3 years.

When I first moved up here 12 years ago it wasn't uncommon to see Tigers cool off on the veranda.

I suspect the climate has become drier over the years and this may have reduced the Tiger population in the area.

And yes I think its a great idea to keep a supply of anti venom.

Steven

[Davros]

Had a lot of fun with snakes over the years. Not too many bad ones around here. Lots of pythons about though. Like anything they will leave you alone if you return the favour. Pets are not quite as smart though. Nice reflexes to manage a photo though. :thumbsup::thumbsup:

[AlexN]

I have an add in the local paper, as I hold a level 2 advanced reptile handlers licence, I can work as a snake catcher.. Most of what I've had to move around here have been pythons ranging from 3 to 8ft, I have captured a few small browns around here... as such I keep a small supply of anti venom for most common species of venomous snakes...

[Waxing_Gibbous]

Tigers not agressive?!:question:
The ones up your way must be smoking something.;)
I used to keep snakes when I was younger, venemous and not. Tigers are the most agressive snakes I've ever encountered. Where Cobras, Puff Adders, Rattlers etc. will give you fair warning and mostly run away, Tigers seem to take offence if you're within 20 metres and activley go on the offensive! Brrrr.
One chased me across the garden last year and my next door neighbour almost died from a bite she got while standing still.
Give me your nice placid Browns and Red-Bellied Blacks any Day.

[AlexN]

I currently keep about 18 species of reptiles, the only one I have that I consider aggressive is a 15 month old brown snake.. the southern tiger is as calm as, the inland taipan (fierce snake) is relatively calm, although he's protective of his enclosure, I consider my two jungle pythons as more dangerous than my tiger or my taipan.. Hell, even my frill neck lizard has bitten me more times than the tiger snake has.. and she's coming on 6 years old now...

I dont know about "nice placid browns" what so ever. I've been chased by browns, I've had them throw themselves 5 feet in my direction with their mouth wide open and fangs out.. they are by no means placid when they are confronted with what they think is a predator... I've not met a single person who handles elapids regularly who would agree that tigers are more of an issue than an eastern brown...

[seeker372011]

yikes!!!!!!!
:scared::scared::scared:

[GrahamL]

or picked up as firewood:D

been a few browns getting out of late, I got to know a few over many years where I used to work and even got to likeing them over time.
Aggressive .. hmm well yes they seem to be but maybe its more in there nature than being outwardly nasty. I always found they like no other snake will not consider moveing on till your on top of them and
in the ensuring panic these meetings generate agressive sure fits.

[jjjnettie]

I don't like browns. Have you ever noticed the look in their eye when they're about to attack you? Very expressive eyes.:eyepop:

[Waxing_Gibbous]

This is a bit odd. People from both ends of the continent report entirely different behaviour for the 'same' snake. Browns and Blacks seem to exhibit classic snake behaviour: running away unless cornered, whereas Tigers, as noted, are confrontational.
I know that now and autumn are the most 'aggro' times of year for snakes 'round here. Mating/hibernating as it were.
I also know that what a snake considers threatening is castly different from what I would consider threatening.
But I'm genuinely puzzled as to why a snake so venemous is so aggressive.
Or why, for that matter, in this part of Australia which has never been short of food, a snake needs to be that venemous at all?
Any ideas?

[DavidU]

:eyepop:I would have to change my shorts !!!!
NOOOOOOOOOOO THANKYOU !!!

[Lee]

Forget the antivenom at home - one, the hospital won't give it to you, and two, you can cause more harm than good in giving it incorrectly or at the wrong time. You are better off having a good supply of compression bandages and a way of contacting ambulance etc. And do a first-aid course.

[AlexN]

Agreed in that if its used incorrectly it can cause troubles, not to mention any allergic reactions you may have to a certain antivenom, That said, it all depends on how far your nearest hospital is from you, and how likely you are to be bitten. Being that I am either in close proximity to, or handle elapid snakes on a daily basis, I find it always better to have the antivenom on hand... My inland taipan has a tendency to snap at me when shes hungry, and although she's only 8 months old, within 5 minutes of a very mild "warning" bite to the extremities, you start feeling very light headed, between 2 to 5 minutes after the bite, it feels much like you've consumed half a bottle bourbon in a short period of time... Personally, I wouldnt want to be messing about with a compression bandage, a splint and juggling the phone trying to call an ambulance in that state...

A Tiger snake bite would have very different effects, the Taipan's venom is a neuro-toxin, hence the effect is more so on muscle control, and motor skills etc. It will attack your central nervous system and cause effects much like alcohol. The tiger snake venom is more of a muscular degenerate, causing effects much like necrosis, the immediate tissue will die off within 2 hours of a serious bite and the most notable effect is the extreme pain as the toxin attacks your muscles and other tissue...

Yes, you should definitely know how and when to administer antivenom, but if you're likely to get bitten, then I think its better to have it than not..

I've never been denied a vial of anti venom from anywhere when I've informed them of the regularity in which im in contact with snakes. I don't know if you'd be required to have the same advanced reptile handling experience and permits that I have in order to get it though.

[GrahamL]

I could never work out if this was true or not when shown to me some time back, despite all that happened the pair of them still decided to go back to the pub rather than the hospital.

If this IS legit at least we can all assume while beer is a good tonic
for getting you bit in the first place it dosn't help much after the fact :D

[Nesti]

I once had a King Cobra charge across my legs when I was sitting down in the Eastern Jungles of Malaysia. It was charging others who it saw as 'the enemy' and 'B' lined straight across me to get to them. Once across me, it reared-up and stared them down as they bolted. It didn't even realize that I was alive and went on its merry way...I however, needed therapy and a change of Jocks.

I don't hate snakes, but I hate being near them.

A Tiger Snake wrapped around my hand would do my head-in I'm afraid.

[Outbackmanyep]

The only good snake is a DEAD one!

[mozzie]

snakes i hate snakes they frighten the be-jesus out of me my best advise we all keep clear of them here
mozzie

[Ric]

We keep everything short and open around the farm house and shed and have yet to see one. We also use solar powered snake repellers, they send out a vibration through the ground that the snake perceives as danger and moves away.

Now up in the eucalypt forest is another story, we tend to avoid walking up there in the summer months and around the back of the dam.

[Baron von Richthofen]

No good deed goes unpunished:shrug:

[tlgerdes]

Walk loudly and carry a big stick.:eyepop:

[Jabba]

That's crazy, I couldnt handle living in an area with snakes slithering around the backyard... eeep.
Ive seen one live snake in my life (besides ones in zoos/reptile parks) and that was a red belly in the courtyard back in high school!

[Ric]

Red Belly are the good snakes on the farm Keenan, they are quite timid if left alone and are great for keeping the mice down in the farm shed.

You really don't notice them that much living in the bush, we make too much noise and snakes like to keep to themselves. We only saw three last year and are still yet to see any this year. All of them were behind the dam where the paddock meets the the Eucalypt forrest.

Cheers

[Jen]

:scared::scared::scared: Bugger that i wouldnt be hanging around to take any pics :lol:
:scared3:

[sjastro]

I could have done a lot worse such as catching the snake giving it a big kiss on the head before releasing it (ala Rex Hunt with fish).

And yes I know someone who does this sort of thing.:D

Steven

[AstralTraveller]

Truly, I reckon once you've seen them you're safe. I've just always backed off nice and calm and never had a problem. I've heard many credible stories about snakes chasing people but I've never yet heard of them catching them. It seems if you don't get bitten by the first strike you're pretty safe. I've got a picture of the first King Brown I ever saw. When I saw it it was 4m away but the photo was taken with a telephoto from 20m. With a clear escape path behind me. :)

[Jen]

:lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Miaplacidus]

After rafting the Franklin once I had a nap on the end of the pier at Warner's Landing. Woke up to find two huge snakes soaking up the sun half way down the jetty.

Well, I felt like having the swim anyway...

[Jen]

:lol::lol::lol:

[TrevorW]

taste like chicken

snakes are great IMO