Snakes alive in city

Jonno Lucas from Educational Reptile Displays with a highly poisonous eastern brown snake.

Claudia Baxter

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Quoll quite a mouthful for snake

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IPSWICH Hospital has treated 46 suspected snake bite victims in the past 13 months.

A Woodend mother has called for better education about the danger of snakes to pets and children after her cat Silvio died from a snake bite last Friday.

Maria Short didn’t see the snake that killed her cat.

“We got up on Friday morning to find Silvio on the floor unable to move, fighting for breath,” she said.

“Sadly Silvio passed away in my arms on the way to our vet. We tried to revive him, but it was too late.

“In the event of this tragic loss, it made me stop and think ‘Could I have done something more’.”

Educational Reptile Displays director Jonno Lucas said eastern browns were the most venomous snakes found in Ipswich.

“They’re not something you want to get bitten by – their venom’s pretty nasty,” he said.

“These snakes are not particularly common in urban areas, but are on the outskirts of the city.

“Eastern browns aren’t aggressive but, if they feel threatened, they won’t hesitate to defend themselves.”

Mr Lucas said people should keep their backyards clean to avoid harbouring snakes, and keep aviaries rodent-free.

If a person sees a snake and it’s more than three metres away, the person should walk slowly away from the reptile.

If the snake is closer, the person should stand still and allow the snake to move away.

Snake Advice and Relocation operator Bryan Robinson said snakes bit dogs and cats more often than they attacked people.

“Pets’ inquisitive and often playful nature sees them initiate contact with snakes on a regular basis,” he said.

“With pets, it’s a management issue – wandering animals are always going to be at greater risk.

“The eastern brown snake is a common inhabitant of suburban Ipswich.

“This snake is the second most toxic land snake in the world.”