Snakes, as the conditions start to warm up, are starting to come out more but the last thing they want to do is attack people.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Shaun Armstrong from Shoalhaven Snake Catchers, said snake activity was increasing but stressed people had nothing to fear.
“It’s picking up pretty quickly and we are getting three to four calls a day which will pick up more when it warms up further,” Mr Armstrong said.
He said people are seeing more snakes because it has been so dry.
“With the drier weather there is not as much water around and so the animals are moving around trying to find water,” he said
“If you have got a dog you are going to have a bowl of water out for the dog or you may have a water feature and so the animals are going to be attracted to this.
“Also if you have rats and mice on your property or frogs in your water feature then those sorts of animals are prey items for snakes.”
He expects to season to be busy but not a ‘snake tsunami’.
”I would not mind a snake tsunami but it would not be everyone’s cup of tea,” he said.
He loves his snakes.
“One hundred per cent for sure they are misunderstood and they are amazing creatures,” he said.
He said snakes are not out to get or attack people.
“It’s usually an instilled fear and the fear comes from either growing up in the bush and the kids are constantly told to watch out for snakes and snakes are dangerous - that sort of thing which ends up leading to an irrational fear;” he said
He said a person’s fear subsides a lot when they learn why snakes act they way they do.
Watch the video to get advice on what to do if you stumble upon a snake.
Once caught the snakes are released into state reserves.
“They are taken away from residential areas - normally three to six kilometres away from where they were caught,” he said.
“We give them all a clean bill of health and if we are not too sure we will take them to a vet and if they need to be taken into care we will arrange that with a wildlife organisation.”
Mr Armstrong has lived in the Shoalhaven for nine years and been catching snakes the last two years.
He has a license to catch and release snakes.
The snake catcher grew up in the mid North Coast and spent a lot of time in the bush around reptiles and snakes.
As kid he liked dinosaurs and the snakes and reptiles were the closest thing he could get to dinosaurs.
Call Shoalhaven Snake Catchers on 0481 811 855.
