Is this a reptilian version of a Hi Vis jacket?

[Martino]

More wildlife out today.

Came out to do a bit of track cleaning (we've had a huge drop of pollen this week and it stains ballast, track - everything - a sort of brown colour) and found this little guy sunbathing on the buffer stop.

Slowed me down a bit!

 

[Spule 4]

We have some little cute green ones here.

It is the larger black and copper ones one must watch out for here....does not help when you find a 6' long skin in the attic tho!

Ah, but we have no mice......................................

 

[vsmith]

looks like a corn snake but i could be wrong

 

[Gizzy]

You've got some interesting wildlife there Martin....

 

[simon@mgr]

Looks just like a hose I have, mind you I steer clear of the red bellied black snakes we have here. And the brown

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red-bellied_Black_Snake

 

[Andrew]

I am always on the look out for snakes. In the garden we have large and small blue tongue lizards.
http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/blue-tongue-lizard.html
When I was in Victoria, I was working at a hospital when a Tiger snake came inside by crawling under the automatic sliding glass doors.
http://www.tigersnakes.com.au/
It went into the pan cleaning room. We called an expert from the Melbourne zoo who was in the area, he told me that if you measure up about 3 inches from the tail, that is the size of hole that a snake can use to crawl through. Believe it or not this snake found a small hole in the base of a cupboard (kickboard)? & disappeared into there. We believe it then went into the brick wall & escaped. (we hope!)
Also some snakes use drains like a road or highway and can actually climb 3-4 feet in & out of drains. Some are also territorial. Also some snakes are about at night so you watch where you tread and always use a torch or lamp.
When I was working on the paddle steamers on the Murray River around Echuca, I would occasionally have snakes swimming across the river. Also I have a video of an emu swimming as well as a fox.
Even though some people like snakes I am not a fan of them. 4 weeks ago a neighbour lost their pet dog through snake bite. So they are around. Animals tend to investigate a snake, and you dont know about the bite until you visit the vet, usually too late for treatment.
Remember the motto: Tread carefully and carry a big stick. Dont be afraid to turn and walk away.
Regards Andrew at the Sandbar & Mudcrab Railway

 

[Martino]

Simon and Andrew,

I used to be involved with a tourist ranch about 50 miles from Alice Springs (Ross River Homestead) and there used to be all sorts of nasties around there - King Browns and such. I REALLY don't like snakes so was always on the look out. Our Aboriginal guide used to say "No worries mate, with the amount of noise you make, all the snakes are in the next state by the time you arrive!" Never liked to put it to the test.

We have some 'interesting' snakes here too - not around our built up neighbourhood, but out in the countryside and on the Eglin AFB reservation. I was driving the other day and saw a big black snake, about 5' long coming across the road - he obviously considered discretion the better part of valour and slid back out of my way, I'm very glad to say.

 

[Dennis Paulson]

I've already killed one snake here this year . No it wasn't a little green garden snake or a nice black snake , it was the kind that looks like a copperhead maybe .
Living here in the wilds behind a closed sawmill , is snake breeding grounds , sometimes the free roaming cats get the young snakes thank goodness .
We hate snakes , they can have the whole world to slither in , just as long as they stay out of my yard .

 

[simon@mgr]

When I was in the RAAF I have not so fond memories of picking up a cable protector we used to use in the hangar and finding a six foot re belly under it.
Needless to say I move back fairly quick.
Dispatched it with a blow to the head (the snake), or so I thought, and dragged it outside for the rat catchers to dispose of. When he turned up, he asked where the snake was?
"Out there" I said.
"Out where?" he says.
It seem it wasn't dead but had a very serious head wound and slithered about twenty feet and died from where we dumped it.
Last time I'm ever doing that sort of thing.