SNAKE IDENTIFICATION & AWARENESS

(GLADSTONE REGION)

HARMLESS TO HUMANS

MILDLY VENEMOUS

HIGHLY VENEMOUS

Snake awareness and identification for the Gladstone Region

Important Information

• Gladstone’s warm climate means snakes do not hibernate but are active all year long, with September to April accounting for the most snake activity. During the cold weather sightings are rare.

• Snakes don’t sweat so they need to find other ways to cool off. Cooling systems are one of a number of reasons snakes are attracted to suburban areas. Often they will sense cool air coming through a cat flap and push their way through, or even use a leaking air-conditioner as a water supply.

• Also areas they can be found around the home and at work is compost heaps, moist garden areas with abundant leaf-litter, and around rockeries that provide an ideal habitat that could be typically associated with ground refuge such as timber piles, sheet iron, rock walls and heavy vegetation.

• Often encountered in and around localities with a strong rodent presence such as bird aviaries and stock feed sheds. Due to its active foraging nature it often enters homes through gaps afforded to it by open or gaps under doors and are often discovered by roaming cats at night.

• Some species will utilise all above ground environments such as roof and wall cavities, exposed beams of verandas and pergo-las, sheds and garages and accumulated garden debris or reside in the heavy foliage of trees and shrubs.

• At ground level they will utilize dense vegetation, miscellaneous large ground litter such as stored building materials and industrial general waste areas.

• The maintenance of yards and the control of spilt seed and other food associated with pets may assist in the control of rodents which this species exploits so well

• House keeping and keeping grasses maintained is important not to provide places for snakes to reside in and also makes it easier to see them.

• Do not try to catch a snake, retreat and call for assistance.

SPECIES NAME: EASTERN BROWN SNAKE (Pseudonaja textilis) OTHER COMMON NAMES: Common Brown Snake, Brown Snake SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS: Highly Venomous. Bites from this species have caused human fatalities. A nervous, ready biter it will defend itself if threatened. Maintains a strong defensive “S” shaped posture.

The second most toxic land snake in the world and, the most venomous in South East Queensland. Bites from this species should be treated immediately and attended to with correct first aid. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Highly variable in colouration and pattern. Colour ranges from pale tan through orange, russet, dark brown & almost black, sometimes with cross-body banding. Belly usually cream, yellow or orange with scattered orange or grey blotches. Hatchling and juveniles particularly vary in colour, frequently having dark heads or neck bands, or being completely banded along the body length. Midbody scales at 17 rows. AVERAGE LENGTH: 1.4 metres but a specimen of 2.3 metres was recorded from Karalee. Snakes in excess of 1.8 metres are very uncommon. HABITAT IN SE QLD: Wide range of habitats but generally prefers drier habitat. Dry open forest, wood and shrub-land, grassland, farmland. Very successful in agricultural regions where tree clearing & introduction of mice and rats has created ideal habitat & abundance of food. GENERAL HABITS: Diurnal, active hunter but has been seen active on hot nights. Not regarded as a climbing species but may occasionally climb in search of potential prey. Quick to retreat most specimens are usually seen disappearing into available cover. DIET: Primarily small mammals (rats, mice etc) but also lizards and occasionally frogs. AROUND THE HOME: Often encountered in and around localities with a strong rodent presence such as bird aviaries and stock feed sheds. Due to its active foraging nature it often enters homes through gaps afforded to it by open or gaps under doors. Any ground refuge may be utilised such as timber piles, sheet iron, rock walls and heavy vegetation. The maintenance of yards and the control of spilt seed and other food associated with pets may assist in the control of rodents, which this species exploits so well

HIGHLY VENEMOUS

SPECIES NAME: RED-BELLIED BLACK SNAKE (Pseudechis porphyriacus) SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS: Highly Venomous. Reclusive disposition but will inflate and flatten the body and neck in an effort to intimidate a perceived aggressor. Bites from this species should be treated immediately and attended to with correct first aid. Its supposed fearsome reputation is well exaggerated. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Uniform glossy black along whole top of the body except tip of snout which is paler. Belly has red or pink flush, brighter on the sides & paler in the middle. Hind edge of belly-scales is black, creating an even red & black striped appearance. Belly colour is visible along flanks and sides distinguishing it from the Eastern Small-eyed Snake. Mid body scales at 17 rows. Preferably grassy or rocky edges of watercourses, swamps, lagoons etc. Also seasonally inundated alluvial woodlands. GENERAL HABITS: Diurnal. Actively searches for potential prey. DIET: Primarily frogs, but also other reptiles (including other snakes) and small mammals. AROUND THE HOME: Could be typically associated with ground refuge such as timber piles, sheet iron, rock walls and heavy vegetation. Has been recorded climbing to take frogs from eves of homes but this is rarely encountered. A large freshly sloughed Black snake is truly a beautiful snake often even appreciated by self-confessed snake despisers.

HIGHLY VENEMOUS

SPECIES NAME: COASTAL CARPET PYTHON (Morelia spilota sub sp. mcdowelli) OTHER COMMON NAMES: Carpet Snake SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS: Non-venomous. Bites may cause substantial lacerations or punctures. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Large, heavy bodied snake with a highly variable, mottled & blotched pattern and colour. Mostly white to cream on the underside. Head is distinct from the neck. Deeply pitted scales (infralabials) along bottom jaw and to a lesser extent the upper jaw (supralabials) with small “granular scattered scales on top of the head. Mid body scales in 40 - 60 rows. AVERAGE LENGTH: Around 2.1 metres but large specimens exceed 3 meters. Largest reliable record at 4.2 metres in length. HABITAT IN SE QLD: Occupies all habitats from rainforest, wet sclerophyll forests and dry woodland through to suburban backyards and the periphery of highly disturbed farmland. GENERAL HABITS: Most commonly encountered snake within the region. Active day and night. Large specimens can take small suburban pets such as dogs, cats and guinea pigs with smaller specimens taking caged birds. DIET: Mostly mammals such as rodents, possums etc; also some reptiles, birds & frogs AROUND THE HOME: Will utilise all above ground environs such as roof and wall cavities, exposed beams of verandas and pergolas, sheds and garages. Often resides in the heavy foliage of trees and shrubs. At ground level will utilize dense vegetation, miscellaneous large ground litter such as stored building materials and accumulated garden debris.

The Black Headed Python and the Woma are the world’s only python’s without heat sensors. Their main prey is reptiles but if a mammal is available they are unlikely to pass it up.

HARMLESS TO HUMANS

SPECIES NAME: COMMON TREE SNAKE (Dendrelaphis punctulata) OTHER COMMON NAMES: Green Tree Snake, Yellow-bellied Black Snake, Grass Snake. SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS: Non-venomous. Inoffensive and bites infrequently. Emits a strong odour from the vent (cloaca) if handled firmly. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Sleek slender body with long, very thin tail. Distinctive ridge extends along outer edges of belly making shed skins easily identifiable. Wide colour ranges from green, olive, brown & black to rare blue-grey on upper body. Belly yellow or creamy, with bright yellow present on throat. Some specimens with blue or grey belly but generally maintain the yellow coloration above the ventral ridges. Skin between the scales when spread show as a light sky blue especially after consuming a meal larger than its body diameter or when defensive. Eye appears large comparative to head. Mid body scales at 11 -13 rows (rarely 15). AVERAGE LENGTH: 1.2 metres but a specimen of 1.96 metres has been recorded. HABITAT IN SE QLD: Wide ranges of habitats from the periphery of rainforest, wet sclerophyll forests, dry woodland, farmland, and suburban backyards and gardens throughout the region. GENERAL HABITS: Diurnal (Active by day) DIET: Predominantly frogs and skinks. AROUND THE HOME: Probably the most common species to enter homes. Generally above ground environs such as heavy foliage of trees and shrubs, exposed beams of verandas and pergolas, sheds and garages. Fast moving and hard to see in heavy cover. Have exploited the abundant supply of Asian house Geckoes, high densities of skinks and presence of frogs in continually watered localities associated with suburban environments thus accounting for there frequency around homes

HARMLESS TO HUMANS

SPECIES NAME: YELLOW-FACED WHIP SNAKE (Demansia psammophis) OTHER COMMON NAMES: Whip Snake, Grass Snake SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS: Potentially Dangerous. Especially to children. Bite may cause localised pain & severe symptoms. Apply correct first aid and seek medical attention. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Very slender snake with long, thin whip-like tail. Large prominent eyes. Colour generally pale olive or bluish-grey, often with rusty flush or longitudinal stripes along front-third of body. Belly greyish-green, often yellowish under tail. Distinctive face markings. Obvious pale cream or yellow rim around eye, with dark comma-shaped marking curving back below eye. Dark bar or line with pale edges runs across front of snout from nostril-to-nostril. Scales smooth. Mid body scales at 15 rows. AVERAGE LENGTH: 65-70cm, but specimens up to 80cm have been recorded locally. HABITAT IN SE QLD: Dry open areas, open forest, woodland, grassland and a frequent species around homes. GENERAL HABITS: Swift-moving, alert, diurnal snake. Good vision, active hunter DIET: Swift, fast-moving lizards such as skinks. AROUND THE HOME: Frequently seen and commonly enters homes during active foraging efforts. Apparently common due to the high densities of favoured skink prey. Will utilise a range of ground localities for refuge including constructed rock and sleeper retaining walls, under rocks, sheets of iron, timber piles and other discarded human litter. Nine individuals were captured under one piece of plastic in a Goodna backyard along side an Eastern Brown Snake. Frequent victim of roaming suburban cats

MILDLY VENEMOUS

SPECIES NAME: BROWN TREE SNAKE (Boiga irregularis) OTHER COMMON NAMES: Night Tiger, Dolls Eye Snake, Eastern Brown Tree Snake. SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS: Weakly venomous. Conjecture surrounds the toxicity of this species with most authorities regarding it as a minimal risk to all but young children. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Slender-bodied snake with a distinctly bulbous head well defined from a narrow neck. Large eyes with vertical pupils. Upper body, brown to reddish-brown or even dark orange, with irregular, indistinct darker cross-bands. Belly creamy, apricot or orange. Central row of mid-body scales running down the centre of the back larger than surrounding mid body scales. Maintains a strong defensive “S” shaped posture. Mid body scales at 19 -23 rows AVERAGE LENGTH: 1.2 metres with occasional specimens reaching 1.8 metres. HABITAT IN SE QLD: Occupies a wide range of habitats from rainforest, wet and dry forests, woodland, heathland, melaleuca swamps and rocky outcrops, through to suburban backyards and gardens. Nocturnal, generally shelters during the day. DIET: Birds and their eggs, and small mammals. Some frogs and reptiles AROUND THE HOME: Skilled climber and is often found in the heavy foliage of trees and shrubs, in roofs, rafters and other above-ground environs. Commonly en-countered when exploiting caged birds for an easy meal.

MILDLY VENEMOUS

SPECIES NAME: KEELBACK (Tropidonophis mairii) OTHER COMMON NAMES: Freshwater Snake, Water Snake, Swamp Tiger. SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS: Non-venomous. Reluctant to bite but will if handled firmly. Generally strikes with mouth closed. Emits a strong odor from the cloaca if handled firmly. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Variable colouring but typically various shades of grey, brown or olive with irregular, broken cross-bands or flecks of darker brown and flecks of paler creamy colour. Belly surfaces cream or pale rusty colour with dark scale edges. Feature is each scale has a distinct raised longitudinal ridge or ‘keel’, giving the whole snake an appearance of parallel ridges down length of body. Assumedly confused with the highly venomous Rough-scaled Snake (Tropidechis carinatus) which lacks a loreal scale and whose keeling of the scales is less defined. Mid body scales at 15 (rarely 17) rows. AVERAGE LENGTH: 60cm but 80cm specimens have been recorded. HABITAT IN SE QLD: Common in moist localities within wet and dry forest environments. Persists along riparian margins and associated drainage lines well into farmland and suburban localities. DIET: Frogs, lizards and occasionally fish and tadpoles. Often noted for its ability to eat the introduced Cane Toad but only smaller toads and there tadpoles are generally targeted. AROUND THE HOME: Forages beneath low vegetation, logs, woodpiles, water features & moist areas etc, where potential prey may be found. Has been noted to exploit small fish in constructed backyard ponds

HARMLESS TO HUMANS

SPECIES NAME: RED-NAPED SNAKE (Furina diadema) SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS: Virtually harmless and not considered significant. Weakly venomous but considered harmless due to inoffensive nature and reluctance to bite. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Small smooth snake with a reddish brown dorsal coloration. Individual scales appear outlined in black. Head has a distinct red spot enclosed in black extending over the entire head and down the neck. The underside of the head is white which extends into a white belly. AVERAGE LENGTH: 35cm but large specimens have been recorded at 40cm. HABITAT IN SE QLD: Favours drier forest, woodland and grassland areas. GENERAL HABITS: Nocturnal. DIET: Forages for small skinks. AROUND THE HOME: Found in backyard swimming pools after falling in during nocturnal foraging movements. Often the victim of roaming cats. Will utilise a range of ground localities for refugia including constructed rock and sleeper retaining walls, under rocks, sheets of iron, timber piles and other discarded human litter. Six individuals were found aggregated in a crack of concrete beneath a linoleum floor covering in Coalfalls, Ipswich.

HARMLESS TO HUMANS

SPECIES NAME: SPOTTED PYTHON (Antaresia maculosa) OTHER COMMON NAMES: Eastern Small Blotched Python SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS: Non-venomous. Bite may cause minor lacerations or punctures. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Solidly-built snake but not as large as the Coastal Carpet Python. Fawn or pale-brown ground colour with contrasting dark, chocolatey-brown mottled & blotched pattern and color. Mostly cream on the underside. Head is distinct from the neck. Midbody scales at 37- 44 rows. AVERAGE LENGTH: 75cm-1 metre. Large specimens may reach 1.5 metres. HABITAT IN SE QLD: Preferred habitat includes rocky outcrops and associated ridges within dry forests and woodland. Will inhabit areas where ground timber is frequent. Also the periphery of suburbs and disturbed farmland. GENERAL HABITS: Nocturnal DIET: Small mammals, birds and lizards. AROUND THE HOME: Uncommonly seen this species will utilise ground level refugia such as rock walls, sheet iron and timber piles

HARMLESS TO HUMANS

SPECIES NAME: COASTAL TAIPAN (Oxyuranus scutellatus) OTHER COMMON NAMES: Taipan. SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS: Highly Venomous. Bites from this species have caused human fatalities. A nervous, ready biter it will defend itself with multiple strikes if threatened. Often referred to as Australia’s most dangerous snake. Bites from this species should be treated immediately and attended to with correct first aid. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Head long with distinct angular brow. Snout and face generally paler than body colour, otherwise uniform colouring along upper body ranging from pale brown to almost black. Belly cream with orange spots and blotches. Midbody scale rows at 21-25 rows. AVERAGE LENGTH: Average up to 2 metres, but although rare, individuals have been recorded over 3 metres. HABITAT IN SE QLD: Dry open forest, grassy woodlands and cane-fields. GENERAL HABITS: Mostly active during the day, especially warm and hot mornings. Also recorded active on roads at night. Secretive, highly alert snake that is rarely seen even in areas where they are apparently common. DIET: Specialises in mammals like mice, rats and bandicoots. AROUND THE HOME: The discovery of a Taipan around the home would be considered an extremely rare occurrence within South East Qld. Correspondence with licensed snake relocators across the known distribution of the species have not accounted for a single specimen within a residential property over the past 20 years.

Occasionally found in the Gladstone and Central Queensland area.

HIGHLY VENEMOUS

SPECIES NAME: COMMON DEATH ADDER (Acanthophis antarcticus) OTHER COMMON NAMES: Death Adder SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS: Highly Venomous. Bites from this species have caused human fatalities. A ready biter only if harassed. Bites from this species should be treated immediately and attended to with correct first aid. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Short, thick body with distinct large triangular head. Narrow neck and abruptly short, thin tail, usually cream or black. Colour variable, generally shades of grey to reddish-brown with irregular cross-banding. Belly greyish-cream with dark flecks. Lips usually barred or striped. Scales may be roughish or weakly keeled. Midbody scales at 21 -23 rows. AVERAGE LENGTH: 40-50cm. Specimens as large as 75cm are uncommon. HABITAT IN SE QLD: Remnant or established eucalypt forest, woodland with grassy understorey and good leaf cover. Rock outcrops and ridgelines are often associated with preferable habitat. GENERAL HABITS: Nocturnal, secretive and highly cryptic it lies half-buried in substrate to ambush prey often using its tail tip to attract prey. DIET: Small mammals, lizards, frogs and other reptiles. AROUND THE HOME: The specific nature of required habitat makes encounters a rare event. However, the species preference for heavy leaf litter may see it turn up in forested gardens near suitable habitat

HIGHLY VENEMOUS

SPECIES NAME: LESSER BLACK WHIP SNAKE (Demansia vestigiata) OTHER COMMON NAMES: Black Whip Snake, Whip Snake SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS: Potentially Dangerous, especially larger specimens if children involved. Bite may cause localised pain & severe symptoms. Apply correct first aid and seek medical attention. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Slender body with long finely tapering tail. Large prom-inent eye. Colour rich dark brown through reddish brown to dark grey, often reddish-brown flush towards tail. Body has pattern of black and white flecks or spots caused by dark and light markings on individual scales. Top of head usually has dark brown spots & flecks, and narrow, pale edge around eye. Belly greenish-grey. Scales smooth. Midbody scales at 15 rows. AVERAGE LENGTH: Average 1.2 metres HABITAT IN SE QLD: Mainly dry open areas, open forest & grassland, coastal heath Including the Gladstone area. GENERAL HABITS: Swift-moving, alert, diurnal snake. Good vision, active hunter. DIET: Lizards such as skinks and also frogs AROUND THE HOME: Infrequently encountered with very few recorded by snake handlers in the region. Would be typically associated with ground refuge such as timber piles, sheet iron, rock walls and heavy vegetation

MILDLY VENEMOUS

SYMPTOMS ASSOCIATED WITH ENVENOMATION

The most common symptoms following an envenoming snake bite are listed below; however these may vary between cases depending on both the general medical condition and age of the person

bitten. The species of snake involved will further determine symptomatic responses.

• Bite marks in the skin with site swelling. The bite site may ooze blood or other discharges,• Burning• Convulsions• Fainting or dizziness• Weakness• Blurred vision• Fever• Increased thirst• Muscle coordination loss• Nausea and vomiting• Rapid pulse• Numbness or tingling• Soreness in the lymphatic system under the armpits and around the groin area• Loss of consciousness

Information and images provided by Mike Bowan

Mike BowanGladstone snake catcher

0433 793 865

Kris FosterGladstone snake catcher

0407 372 895