EEK.....there's a tiger snake in my garage

[TOK]

The wife had been out to check the kittens in the garage late yesterday arvo and came back in saying "there is a serious problem, a very serious problem..." I could tell from the tone and manner that there really was a serious problem happening.

She had surprised the snake eating out of the the kitten's food bowl, and one of the two kittens was lying in there next to it with its legs pointing in the direction of heaven....

The kitten had been very ill earlier in the day, looking like it wasn't going to make it...meaning the snake had been in there for some time.....next to my car, and me going in and out of the car and the garage doing stuff....

Other kitten, plus adult cat ok thankfully, although that's what they're there for, the first line of defense.

How do you find a tiger snake in a pretty full garage?

With determination.

Result, 1 kitten down, 1 tiger snake down.

How many others might be in there?????????????????

[Yelta]

Crikey TOK!

Could have had a much more dramatic outcome, pleased to hear you and your wife were unharmed.

Bad luck about the kitten, sounds like you sent slippery snake to heaven, would have been my reaction as well.

[Pete39]

Unfortunate if you did kill it - protected species in most (maybe all) states in Australia.

[flynnaus]

Unfortunate if you did kill it - protected species in most (maybe all) states in Australia.

Yep.

"Snakes are protected under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 and it is an offence to kill, injure or take snakes from the wild."
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"If there is a chance that a snake could find its way into your home, you should keep the number of a licensed snake catcher on hand. You can obtain the details of a local snake catcher by searching the Yellow Pages"

http://www.ehp.qld.gov.au/wildlife/livingwith/snakes/

Snake Catchers Brisbane

[Yelta]

So, a snake finds its way into my garage, I'm expected to ring Harry Butler and pay him to come and remove said reptile, ain't gonna happen, any snake in my house threatening my family members will quickly find its self on a one way journey through the pearly gates.

[noonar]

"In most Australian states, they are protected species, and to kill or injure one incurs a fine of up to $7,500, as well as a jail sentence of 18 months in some states.^[10] It is also illegal to export a native Australian snake." - Wikipedia.

[Pete39]

So, a snake finds its way into my garage, I'm expected to ring Harry Butler and pay him to come and remove said reptile, ain't gonna happen, any snake in my house threatening my family members will quickly find its self on a one way journey through the pearly gates.

And unfortunately that is a common attitude when people come across snakes in their homes, and some pay the ultimate price trying to kill them.

[speleomike]

Hi

Sometimes its hard to tell tiger snakes from browns or copperheads as the patterning varies so much between tiger snake species and age and region. Browns can also be banded. Anyhow they are all very bad. I have found the tassie ones are a bit slow and docile but the NSW ones are quicker. Keep it nice and satisfied with the kittens :-)

Mike

[TOK]

Yup, I understood it would go down this path when I posted it, but being the eternal optimist that I am....

Like many others living in the country, we live in a tiger snake "alley". Which is probably fortunate because when we travel just 10k's to the east, we are smack in the middle of brown snake alley and I reckon they're not quite as friendly as our tigers.

These areas are literally crawling with them and they are quite lively right now although they will get even more lively as the season progresses. That is, to the point where when you walk yourself or your dog or your children or grandchildren down the lane in the afternoon, you have to scan out in front of you from side to side just like you do for kangaroos when you drive down the road out here...and you don't walk after dark.

In this area, we have the highest rate of use of antivenene in the country.

That said, for the most part they mind their own business and we mind ours, although occasionally it cant help but go a little bit further than that.

Many that live out bush don't necessarily need snake handlers because they know what to do, and you all might like to ponder on that when you relocate a venomous snake, you are relocating it into someone else's area around their children and grandchildren and pets and animals.

And of course while there will always extremes of attitude at both ends of the spectrum, I favour a more balanced approach.

[Vinitasse]

Why are they a protected species anyway? As far as I can see there doesn't appear to be a shortage of them.

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Coz, there's a danger they'll become #36 with Black Bean Sauce if open season is declared.

[TOK]

So, a snake finds its way into my garage, I'm expected to ring Harry Butler and pay him to come and remove said reptile.....

Fair suck oh the sav mate.....you don't really expect anyone here to remember who he was ?

Unfortunate if you did kill it.....

Look I couldn't agree more, under most circumstances they mind their business and we mind ours, and they really are very beautiful as you see them slowly slithering in a direction away from you down the paddock....

...it is an offence to kill, injure or take snakes from the wild.......

Regardless of whether its an offence or not, no right minded person would ever harm a snake (or any other animal) when no threat is being posed.

Why are they a protected species.....?.

I dunno, but as I wrote above I don't see why anyone would want to kill one unless there was a very good reason...

...when people come across snakes in their homes...some pay the ultimate price trying to kill them.

Well, those that have never handled a snake probably shouldn't go near one because they will invariably try to use the wrong implements to try and capture the thing, they wont (capture it) but will stir it up, and that's when it is super dangerous and lightning quick, and that's when you're in for it...

In the last 10 years we've had roughly 7 bites on our property some of them fatal. All of them were our animals, and we also have an 18 month old toddler running around now....

[Barry_Duncan]

TOK,

Was the visitor to your garage cooked and eaten?

I understand that snake was a delicacy to the original owners of our land. I have eaten many things but never snake.

The last time I killed a snake was many years ago, when I had a brown one in the kitchen of my house when living near Bombala, southern NSW. When I find snakes, not in my house, I leave them alone.

I expect that snakes along with other wildlife are sadly being barbecued by bushfires in Sydney’s Blue Mountains today. Some parts of Sydney have had 40c temp today.

Barry

[TOK]

No, but don't "they" say they "taste like chicken"?

[Vinitasse]

No, but don't "they" say they "taste like chicken"?

Had a rattlesnake sandwich in Arizona once... and snake does taste like chicken... rubber chicken that is