Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil
In the day light the colour of this snake is brownish. Im just saying what the zoo reptile guy said it is. I don't care what it is it is the kids im worried about.
Phil
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When I saw Phil's post about lunchtime yesterday I just thought "well, that's a young brown" - and let me be rude and state that I've had more experience of a wide variety of snakes native to southern and central Australia than most IIS members have had either hot or cold breakfasts!
One or so comments are so ludicrous as to be.....well, best I just say: if a herpetologist at the local zoo tells you it's a brown, then you better have far more authority than they to counter, let alone arrogantly dismiss, that identification! Unless, of course, you're a complete idiot!
Juvenile browns (almost) literally come in the colours of the rainbow, and do some pretty good mimicking of many other species too. Whether that is an evolutionary thing, I'm unqualified to say.....
One of the characteristics that does differ them from many (more) harmless varieties - though these other types certainly do exhibit this trait to varying degrees as a defence mechanism - is their extremely aggressive behaviour re "striking."
I should be honest here and say that I have no personal knowledge/experience of White-crown snakes; but in the reading I have done this morning there are anomolies between any images/descriptions of said snake and those Phil photo'd: specifically re the banding as it surrounds the frontal and snout areas - but these types of markings are quite common in juvenile browns!
Snakes, and browns especially, are within household vicinities all across Australia: it's the old "what you don't know won't hurt you" story - or more correctly "won't freak you out" story. Ive accidently stepped on characters as thick as your forearm and 2 metres plus - if at all possible they will try to escape: hence the bit about most people being bitten trying to capture/kill snakes. I have also seen the most idiotically bloody stupid things people have attempted with snakes.
Phil, try not to leave stuff laying on the ground around the yard that snakes can find refuge under, that goes for their food sources as well (eg mice, scraps and lousy compost heaps as well as bad chook houses.) Teach your kids in a calm, intelligent way about snakes and how to avoid/deal with any unexpected encounters; and though I'm not a cat person, I will say that cats often clear the territory of them. Dogs end up bitten on the nose and die quickly.....
Snakes are territorial and are most active at specific times of the year: most young ones don't make it to adulthood, part of the reason behind their aggressive stance I presume.
Now where was that loose peanut....?
Cheers, Darryl.
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