I think I'll nuke the shed tonight! Sorry about the light pollution it's going to cause in the Sydney skies. It'll be cloudy anyway.
I left the shed door open all day today with one of my security cameras trained on it to see if it can catch any movement. I'll review the logs tonight.
I read on google that mothballs didn't actually deter snakes at all and that it was all a myth. However, after reading Alex's comments, I'm inclined to head straight over to Bunnings on the way home tonight and stock up!!! I might get a pair of waders for personal protection next time I'm brave enough to venture back into the shed
I think I'll nuke the shed tonight! Sorry about the light pollution it's going to cause in the Sydney skies. It'll be cloudy anyway.
I left the shed door open all day today with one of my security cameras trained on it to see if it can catch any movement. I'll review the logs tonight.
I read on google that mothballs didn't actually deter snakes at all and that it was all a myth. However, after reading Alex's comments, I'm inclined to head straight over to Bunnings on the way home tonight and stock up!!! I might get a pair of waders for personal protection next time I'm brave enough to venture back into the shed
Look on the bright side; how much do mothballs cost?? Worth the trial I'd say.
Its probably going to happen automatically now you've seen it go in there, and even if you DO see it come out and go elsewhere ... from now on you everytime you go in there expect a snake to be under something. So just adopt handling methods that best accommodate for an unwelcome guest.
Amazes me all the stories I hear about these snake handlers ... and how at the times you need them they are either not available or wont come because of some reason or another ... so I'de say yer on your own Dean.
If you see it again just watch where it goes for as long as you can ... give it a wide berth ... it most likely wont want to be anywhere around your company either !!!!!
i've had browns,red bellys,tigers on our rear verandah under the kids tonkas we're very careful this time of year and they dont last long around here (snakes and children dont mix) had 4 more snakes the other day 1 on the misses pushie bike, the back of my work truck,2 in the laundry
Amazes me all the stories I hear about these snake handlers ... and how at the times you need them they are either not available or wont come because of some reason or another ... so I'de say yer on your own Dean.
As with any trades person really.. you get good ones, and you get bad ones..
When I'm called up about it, If I can possibly get to the person within a reasonable amount of time I do.. Its not my primary occupation, I offer it as a service to my local area as we do frequently get snakes and other reptiles that people are generally unhappy about.. I've caught and relocated 48 snakes since september this year... Suffered a few bites but nothing serious... It comes down to the individual.
I love reptiles, and there is no greater feeling for me than releasing a snake into the wild after I've removed it from a residential area where it would have ended up being killed because people think that its ok to kill any and all snakes because they are not cute and fluffy like your dog.. They have feelings, they have personality and they are incredibly smart, not unlike a dog in many ways, yet for some reason, they are treated like the slithering spawn of the devil and its socially acceptable to kill harmless, defenseless snakes purely because you dont like them...
In some situations - Ie. Eastern Browns/Taipans/Mulga Snakes etc around children, I have no problem with them being killed.. If its a person or a snake, I choose the person. If there are no children around, there is no reason to kill a snake... Adults are (for the most part) smart enough, and aware enough to keep an eye out, and simply steer clear. If you live in the bush, or an area like mine that is frequented by snakes... Tidy up your yard so there is no places for snakes to hide, curl up in etc..
Harm minimization goes a long way people.. and prevention is better than cure... Sure, you can cure a snake situation by killing it... but you can stop them from hanging around by removing reasons for them to stay..
I must admit that I would have a hard time killing a snake. I pretty much respect any creature's right to live (unless it's a mozzie) and only kill something if it poses a direct risk to me or my family. At this stage I would much prefer my visitor to just move along on its way and have a long and fruitful life.
I just reviewed today's security footage from the camera that looks at the shed. A full day's footage played back at 8x showed.....nothing. Not a sausage. That's a good start anyway. I'll do the same again tomorrow just to see if there's any activity at all, and plonk in a few moth balls on the weekend to stink any snakes out who might still be hanging around inside the shed. Additionally, I'll be reviewing the whole area around the shed and removing anything that would be attractive for these guys to take up residence in.
What a great lot of advice you have all offered. I was bragging to my brother-in-law today that I just asked my new friends at IIS for advice and received so much good information in so little time. Thank you all.
As a kid we often found snakes, red bellies, yellow bellies, bownies and tigers (around water) on the farms my father and I lived on.
Snakes have their place but that does not include living in our sheds or near us.
They are attracted by vermin and water sources. Snakes are often looking for something to drink or something to eat when visiting.
That said, the best way is to get a paid snake handler in to find him.
If not then this will work for sure. Get a tomato sauce bottle (glass) and put some honey and milk in the bottom of the bottle and shake it until mixed nicely. Leave it laying on it side in the shed. If there is a snake in the shed it will be attracted to the mixture and slide its head into the bottle but will be unable to get it out again. Many years ago this is how we got snakes out of the hay sheds.
Killing snakes now though attracts a substantial fine and it is best not to attempt killing a snake or else you might end up getting dead and not the snake. Or worse still you get a nasty fine.
As far as I'm aware, there is no food or water in my shed. Only tools, timber (stacked), telescope boxes (sealed) and a lawn mower. Hopefully any self respecting snake would realise that the service in my shed is terrible and move on to a 5 star shed.
There seems to be very few snake handlers in Sydney (at least in the white pages). I found one, but I suspect that he's no longer in business as the smtp server his web site refers to in its Contact Us page no longer exists. I sent him an email from outlook instead but am yet to hear back.
As I can't confirm if the blighter is still in my shed, I'm going to go the milk and honey route and see what I come up with thanks Paul. If I end up with a snake in a sauce bottle, I'll get back onto WIRES so that they can relocate it.
Watch out Dean .. that snake could be really pissed orf if it really wanted tomato sauce and now its stuck in a bottle full of off smellin milk and honey
I love reptiles, and there is no greater feeling for me than releasing a snake into the wild after I've removed it from a residential area where it would have ended up being killed because people think that its ok to kill any and all snakes because they are not cute and fluffy like your dog.. They have feelings, they have personality and they are incredibly smart, not unlike a dog in many ways, yet for some reason, they are treated like the slithering spawn of the devil and its socially acceptable to kill harmless, defenseless snakes purely because you dont like them...
In some situations - Ie. Eastern Browns/Taipans/Mulga Snakes etc around children, I have no problem with them being killed.. If its a person or a snake, I choose the person. If there are no children around, there is no reason to kill a snake... Adults are (for the most part) smart enough, and aware enough to keep an eye out, and simply steer clear. If you live in the bush, or an area like mine that is frequented by snakes... Tidy up your yard so there is no places for snakes to hide, curl up in etc..
Harm minimization goes a long way people.. and prevention is better than cure... Sure, you can cure a snake situation by killing it... but you can stop them from hanging around by removing reasons for them to stay..
Totally agree Alex, they are marvellous creatures who have got a bad press from the religious nutters out there and have had to wear it for original sin. What a load of claptrap. I worked with the snake ranger in ACT Parks and one of his pythons loved me, always came and draped herself over me when he brought her in. It was fun to see the client's faces when they came to the counter and there I was with 2.5 m of Carpet/diamond hybrid python coiled round my shoulders!
I am glad it is illegal to kill snakes but sadly most country people do it anyway. I love the fact that they live in our garden, despite their being rats in next doors banana farm we've never had one in the house, the brown snakes live in the rock wall between them and us. And we have quite a few pythons too, I've seen at least 3 individuals here.
If people can't get a snake handler immediately, well, in this type of situation, stay away from the area and keep an eye out (which sounds like what the original poster is doing.
Ric - After reading that yesterday I did a simple experiment here at home... I put a few mothballs in a plastic container and put them in one of my python enclosures, in his favorite location... He spends maybe 70% of his time in the location.. For the 3 hours that the mothballs were there, he went nowhere near it.. He regularly climbed half way up the stick and raised his head to see what was there, but quickly turned around and headed back to the floor of his enclosure... Once the mothballs were removed, it took him about 20 minutes to get back to his usual location and settle back in... I'd say its pretty effective
Hi Alex, thanks for the confirmation.
I hope your Python didn't get too shirty with you for stopping him sitting in his favourite spot.
I think I'll be rolling a few around the shed and pump enclosure as a deterrent from now on. I don't like little surprises like that.
I like snakes and I remove them all the time........... I put my hand in the jar and remove one of each colour, red, blue, green, yellow and orange. I dont discriminate based on colour. They taste great.!
Strewth Alex !
They taste great.!
