Help Needed to Get Rid of Tiger Snakes - EXPERT ADVICE NEEDED please :)

[anonymouse]

Hi

I apologise - its long...

I have 5 acres of tigersnake paradise (Cardup, WA) and we are about to move onto the property with 3 kids under 5. I was walking with my 1yr old and 3 yr old at the back of the property two days ago and almost stood on a very long, black tigersnake. He just sat there and looked at me... he was coming from the back drain thru our back fence.

I don't hate snakes and do not want to kill them. I am guessing that in the future when we have a few more horses on the property (other than a little shetland pony), more pasture and less long grass, motorbikes being constantly ridden and dogs and people everywhere that the snakes won't want to hang out at our place. But what to do in the mean time?

The property is a long rectangle with a drain running along a bridle path at the back with lovely stagnant water all year round. There is also a drain and water catchment on the property which dries out in summer.

Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I can do to discourage the snakes? Would putting a couple of feet of canary wire along the back fence deter the snakes (buried in the gound about a foot)? Any safe chemicals i can put down? Snake repellers (they look like a gimmick)? Electric fence on the ground (don't laugh)?

Sorry if the ideas are lame. I just don't want my kids and snakes mixing. My husband wants to get a shotgun

Thanks in advance - if there is somewhere i can call or a website....



PS: I think there are heaps of snakes in the area I have already seen 4 in 6 months.

 

[Elapidae1]

There are few snake relocators in your area including myself (sort of nearby). You are in a snake prone area so knowledge of snake bite first aid would be recomended just in case. there are things you can do to make your propeerty less attractive to snakes such as keeping your lawn down trees pruned sheets of wood and tin of the ground etc. Don't be afraid be aware, snake bite is very rare. Brian Bush's website has a list of some of our relocators or alternatively you can phone wildcare on 94749055.
some charge aaround $50 or like myself a donation towards fuel and expenses etc. If you wish to discuss I'll PM you my PH number.
Snake repellers etc do NOT work

Steve

 

[cement]

You won't rid the land of snakes, and nor should you want to as they play an important role in the ecosystem. As mentioned learn about them, even if it means doing a snake catching course. The first aid is especially relevant to you and ALL your family, even young kids can make phone calls if you or your husband get bitten and paralysed.
If you "expect" to see a snake under everything you move, around your property then you won't be caught off guard and freaked out when you see one. A couple of days spent learning about them with someone who knows what they are talking about will go a long way to alleviate fears.

 

[prettypython]

You can't really rid yourself of snakes unless you call a relocator, I won't go to call outs unless someone can still see it. You need to get rid of things that atract tiger snakes. Things like water bowls, loose rubble on the ground for heat and hiding spots. As tigers mainly eat frogs keep the water features away from your house as with chicken pens and bird averies they probally won't mind a mouse! Also a snake is first a coward (hides) then a bluffer( bluffs they will flare out and maybe strike a couple of times before finally if you really piss them of, they will be a warrior.( bite) good luck, another wonderful thing to remember is knowone has ever died in australia that has had the correct first aid applied.

 

[sookie]

Me,i would get myself a couple of happy playful noisy boisterous dogs.the sheer noise of them racing around,pooping and piddling,yapping etc any snake would be nuts for hanging around.and if somethings gonna get bitten let it be one of the dogs,not one of the nippers.heaven forbid that occurs anyways.

 

[Torah]

There was something advertised on T.V afew weeks back (not sure if it would work) . It was kind of like one of those plug in insect repellers but for outside . Cant remember the name and as I said dont know if it would work..

 

[Elapidae1]

It won't work

 

[PythonLegs]

Sell the land, move to NZ.

 

[Nephrurus]

You have moved onto a place that is a DREAM for a tiger snake. Permanent water all year round? That's pretty rare in wa! You probably even get Lissolepis (Egernia) luctuosa there!

As steve mentioned: short grass, remove tin/rubbish/hiding places as well as removing anything that might attract them like chook pens (rat and mice will bring in the tigers AND dugites- lucky you!).

I think it is worth remembering you've moved to the area with the snakes. Some people would consider this very lucky and in reality, the price you pay for living near the bush is sometimes the very reason you moved there: to be closer to nature. Without too much of a change in your lifestyle I'm sure you can coexist quite happily with them.

Best of luck!

 

[GreatSnakes]

There is an excellent article in one of the reptile mags (it may have been Scales & Tails but I think it was Reptiles Australia) which showed how territorial Tiger snakes are ie just like most mammals, they have an area in which they live and don't really venture into another Tiger snakes zone. This could mean that on your property you will have a few tiger snake zones and they all live happily. My guess is that if you removed one, then because you live in a "perfect for snakes" area, another will take it's place in the "prime real estate"! Because of this, you are going to have make the kids very snake aware and teach them what great animals they are but that they can also be dangerous.

 

[anonymouse]

Thanks to all who were helpful. I will put Steve's number in my phone.

Also I don't want to rid my property of snakes at all. I am not scared of them I am just very worried about my little kids. So I will do what a previous poster advised and educate them about snakes - excellent idea.

 

[Bluetongue1]

Going back a few years now, I had a mate with 8 acres backing onto the pine plantation out along Gnangarra Rd. in Perth. This was before all the current development and Dugites were extremely common. He set up normal sized backyard surround with corrugated iron along the wire fence that came up about a metre. Not sure how deep it went but the snakes don’t actually dig – it is rabbits and foxes that do that. An apron of a metre of chook wire flat on the ground would stop that. He said it worked well. Just like a snake pit, but in reverse. That, in addition to all the other measures mentioned about making your yard snake unfriendly. He also had a couple of dogs and they would locate and bark at snakes elsewhere on the property.

Most bites occur from people accidentally trading on snakes. This is most likely to happy when you leave a cleared track and start walking through long grass etc. The clothes you wear when going for a wander in any sort of scrub or grassland are also important. Thick walking socks pulled up and loose fitting long pants with some substance to them. Be aware that in warm weather both Tigers and Dugites will be active at night – it gets too hot for them during our WA summers as well.

Come spring you will have new born tigers and hatchling dugites dispersing from where mum produced them, looking for their own patch of turf. This is when these over-sized worms are most likely to find their way into people’s yards and houses. Make the kids aware that even at that size they contain a potentially lethal dose of venom, so treat them with the respect due. A tea towel over the top, then carefully sweep that into a dustpan or shovel and put straight into a bucket or plastic bin with a lid. Transport with the lid clamped in place to a bushland area (near water body for tigers). Empty the contents carefully on the ground and if the snake is still wrapped in the tea towel, use a stick or BBQ tongs to empty it out and retrieve your towel.

The education recommended by others is really important.

Blue

 

[andysnakes]

Me,i would get myself a couple of happy playful noisy boisterous dogs.the sheer noise of them racing around,pooping and piddling,yapping etc any snake would be nuts for hanging around.and if somethings gonna get bitten let it be one of the dogs,not one of the nippers.heaven forbid that occurs anyways.

sookie snakes dont have ears so they cant hear boistrous dogs, i love it when you comment on threads so i can have a good laugh