Womas in Brisbane

[mrmikk]

I was driving in the Redlands area of Brisbane this afternoon and a snake about 12 - 18" long shot across the road in front of me. So I stopped and got out but only caught a fleeting glimpse as it dissapeared into someone's garden (my search of their garden didn't locate it either). The snake appeared very much like a juvenile woma, although the Redlands area of S/E Brisbane isn't a known habitat, I didn't think. Anyone have any ideas, or has anyone seen a wild woma in this area?

 

[Retic]

Well Brisbane is well outside of the Womas range and while theoretically it could have been an escapee it's not very likely. I can't really think of another snake from this area that could be mistaken for on to be honest.

 

[MrBredli]

Probably a juvenile Brown Snake.

 

[Pike01]

Yep thats what I was thinking.

 

[Retic]

Do you reckon it is possible to mistake a juvenile Brown for a Woma ? The Brown is long and thin and the Woma is a stocky quite slow moving snake (relatively).

 

[MrBredli]

In his own words it "shot across the road".

 

[mrmikk]

It did move reasonably quickly, but having womas now and living in Central Qld for several years and seeing a lot of browns it didn't move in that really quick way a brown does. Its markings were very woma-like. I haven't seen a juvenile brown though, but do they have banding?

This snake's head was distinctively yellow too.

 

[Australis]

mrmikk,

Have a search around the net, young eastern browns can come in a range of colours and pattern, very attactive critters really.

Juvenile Eastern Brown Snake, Pseudonaja textilis. Photo: H Cogger.

 

[mrmikk]

Thanks Australis, I wasn't aware browns had that sort of colouring.

I have to say though this little guy this afternoon looked so much like a juvenile Woma, I wish I had of got stuck into the garden a bit more searching for him. Who knows though maybe I wanted to see a Woma and my mind was playing tricks on me, but....

 

[Pike01]

Yep they come banded and with a fair bit of orange on them too,wish I had of found that last one after it shed.

 

[Australis]

Nice photos Pike.

 

[mrmikk]

Thanks Pike & Australis, nice pics