Photo Credit: Flickr.com. Photos.
Whilst sitting in my pergola yesterday evening, a mere few strides from my veranda steps, a black (probably a western brown) snake slithers its way between my two dogs and under the house. Great ! It then plays hide and seek with my cat along the wooden borders that line the garden bed at the base of the veranda. Great !
This morning I’m about to put my horse’s breakfast into her food bin (20m from the house) which is a cut down shuttle on a pallet. What do I see? The same reptile, casually cruising away from me and you probably guessed it…..straight under the pallet. WTF !! I had to move the horse to another spot to feed her. Also, her water trough is gunked up with algae because of the sun and heat. To clean it I usually reach under and remove the bung to drain it. It’s so NOT happening at the moment!!
I’ve developed a dislike for leaf litter and any grass longer than 2cm. You can’t see them. All you might hear is a slight rustle. I’d love to burn it all so there’s nothing but bare earth but the council frowns on such things at the moment. There’s a total fire ban and the farmers would not be amused if there crops went up with it 
.
It would liven up the place though 
Out of millions and dillions of acres jam packed with reptile delicacies why oh why do they want to move in with us? They don’t “just pass through” it wouldn’t be so bad if they did. THEY STAY !! I find myself constantly side stepping them which isn’t funny when there are small children and animals and it’s so easy to step on them. I feel like a reptile magnet.
This one’s only about 4′ long compared with one we had this time last year. It was a 7′ king brown which was hell bent on drinking from my dogs water at the base of the veranda steps and didn’t give a stuff if we were next to it. We have dams. What’s so good about the dogs water? Maybe dog spit tastes better than cow spit ?
I’m not impressed !!
Is it poisonous? We have three types of poisonous rattlers at the holler. Do NOT like them!
Ooooh yep. We are blessed with about 10 of the most poisonous snakes in the world. I think the browns are something like 2nd only to the Tiapan. I hate summer because they are more active then. However they all forgot to hibernate the last few winters and they even bred.
My son almost trod on one mid winter sunning itself at one of our doors. We used to be able to think “its winter we don’t have to worry” but not now.
I know Australia has some doozy bad poisonous snakes. I remember In Jervis Bay being warned about walking in the brush with my flip flops. We have had 9 encounters with southern pacifics that can be quite aggressive and dispatched all 9. I can’t relax if one of these is invading my space, they are nuero/hepa toxic. I know some of Australia’s snakes are much worse. Can you dispatch them? Or must they invade your space?
The rattlers won’t come out here again until March. They are hibernating in groups now which gives me the heeby-jeebies. Can you imagine their den?
If a snake leaves me alone, I leave it alone. But when they get in your face and won’t leave, all bets are off. I nearly stepped on one with flip-flops on too!
Yuck!
You have my sincere empathy. Do you have snake guys that will come and get em for you?
If you live in towns or cities the “snake guys” can be called and generally are by those lacking in the means to “deal” with them.
Where I am, it’s every woman for herself. I do have a good mate that always comes when I call. His names “410″ and he never misses.
If they’d stay out of the house yard it would be ok. It’s just a couple of acres in the middle of mega acres. Why do they love us so much? I probably will have to deal with this one as it’s determined to be around my horse and she’s so old she could step on it. Plus the fact it just doesn’t move away very fast, I could tread on it while I’m feeding her. They are supposed to be protected but this is crap.
I send you positive thoughts for your success. Yes, one cannot be calling for help all the time, can one. Still very scary business and you have my very best wishes and hopes for resolution. Unless one deals with this, one cannot really understand it. I do. It is really scary. Best of best luck!
Ha yes. A few years ago I was trapped on top of my washing machine screaming my lungs out for 20 minutes as a Deaf Adder repeatedly try to propel itself at me. Trust me NO ONE COMES !!
You are so right only those who deal with it can understand it. Thanks. It’s fine for the “do-gooders” that don’t step out of their offices to lay down the laws. They’d drop their bundle if they had to do what we have to do on a daily basis
Thank you for the positive thoughts. I don’t look forward to feeding the horse tonight, have to take my mate with me I think.
Oh man! Terrifying! When I first moved to the holler I was so intimidated, but I know I have made progress with my fear when I dispatched one with a BBQ spatula while grilling steaks recently. The thing came directly at me on the patio! Brought it in with the BBQ tongs to show the family
Still, scary, scary and dangerous. Be careful & best of luck!
PS- I always wear snake boots now outside, but the southern pacifics are evolving and now like to drop on prey from trees. They are the only species out here that actually go after you.
May the force be with you!!!!
Drop from TREES ! Aaaah ! Tiger and Brown snakes are the “narkiest” and more likely to go for you here. They climb but don’t tend to leap from trees, thank God. They can strike several times, even above the knee, faster than you can see.
BBQ Tongs…no way. Not long enough for me. I’ve tried with a hoe but I’d rather a 410 thanks.
I think “the Force” is already with you….may it multiply and protect you. With venom dropping from the sky I think you certainly need it
I only used the spatula because the thing came directly at me while I was BBQ’ing and it was all I had on me! I used the spatula to errrr, remove said vipers cerebrum ie. I pinned it with the spatula and eerrr again, “removed” it’s head with the bbq spatula. I just remember being so MAD, that one was terrifying me AGAIN and I went for it.
Still proud of this!
I only used the tongs to bring the dispatched critter in for show and tell.
It’s funny afterwards.
But not at all when you are in the midst of it.
When it is quite dangerous and very scary. I don’t care what anyone says about this. When a aggressive venomous snake is going after you, there are no options. You can toss incense at it and invoke the earth mother, or whatever, but then you will get bit.
The thing that is so scary about this is that you only have one chance. If you mess it up, your potentially toast. That is what most un-nerves me.
Cannot believe this great conversation. Wish we were on the phone or better yet, lived nearby. I’d put on boots and lend moral support.
And bring the magic spatula for back up!
Cheers!
Wow, so brave. Yep you get like that. I’m over it as well. The things always seem to have to “be” where I am. Like what is this…go AWAY !! They are worse than my kids or dogs for being under foot.
ha just saw the last part of this message it only partly came through or I didn’t scroll down far enough.
Yes, moral support yay !! I don’t know if the boots would help but the “magic spatula” certainly could. I wonder if I could get on E bay. It’s a shame you are so far away I think we’d have a swinging time trying to get this critter.
The truth is people DO get bitten and they DO die. A little girl was bitten the summer before last and the parents weren’t aware of it. They thought it was a thistle in the vegie patch that had gotten her. She died.
Many years ago my father in-law was bitten on the knuckle. He was resuscitated 4 times in the ambulance on the way to hospital. His nerves have never been good. Family hates snakes as you can imagine.
Oh yes Southern Pacific’s kill people and can result in lost limbs and lengthy hospitalizations as well as excruciating pain.
I do think the magic spatula is the ticket, but……..stick with the 410! I imagine too, we would have some fun!!!! %$#@& snake!!!