This hot weather is certainly good for snakes who are now well and truly out and about. Our ‘rodent control technicians’, Carpet Pythons are busy again and up on the range here, Red Belly Black Snakes are hunting frogs and other snakes!
One of my favourite snakes is the somewhat poorly named Common Tree Snake. For colour and beauty I’d suggest that these snakes should be known as the ‘Absolutely Stunning Tree Snake’, as in the case of this one it had scales on its back that were like blue jewels, contrasting nicely with the yellow scales of its belly.
Colouration of Common Tree Snakes can be highly variable with browns, blues, blacks on the back and yellows, pale blue or grey or even white on the bellies.
Believed previously to be non-venomous, research now shows that they are a venomous snake (don’t panic) but their venom or its delivery appears to only affect their target prey which are frogs and they are unable to injure humans.
They are great to watch, slithering acrobatically in trees and shrubs and should be a welcome guest in your forest, garden, or veranda but maybe not in the house…
As there are no vegetarian snakes, any snakes you might have in your garden (and be lucky enough to see) have been attracted by the habitat you have provided for their prey.
Having predators in your garden is a sign that the habitat you have created is complex and diverse enough to support them and their prey, which is a good thing – apart from the fact that some snakes are venomous to us and our pets…
Knowledge is a great tool to combat fear and plan what to do (if anything) if you see a snake. A great book to help you with snakes is “Snakes of the Sunshine Coast Region” by Mike Donovan, available at Forest Heart. Most snake bites to humans are as a result of trying to move or kill snakes, if need be contact the snake wranglers and stay safe.