Snake sightings, encounters and reminders.

[stevesteve]

Good bedtime reading and watching.

That David Attenborough video is bloody harrowing! Very well filmed.

Long story short- I once had a green tree pit viper pursue me whilst I was up a very tall tree. That wasn't in Australia though. I haven't had any encounters with snakes since then and I'm not sure whether that experience will help me keep my cool or do the opposite when I next come across one.

I'd imagine the more encounters with snakes the calmer one gets? Maybe...?

 

[Solid Luck]

This is the way to deal with them. Bet that old digger doesn't give a crap.

 

[sand surfer]

The irrigation at home in vic when growing up drew the tiger snakes like bees to a hunny pot, after dark you had to watch your step as the buggers where warming themselves on the concrete, it was not uncommon to find 2 to 4 snakes on the path at a time

Up here growing the sweet spuds i had a large red belly black that was always in the crop ,getting the mice and rats ,she done a good job as we never had mice or rat damage to the crops, but she was very large fat and healthy, :lol: during the day she sun baked on top of the beds of spuds and if you went into the block she would just wonder off at her own pace ,i did not annoy her and she did not annoy me erfect:

 

[Jaros]

That's the way it should be but people panic and try to get rid of them and that causes the problem!!!

 

[Booney]

Although living rurally close to state and national parks we have only had 4 snakes that we know about visit our home over the 35 years at this property . A red belly black ,a brown and two tigers . The last one a meter long tiger Somehow got into our downstairs laundry scarring the bejeasus out of Mrs Booney . Although we like to live and let live I draw a line on snakes entering our home and right or wrong they get the long handle spade .
Out prospecting I have only ever seen one brown which I stumbled open under a log in Maryborough. I have a theory not sure if its true or not about pulse induction detectors putting signal into the ground and alerting and snake of our presence. This is based on the lack of sightings by detectorists although there are many of us roaming around the bush . Of course bashing and crashing and scrubbing of coils may well also help.
Interestingly there have been a few sightings of 4 to 5 foot lace monitors roaming through propertys in the area. I have not ever seen one for myself but the sightings have been happening for many years . Would be awesome to see one .

 

[ProspectorPete]

I have only ever seen 1 snake in Bendigo while detecting, we were on a head on collision course and we both stopped about 5 meters from each other, it stood up to sniff the air for a few seconds then it moved off to the left of me, I decided to head right but could only detect a few meters because of the thick scrub so had to double back to where the snake had headed, he was nowhere to be seen so it made for an interesting 20 mins or so detect out of there.
I've seen about 3 lace monitors while out detecting, they get the heart racing when you look up to see something big take off up the nearest tree.
I like the PI theory Booney :Y:

 

[Jaros]

I think it would be difficult to hear a reptile slithering thru the leaves or grass with a pair of headphones on....

 

[Deepseeker]

I only ever wear headphones, but I never walk backwards, always watch where I place my feet (get into the habit of stopping if you want to look around and suss out where that quartz or ironstone is coming from), and I never step over a log unless I've stood on it first. I also carry two snake bite bandages in the minelab harness battery pouch (I keep my battery in the DD control box cover). I've told Mrs D that if I ever get bitten or snuff it falling down a shaft, don't be sad as I went doing what I absolutely love. ickshovel:

 

[Bjay]

Same here. Ive only ever seen 1 whilst out detecting. Seen way more when I used to work the creeks. They dont like to be too far from a water source. Used to see quite a few tigers in the spud crops while moving the irrigation pipes but theyd generally keep out of your way.

 

[CreviceSucker]

I only ever wear headphones, but I never walk backwards, always watch where I place my feet (get into the habit of stopping if you want to look around and suss out where that quartz or ironstone is coming from), and I never step over a log unless I've stood on it first. I also carry two snake bite bandages in the minelab harness battery pouch (I keep my battery in the DD control box cover). I've told Mrs D that if I ever get bitten or snuff it falling down a shaft, don't be sad as I went doing what I absolutely love. ickshovel:

Something noteworthy is that Eastern Browns might slither straight past you then spin around and bite the back of your legs / feet just when you think they are going to leave you alone.

i dont know if other species do this too , i didnt give them opportunity for practice in the past and dont quite feel in the mood to begin either.

 

[LONEWOLF]

I have an agreement with most Snakes..... I Hate snakes and they hate Me, so I don't see too many... But seen plenty of Death Adders at Station Creek near Grafton NSW.... Found out that is the most prolific place to find a Death Adder.... QLD Uni goes down there for their Research every year....

As for Browns, be very careful at the Seaway on the Gold Coast, plenty between there and Surfers Paradise beach. They love the rocks eating the rats and Cats.. I haven't an agreement with them yet... ]

Years ago, A mate found a Carpet Snake so he picked it up. Cool he thought.. Straight away it latched onto his arm and he ran out of the bush with this snake attached to his arm. Funny as.. Every time we tried to remove it, it bit him harder... Made a hell of a mess to his arm. Finally got it off him Lol.. With-in 2hrs he was feeling very unwell so we took him to Hospital... 8 days he spent fighting a massive infection that nearly killed him.... Not so Funny... :argh:

LW....

 

[Davent]

Dont see many up here during the day, its too hot. But at night, in the wet season, in certain areas, you can find soooo many!
Worst place Ive seen (or best if you like em) is near the window to the wet lands on last light, mainly water pythons, but usually a death adder or two on the road. Ive seen as many as 50+ on a couple of hundred meters of road pre cane toad days.
When detecting up here,most Ive seen were 2 western browns and a death adder.
Nearly stood on a huge death adder wearing thongs once, was on my way home, but stopped to look at some ground, very nearly trod on the thing.

 

[Dihusky]

Neighbour was moving some pots around a few months back, lifted one and there was a nest of baby browns, didn't hang around to count them but he thought there were probably a dozen or so, the little buggers are deadly immediately after hatching ]

Couple of years back we spotted a brown heading to the Father-in-law's place beside the Coomera River on the Goldie, biggest I've ever seen, we called Dreamworld and they asked how big it was, we thought around 3m! They didn't believe us until they arrived, over 3m and the biggest Brown they have ever seen

Used to get heaps of Browns on the farm, always had to be careful moving hay bales, they loved the the stacks, rodents and warm for nesting, one of the got our Jack Russel, both died, the snake in 3 pieces!

Just another beast one has to live with snakes or drop bears...take your pick

 

[LONEWOLF]

This is what snakes think about us....

LW....

 

[madtuna]

I find it hard to fathom how some haven't seen a snake in years of detecting. I figure if I don't see at least one a week I'm not looking hard enough.

Just a few I managed to get a pic of...

These ones you see heaps of....

This one's not a snake...just I think it's cool how they stand up after having a feed to force it down.

 

[JD3]

Get em in my backyard several times a year.
My stafffy got nailed by a Big Brown twice. He,s gone now but by natural causes lived till 15 yrs old. Good for a Staffy.
First time he was 4 yrs old. Was a 5 footer brown. We saw it happen. He bit it and the brown hit him three times in the face.
Our dog went into convulsions and frothed at the mouth. From bite time to the Vet 20 minutes. Thought he was gone. 12 hours later with anti venom took him home worse for ware...two days later ok.
Second time. In the house about 40 c outside, he let us know he needed a p..
Opened the back door....huge brown . easy 6 foot.
Before I could stop him he was out. He saw the snake and went for it. He grabbed its tail. I hit the ground and grabbed his hind legs...now im flat on my stomach..his legs in my hands...snake tail in his mouth.....snake head looking back at us both! Snake reared right up. I'll admit I s...t myself and tasted the adrenaline...metalic I swear! My Staffy let go....the Brown reared up higher...looked at us both then went under the fence and gone. I thought I saw it hit my dog so took him for a shot. But he didn't show the symptoms like the first encounter. But am sure he was hit. Tough little thing he was. Loved people but hated anything else that moved! Gone now from natural age and buried in the bush. Damn he was a tough little thing! :Y:

 

[VicGoldHunter]

Touch wood, I have been very lucky and in my 3 years detecting not once have I seen a snake! My theory is most of the gold areas tend to be quite dry and lifeless. Where have you seen them?

 

[Windar]

A snake for each of my outings this summer at different locations in SA. Even saw one at 10.30 on overcast 22 degree day, luckily heading the opposite way from me. Was mindful and had gators on and making lots of noise both time.

 

[Moneybox]

We see very few so it's best to just sneak by so they don't see you :lol:

 

[Bullwinkle]

Usually only see the odd Eastern Brown where I am (GT) at the start & end of summer. After an encounter for the rest of the day every bendy stick turns into one. I once dragged about a 3 footer out from under a bush. Needless to say I went one way & snake the other.