Snake ID Illawarra

[Stormanne]

Hi all this is my first posting!! We live on the Illawarra escarpment and while not a snake lover or keeper we like to be able to identify the snakes we come across. One small snake is making this dificult. They? appear under the dog kennel grey in colour cream under belly? Never longer than 30 to 40cm. We relocate them but they keep comming back. If harmless we will stop relocating them! We have one in a bucket and will take some photos which may assist the ID!

 

[itbites]

Bit hard without a pic mate ... go take a pic and you'll get an answer in no time (poor doggy's!)

 

[Stormanne]

Here is the photos of the small grey snake, can it be identified?

 

[moloch05]

It looks like an Eastern Small-eyed Snake to me. I can't see any pattern on the head that should be obvious if it was a Golden-crowned Snake. Eastern Small-eyed Snakes seem to be the most abundant elapid on the escarpment. Golden-crowned Snakes are also common.

Here are a couple of pics:
Eastern Small-eyed Snake:

Golden-crowned Snake:

Regards,
David

 

[AdhamhRuadh]

Small eyed maybe?? Just a random guess...

 

[AdhamhRuadh]

Guess thats two votes for small eyed hey moloch? :lol:

 

[itbites]

hmm if it is an eastern small eyed snake they are DANGEROUSLY VENOMOUS....is it a glossy black colour? also small eyeds only grow max 1metre ...it wouldn't be a tiger would it? or some type of brown? sorry i don't know very much at all about venomous snakes....either way i'de be very carefull when relocating them....

 

[Stormanne]

Cheers for the info

 

[Stormanne]

They hiss alot but I am able to pick them up by the tail since they are slow moving and put them in a bucket to relocate. We get about one a week in summer under the kennel so we have become familiar with relocating them by hand. It's the quickest without hurting them. Never seen one over 40cm so I agree with the small eye ID.

 

[AdhamhRuadh]

Guess it goes without saying- be very careful moving them by hand as they are fairly dangerous.

 

[dazza101]

They could be marsh snakes or swamp snakes which are also slightly venomous and they grow to around 40-50 cm.

 

[Paliadon]

Hmmn, small eye, big bite...

 

[moloch05]

Hello Dazza,

I don't think that it is a Marsh Snake due to the lack of white on the face. Here pics of two Marsh Snakes from Mt. Kiera:

Regards,
David

 

[AdhamhRuadh]

Aswell as the eye lines, I think marsh snakes also have a darker belly.

 

[Stormanne]

Looks like I'll have too review my safety plan for relocating the SES. Thanks for everyones help..Stormanne

 

[itbites]

hmm i just read..that eastern small eyed snakes havea glossy black colour with cream to pale pink belly's sometimes flecked and blotched with black. also it isaid venom toxicity appars to vary geographically, and some populations may be considered dangerous

 

[AdhamhRuadh]

hmm i just read..that eastern small eyed snakes havea glossy black colour with cream to pale pink belly's sometimes flecked and blotched with black. also it isaid venom toxicity appars to vary geographically, and some populations may be considered dangerous

lol, gotta love "A Complete Field Guide To Reptiles Of Australia" :lol:

 

[moloch05]

They certainly vary in colour and size by locality. I have seen many here in the Illawarra but none were very large at all. In contrast, those from the Mt. Glorious area (west of Brisbane) are often much larger and the red is more pronounced. Here are a few Small-eyed Snakes from Mt. Glorious area:

Regards,
David

 

[itbites]

lol, gotta love "A Complete Field Guide To Reptiles Of Australia" :lol:

hehe 2nd edition also thanx for those pix david

 

[dazza101]

Ye Dave I see what you mean. I didnt even enlarge the pic provided. I should have, and then I would have identified it as a small eyed aswell