Information Sheet

www.logan.qld.gov.au

Snakes are an important part of our environment and What to do are often misunderstood. It is important to remember • If you encounter a . that, like all native , snakes are protected under STAY CALM, and if possible walk away. State Legislation Nature Conservation Act 1992 and that • If you have a snake inside your house. harming a snake is an offence under this legislation. Also 1. Firstly leave it alone. remember: 2. Close internal doors and open external doors. 3. Keep everyone including pets away from snake. • Not all snakes are venomous This gives the snake a chance to leave on its own. If • Not every that looks like a snake is a snake. this doesn’t work, call Parks and Wildlife Burrowing and legless lizards are often mistaken Service for contact details of local commercial snake for a snake. catcher 1300 130 372 to relocate snake to a safe • When left alone, snakes present little or no danger to place. people. Most snake bites are received by people trying to capture or kill a snake. It is important to remember snakes are an essential part • Most snakes, even the dangerous ones, will retreat of our environment and the relocated snake may be when given the chance. replaced by another living nearby.

It is important to always assume an animal could be Backyard Snake Safety potentially harmful and leave it alone. • Maintaining your lawn • Locate gardens and sheds away from the house When • Ensure timber, building and rubbish piles are neatly Snakes gain body warmth using external heat sources stacked such as the sun or warmed rocks, and require this heat • Place food scraps in closed compost bins to avoid to perform everyday activities such as fnding food. attracting to the yard This means during cooler months snakes are relatively • Make your aviaries and chook sheds and inactive, then as the weather becomes warmer there is snake-proof. an increase in snake activity and more sightings. • Store bird seed in rodent-proof containers.

Where Stay snake-safe this summer by: Snakes can be found in a variety of bushland , but are also commonly found in backyards, for example • Screen doors and windows and block potential entry sheltering beneath rocks and log piles, underneath old points of your home sheets of tin/rubbish and amongst leaf litter. • When gardening wear gloves, long pants and covered shoes • When bushwalking stay on formed paths or tracks so you can see and avoid snakes, and always wear protective clothing such as covered shoes and trousers www.logan.qld.gov.au

Snakebite Management Yellow-faced whip snake 1. Follow DRABCD Venomous/Large Specimens 2. Rest and reassure casualty Potentially Dangerous 3. Apply a very frm pressure immobilisation bandage by They are active during the day, very applying a frm roller bandage starting just above the agile and usually escape quickly when fngers or toes and moving upwards as far as can be disturbed. Found throughout SEQ. reached up the limb. Apply tightly without stopping blood supply to the limb. White-crowned snake Venomous/ 4. Immobilise the limb using a splint and secure with Not dangerous to humans second bandage. It is considered to be one of the most 5. Ensure casualty does not move common snakes in Brisbane, even 6. Call 000 for an ambulance occurring in the inner city. It inhabits 7. Write down time of bite and when bandage was compost heaps and damp areas of applied. Stay with casualty. gardens.

St John’s Australian First Aid, 2008 Eastern small-eyed snake Venomous This snake favours dark areas under South East Queensland region common sheets of tin, rocks and bark on fallen are: logs.

Eastern brown snake Carpet Python Non-Venomous Highly Venomous It is often found in trees, sometimes Occur in a variety of habitats ranging living in another animals’ burrow. These from through to eucalypt pythons are often encountered on the . It is distributed throughout all road on warm spring and summer nights but the western parts of Queensland. in all types within their range. Active during the day. Will strike if They are mainly active at night. provoked.

Common tree snake Non-Venomous Red-bellied black snake Common tree snakes are found in a Venomous variety of habitat types, but are usually Variety of habitats near water but are seen in eucalypt woodland or rainforest more frequently encountered in wetter areas. They are active during the day in vegetation communities. Active during trees and on the ground. the day.

Keelback Non-Venomous The keelback is found in and around creeks, rivers and marshlands. Active day or night.

Photos © DERM AND QLD MUSEUM