2 of these little guys in friends house

[aussie_lad]

Can someone please ID this little guy. I have found two of these in my friends house in 2 days and shes starting to get really concerned. Is it some sort of tree snake? Just hoping it is not a ven... Also they are very small is it only like a day or so old?

 

[Kitah]

Common tree snake/not venemous

 

[Zipidee]

Though it's not a great photo, it looks very much like a Common (Green) Tree Snake. Non venomous.

 

[aussie_lad]

Thankyou for the quick replies, I was also thinking green tree snake but did not want to give her a definite answer as im far from being an expert haha. This will put her mind at ease now. Should also mention it was at Bribie Island. Is there anything she can do to prevent further ones getting in the house as im assuming there are many more babies around the place?

 

[aussie_lad]

Just read in the above link it is mildly venomous but harmless to humans would this snake have an affect on her german shepherd or cat if they got bit by it?

 

[Kitah]

These guys should be no significant risk to cats and dogs. They prey on small animals such as frogs and fish naturally. Ways to reduce the number of snakes around include getting/using screens on all doors and windows, keeping grass mowed short, reducing clutter etc that they can hide in.

 

[aussie_lad]

Hey Kitah thanks for the info, she already has screen on the doors and window and mowed the lawn a couple days ago there is not much clutter either... Pretty sure she has no frogs in the house either lol. Thanks for the tips though.

 

[Kitah]

Sometimes you cant really deter them- can only do your best Im just south of Bris and we have had a lot of tree snakes around recently after all the rain.

Just a tip though- tell her not to bother with snake repellents etc. Because they are useless

 

[aussie_lad]

Oh really I just bought a puppy from a breeder and she said she had a big snake problem near all her dogs and got some repellents and hasnt seen one since.. Could just be a coincidence though! Atleast there only tree snakes could be worse

 

[NicG]

Common Tree Snakes pose absolutely no threat to humans or pets and should not be considered as 'mildly venomous', which would put them into the same category as Brown Tree Snakes and even Yellow Faced Whip Snakes. They are (potentially much) less dangerous than a bee.

 

[andynic07]

There must be a lot of them out and about at the moment , my brother in law has seen a few around his work at Crestmead (Southside of Brisbane) including a very small one between 100mm and 150mm long at an estimate.

 

[Bluetongue1]

Weather conditions over the past two years have been favorable for the production and survival of the food items of Common Tree Snakes. It would seem your friend is experiencing an influx of young dispersing CTS from somewhere nearby. As was mentioned, properly functioning window screens and weather strips on doors or self-closing security doors (fly screen plus mesh) are required to exclude them from the house.

Your friend is doing the right things. Those additional areas she could address are setting traps for rodents and looking at gardens and their placement, where frogs might reside. Bushy shrubs in a well watered garden bed are often a haven for frogs, particularly where hardcore chemicals controlling insect pests etc are not used. The proximity to the house will have a definite influence on the likelihood of snakes moving from outside into a house.

I believe it is a big ask of the un-initiated to expect them to be able differentiate between venomous snakes and completely harmless snakes such as the CTS. The rule of thumb should be to always be to treat any snake as a potentially dangerously venomous visitor unless you are competent enough to positively ID a species with 110% confidence.

Hopefully there some information of use there for her.

Blue

 

[aussie_lad]

Thanks everyone for the responses I have passed this link on to her!

 

[Tesla]

While everyone loves to label D.punctulata as "non-venomous" it is not at all true. They contain venom glands and their fangs are capable of injecting venom.
While their venom poses no risk to humans and is used primarily against food items I am a firm believer in labeling animals exactly what they are and D. punctulata are a venomous species.

This has been confirmed by Dr. Bryan Fry

 

[thomasssss]

s I am a firm believer in labeling animals exactly what they are and D. punctulata are a venomous species.

This has been confirmed by Dr. Bryan Fry

and as all venomous species , wouldn't there be the risk of an allergic reaction from the venom causing death ? if thats the case shouldn't it be noted? people really should think before saying its harmless and non venomous etc

 

[Tesla]

and as all venomous species , wouldn't there be the risk of an allergic reaction from the venom causing death ? if thats the case shouldn't it be noted? people really should think before saying its harmless and non venomous etc

I agree. As it stands the most widely believed stance is "not dangerous to humans" and I am unaware of any work or studies regarding D. punctulata so at this time I guess it's "try not to get bitten". While I know there are many people who have been bitten without ill effect it only takes that one bite on the wrong person. It reminds me of when a very respect Australian was bitten by Hemiaspis signata and almost died, that species was also considered "harmless to humans"​

 

[Firepac]

This is an interesting topic and one which has been discussed before but it is not relevant to the ID thread. Please keep posts relevant and on topic.

 

[NicG]

While everyone loves to label D.punctulata as "non-venomous" it is not at all true. They contain venom glands and their fangs are capable of injecting venom.
While their venom poses no risk to humans and is used primarily against food items I am a firm believer in labeling animals exactly what they are and D. punctulata are a venomous species.

This has been confirmed by Dr. Bryan Fry

Not true at all. D.punctulata are solid-toothed and have no fangs ... front or rear. I apologize for deviating off topic, but I feel very strongly about this. The general population typically consider anyone who has a reptile as an expert. And if we 'experts' start saying things like Common/Green Tree Snakes are technically venomous, all that will result is that people will start killing them with the justification "better safe than sorry". In this case, distributing what is 'technically right' is not the right thing to do.