"Snakes . . . I hate snakes."

[mikethepike]

A small group nof us are planning a summer weekend walk (temperature below 35oC, no northerly winds or declared fire ban days) down a gorge/steep sided creek bed where snakes are not uncommonly seen. We want to travel light - no cooking gear or tents - but heard the objection 'no tents but what about snakes?' These would be brown snakes. I recently heard that brown snakes do not move about at night but does this apply to warm nights? The idea of a snake out hunting on a warm night and slithering over your sleeping bag while you are asleep (or awake) is a chilling thought but is the likelihood worth worrying about to the extent that you feel obliged to take a tent? I would appreciate your thoughts on this.

[slparker]

I'm not sure about temperate climates (not being a herpetologist) but I was involved in the untimely death of a taipan in the NT after it struck at the outstretched hand of a man sleeping on a campbed at 3am. So snakes can be active overnight when the ground is warm but i don't know how common it is.

The worst case scenario, I imagine, is on a warm evening that cools suddenly and those active snakes start looking for somewhere warm and sheltered to sleep....

[phan_TOM]

Depending on where you're going there's plenty of snakes that like to come out and eat humans prey at night and the Eastern Browns are one of them. A quick web search will tell you more than you want or need to know
The Eastern Brown is a "Diurnal and terrestrial snake with nocturnal tendencies in hotter weather" toxinology.com

It doesn't worry some people but if it's going to bother you why not take a mosquito net and string it from a tree or stick and tuck it under your mat when you go to bed. Something like this only weighs 80 grams and almost fits in a pocket. At the very least it may stop other creatures of the night doing the riverdance on your face in the middle of the night.

[mikethepike]

he Eastern Brown is a "Diurnal and terrestrial snake with nocturnal tendencies in hotter weather" toxinology.com

It doesn't worry some people but if it's going to bother you why not take a mosquito net and string it from a tree or stick and tuck it under your mat when you go to bed. Something like this only weighs 80 grams and almost fits in a pocket. At the very least it may stop other creatures of the night doing the riverdance on your face in the middle of the night.

Thanks for the reference and idea on the mosquito net Phan_TOM which I will follow up and do.

The worst case scenario, I imagine, is on a warm evening that cools suddenly and those active snakes start looking for somewhere warm and sheltered to sleep....

Yes. I had thought of that!

[mikethepike]

Another question. Snakes swim in water and if it's hot, we may also want to go in for a swim. Does anyone know if snakes will bite you in the water? If so, the bite is likely to be directly to the skin which sounds dangerius but brown snakes (my concern) have channel fangs so perhaps much or most of the venom would not get injected and hence such a bite might not be too dangerous. I would still do the snake bite first aid procedure of course. I would appreciate any info. on this. Thanks.

[devoswitch]

Just don't swim with snakes. They're not going to come off the bank and slip into the water and swim over and bite you. They want to be away from you. Some snakes don't mind swimming but generally they just do it to cross rivers etc. It's a very beautiful thing as they are so elegant in the water.

[MickyB]

I have heard in the past that snakes can not bite when they are swimming. Is this fact or fiction?

Edit: Sorry mikethepike. That's very similar to your question.

[jackhinde]

Snakes are quite able to envenomate prey whilst in water.
I think your fears are unjustified re sleeping outdoors and swimming, snakes bite out of defence and for predation, they will not bite a sleeping human, except in the unlikely event of you rolling on to one that is passing or if you sleep walk. I have swum with redbellies and they are marvellous in the water. As for the taipan story....

[mikethepike]

I have heard in the past that snakes can not bite when they are swimming. Is this fact or fiction?

Edit: Sorry mikethepike. That's very similar to your question.

That was actually the unstated crux of my enquiry so thanks fo making it clear Micky and thanks Jack for your input on swimming snakes.

[recurveron]

came across this bloke on cup weekend backpack trip , took some pics and got great video of him , he could hold his breath for quiet a while and was in the water for 15mins until we left him be , he was trying to get at something under a rock and when we finally spooked him he just found another rock to curl under. the water was pretty cold so suprised to see him in there for so long

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[neilmny]

What is he recurveron?

[recurveron]

he is a red bellie black

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[jackhinde]

They have been known to catch eels, and I have watched a small one after tadpoles. Just as on land where they seem to move fast; but it is really only at a humans brisk walking pace, in the water they can be caught up to with a breast stroke- even by a poor swimmer as myself. Something about the serpentine motion exaggerates the speed and agility of these beautiful animals. They should not put any one off spending time in their habitat.

[walk2wineries]

Totally inappropriate - but I did like this.

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voldemort.jpg (42.2 KiB) Viewed 27530 times

[walk2wineries]

A small group nof us are planning a summer weekend walk (temperature below 35oC, no northerly winds or declared fire ban days) down a gorge/steep sided creek bed where snakes are not uncommonly seen. We want to travel light - no cooking gear or tents - but heard the objection 'no tents but what about snakes?' These would be brown snakes. I recently heard that brown snakes do not move about at night but does this apply to warm nights? The idea of a snake out hunting on a warm night and slithering over your sleeping bag while you are asleep (or awake) is a chilling thought but is the likelihood worth worrying about to the extent that you feel obliged to take a tent? I would appreciate your thoughts on this.

Years ago when I was in Qld one of the commonest presentations for snakebite (usually but NOT always not evenomated) was people who'd stopped the car to get out and take a leak -at NIGHT -and got bitten. YES snakes are active at night. I suspect its going to be the diurnal variation - what is cold to a Qld snake is not cold to a Taswegian - that affects how active they are at night; if its not that much colder at night they will be out - remember they have poor sight anyway.

[horsecat]

I used to (thankfully) see snakes all the time on the road at night when I lived in Kakadu. Can't remember seeing many in the daytime up there. Too hot for them, and their prey, in the day so they're more active in the cooler hours (which is still stinking hot by Tassi standards)

[walkabout]

Shudder.....I have great respect for snakes, W2W, but that pic gave me the heebie jeebies - how long is that snake?!

[shankspony]

Can anyone identify my friend from today? No red belly. He didn't look hungry though (see suspicious lump on left!)

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[Strider]

What state are you in? Tiger snake?

[shankspony]

What state are you in? Tiger snake?

Good question, sorry, I'm in NSW, near Sydney.

[RonK]

Saw a big red-bellied black crossing the road while cycling yesterday. A crow and two magpies were harassing him, and at first I thought it roadkill but when I got close it was plain he was very much alive. Would have been close to 2m long I think.

[Graham51]

I love to see snakes when I'm walking though I admit I get a bit of a fright when I come across them unexpectedly.
How could you not like a beautiful animal like this?

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Tiger snake sunning itself on the track near Fortescue Bay, Tasmania

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[highercountry]

Saw a big red-bellied black crossing the road while cycling yesterday. A crow and two magpies were harassing him, and at first I thought it roadkill but when I got close it was plain he was very much alive. Would have been close to 2m long I think.

Speaking of black snakes and cycling.
Saw this fella blocking the East Gippsland Rail Trail a few weeks ago.
About 2m long, I saw him from my bike with plenty of time to stop and take a few shots.
He wasn't going anywhere in a hurry. I had to stomp and scratch the ground to encourage him to move on and let me pass.
Beautiful creature, looks like he's made from carbon fibre.

[gbagua]

How significant of a concern are snakes on the Overland Track (I will be on it in mid-March) and what are recommended approaches to minimizing the risk/harm? Thanks

IMO, none; snakes run off when they see a human; they're shy creatures by nature; that's my personal experience.

Edit: when it's hot they are lazy, and move slowly taking their time, as if they were simply sun baking (exception to that rule shown by the awesome pic posted above).

I love snakes

[north-north-west]

I love snakes

+1

[stry]

How significant of a concern are snakes on the Overland Track (I will be on it in mid-March) and what are recommended approaches to minimizing the risk/harm? Thanks

IMO, none; snakes run off when they see a human; they're shy creatures by nature; that's my personal experience.

Edit: when it's hot they are lazy, and move slowly taking their time, as if they were simply sun baking (exception to that rule shown by the awesome pic posted above).

I love snakes

Whether or not one likes snakes, the word "none" in this post borders on foolish. Tiger snakes at least will definitely on occasion "decline" to move away, rear up and then, if one gets close enough strike. This has happened to me a few times, but IIRC in February/March each time.

Alert but not fearful is a far more appropriate approach.

It is very easy when walking to look past a snake, not notice it, and consequently get close enough to have a problem. On the OLT specifically, I encountered several snakes, both tigers ( think) and white lipped. The whtelipped were very large and sunning themselves beside the track. Any track is attractive if they are trying to raise their temperature as the foliage is thinner, letting in more warmth.

I spotted both the whitelipped in plenty of time, but should have seen them sooner. The tigers simply moved away.

Any animal, or human for that matter, is likely to react adversely if caught unawares by something intruding into it's threat zone unnoticed.

So please be concerned, as you would be in regards any other potential danger. Snakes are just something else to deal with, despite their potential lethality.

Be alert. Don't step over logs etc without being able to see the ground onto which you are stepping. Make sure you see them early. Respect their space.

Enjoy the walk

[highercountry]

Edit: when it's hot they are lazy, and move slowly taking their time, as if they were simply sun baking

They're probably a bit slow and lazy in the Tassy sunshine. A bit like a Taswegian human really (sorry, flame suit on)
Under more intense Victorian summer sun and heat they can be lightening fast.
Eastern browns especially fast on the strike when its warm and apparently can move as fast over a short distance as a running human being.
The E.G. Rail Trail is a favourite basking spot in the early morning sun for snakes and some big goannas, no vehicles and not much human disturbance.

Last edited by highercountry on Mon 22 Dec, 2014 9:29 am, edited 1 time in total.

[highercountry]

Tiger snakes at least will definitely on occasion "decline" to move away, rear up and then, if one gets close enough strike.

In an East Gippsland (Vic) forest we had a largish tiger stand up like that.
His head was about 18 inches off the ground, he flattened out his neck and wove his head from side to side, very much like a cobra. Steered very wide around that one.
Spraying weeds on the Mitta river banks (Vic again) one stood up over the top of a tussuock grass. His head was about 3-4 feet above ground although he had the tussock for support.
I wasn't very conservation minded in those days and shot him between the eyes with a burst of high pressure herbicide mix.

Sorry, a bit off topic but I love snake stories.
I love snakes too, from a safe distance and always feel the adrenaline release spotting one unexpectedly close.
We've had a Red-bellied black living somewhere near the veggie patch for at least five years now. I respect him and I think he in turn respects and keeps his distance from me.

[sambar358]

We have mostly Tigers, Browns and RBB's around here in East Gippsland Vic. The RBB's tend to be pretty docile most times when encountered but the Tigers and Browns need some watching and for me anyway extreme caution. Browns can be very fast and they'll hold their ground often when encountered...Tigers are just plain cranky most of the time and often are keen on having a go even if there is the option of retreat for them. Recently down here a fit young bloke who was working for the local water board on the Snowy River near Orbost was struck high on the arm by a large aggressive Tiger snake and his two companions had to forcibly pull the snake off him as it continued to strike him repeatedly.....once removed it then had a serious go at both of them before it was dispatched. The lad died several days later despite the bite being correctly and quickly treated by his co-workers on-site before he was taken first to the local hospital and then air-ambulanced to a regional hospital where anti-veninine was administered.....unfortunately all to no avail.

Most venomous snakes are quite active at night hunting their prey.....so tread carefully, watch where you put your hands, feet and backside......and don't assume that once the sun goes down the snakes all go to bed. As was the case with the lad from Orbost....it is the snake that you don't see that you need to be most wary of. Cheers

s358

[jackhinde]

Shanks pony, your snake is a Diamond Python Morelia spilota .
Sambar358, do you have any more details on that orbost bite? Google failed me.
To my knowledge/reading there has not been a single snake bite fatality in Australia when the correct pressure immobilisation first aid has been applied, so I am quite interested in this case.