An increase in snake sightings prompted an enquiry from a Lismore App reader into what is happening in their world.

The discussion with Marion, owner of Safe Snake Services (SSS), a snake-handling business in Lismore, challenges us to rethink our relationship with snakes.

Marion explains, with the rain in winter and the early spring, “A lot of snakes went to bed unfed. So they got up with hunger. There have been a lot of snakes crossing the country to hunt and mate early this year. So we've been off to a big start of season."

Marion also coordinates reptiles for Wires in the Northern Rivers. She finds Eastern Brown Snakes fascinating, having found her passion, and hasn’t looked back.

“Lismore has a very highly populated zone, snake wise, and not a lot of people who work with snakes. It's just amazing because there’s never a dull moment - every day is exciting. 

“I do a lot of advising, counselling, consoling on the phone.

“My whole mission is to help people have less fear in their lives, and snakes don't need to contribute to that”

As a snake handler, “Through most of the year, I am kept really busy, but winter's a bit quieter.”

Marion says these are the most common snakes she is called to handle in the Lismore area:

• Coastal Carpet Python (non-venomous)
• Eastern Brown Snake (highly venomous)
• Red Bellied Black Snake (highly venomous)
• Green or Common Tree Snakes (non-venomous)

And then a few of these:

• Yellow Faced Whip Snake (mildly venomous, but highly venomous to cats)
• Marsh Snakes (venomous)
• Eastern Small Eyed Snake (black, small and highly venomous)
• Dwarf Crown Snake (brown with a white crown marking around its head - mildly venomous)
• Brown Tree Snake (also called the night tiger snake - mildly venomous)

(These are the more popular species in the area. Can you identify them? Note the smaller snake is a baby Eastern Brown. Quite different from its parent with the patterns along its body, that can stay, albeit a lot less vibrant, into adulthood. Image Credit: Safe Snake Services)

When you see a snake outside, staying at least two meters away from it allows it to feel safe as it can escape. Inside any building, a snake will consider itself trapped.

Marion says, as a rule of thumb, if a snake climbs up, it is less likely to be toxic. If it goes to ground, make sure you stand back. “Except for a Python that can be a bit higgledy piggledy.”

Having a fear of snakes is worth investigating what the fear is about - maybe a fear of treading on one or finding one unintentionally. “If snakes wanted to chase us, my God, we would all be dead!

“They have this potential to be a weapon of mass destruction, but they aren't. They just let us be, they give us wa; they give us warnings, and we move in. They're very compliant and they're very cooperative. You only hear the bad stories because people talk a lot about them.”

Eastern Browns are particularly known for their aggression. But Marion puts it in another perspective and says that they are just highly anxious. There can be very good reasons for getting to know your local eastern brown and for them to get to know you.

“It's because they've got a very strong homing instinct. When a brown snake is in trouble, the first thing they want to do is go home and they're going to go with speed. So, if you're standing in the way of the tiny, little hole that they go to, they're going to rear up and ask you to leave, looking really scary. 

“They are very strong believers in personal space, brown snakes, and they make no mistake, letting you know that want to go about they want to go about their business,ting or hunting. 

(Hunting for a snake in a hole. Image Credit: Safe Snake Services)

“They go where the rats go. If you've got a rat problem, you’ll have a snake that wants to take care of that problem. They take care of the rats that eat your crops and get into your food and carry disease.”

Marion knows about snake behaviour, and when it comes to Eastern Browns, if you take one away and relocate it, another will come. Consider, once you have a dominant snake on your property, no others will approach, “If you've got one brown, he's going to be loyal to you the whole time that he's there.

“It will protect your property from other snakes of its own species.

“They have a one-track mind, brown snakes. And when it's mating season, all they care about is each other. It's quite funny, this season, we've seen a lot of combat and a lot of mating, and they don’t mind who is watching!”

Browns are very habitual, “Snakes also stick to the same routine. You will find brown snakes predictable, and they need to find us predictable. They rely on us sticking to our times. 

“People will surprise a snake by going home during their lunch break or popping into the house when they're not normally there, and that's when they'll find a snake. Snakes are so dependent on our routines and our predictability.

“It's also important for dog owners to know that a brown snake is going to go to the same place every day, and so will a black. It's part of their safety. And so for you chucking a ball for a dog and you're going adventuring in the bush, stick to the same path and same places each day.”

If the snakes have a safe haven set up for them, it can protect your furry friends, “Knowing snakes have a little rocky area where you can put prickly things that the dogs don't like becomes a snake zone - it separates dogs from snakes.

“People will find it so much less worrisome if dogs are snaked trained as puppies. Vets offer snake awareness training for dogs. When they call “snake,” the dog has learned to walk back instead of investigating.”

Marion suggests other things to keep the area around your house a place less likely for snakes to want to dwell. “Keep the outside of your house free of debris, and inspect it for little holes. Use a leaf blower regularly around the house to keep snakes at a distance. Keeping your house really mindfully, free of things that rats eat!”

If you encounter a snake, Marion recommends you keep your cool as much as possible, “Breathe, breathe, breathe, just be centered and stay grounded with good intention. And the animal kind of gets it and they won't attack you. They would rather just try and get away.

“Snakes are expert body language readers. They know what a safe person looks like.

“Brown snakes are triggered by movement. To be calm, there is a much greater chance that nothing bad will happen.”

(Snakes colouring and patterns alter so this coastal carpet python looks quite distinctive. Image Credit: Safe Snake Services)

Marion advises that it is a good idea to get to know what different snakes look like. “If you get bitten by a whip snake and you go to hospital. They'll treat it as an eastern brown snake because the description of the snake being so similar,is so similar that you end up spending a lot of time in theildly venomous bite. 

“Having your phone handy is really good to be able to take a photo of a snake. Browns and whip snakes like the same sort of rocky habitat.”

If you find a snake in the house, this is what Marion recommends:

• If its venomous it’s going to try get away or hide under anything on the floor to plot its escape. 

• If it’s non-venomous, like pythons or tree snakes, it could climb up high and wait for you to get help.

• Allow as much space as possible between you and the snake and call a snake catcher while keeping eyes on the snake.

• Take a big, deep breath and put on some sensible shoes. Calmly put pets and kids away from the snake zone.

• Give it an escape - open an outside door or window and give it some space while keeping an eye on it.

• Close and block doors and gaps where you don’t want the snake going, just do things slowly so you don’t spook the snake.

• If needed, a plastic rake makes a reasonable shield. You can hold it down on the floor in a non-threatening way, as far from your feet as possible; you’ll both feel safer. Holding up a shovel can be perceived as threatening.

• Slippery/highly polished floors can make snakes nervous to flee, so they’re less inclined to make a dash for the door, as mobility is restricted.

• Pythons are notorious for knocking things off shelves -if a python is in the house, save your valuable breakables if it is safe to do so.

Anytime you are unsure, call a snake catcher or a wildlife organisation.

Safe Snakes Services number is 0458732022

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