A man who presented to Queanbeyan Hospital with a suspected snake bite last week had been bitten by a tiger snake, tests revealed.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The man was operating a chainsaw at his property when he noticed the bite on his arm. He was the first snake bite victim to be treated at Queanbeyan Hospital since January.
It comes as Wildcare’s snake coordinator Wayne Alford said he has rehomed about seven snakes in recent weeks.
He said while the snake season had started later this year, the reptiles were more than making up for lost time.
Snakes had been seen just about everywhere at the moment, Mr Alford said, with browns and red bellies the most common in the ACT and Queanbeyan and tiger snakes more common in Bungendore and Wamboin.
The wet weather had delayed the start of snake season, which was contributing to the large numbers now being seen.
“The general consensus is there are more coming out in a shorter timeframe,” Mr Alford said.
“They’re coming out in force. They’ve got to do their lovin’ and their eating while they’ve got the opportunity.”
In one call-out, there was a baby red belly black snake living in the flower bed outside the Murrumbateman chemist.
“They watched it the whole time so they knew where it was when I arrived,” Mr Alford said.
“As soon as I could see it I picked it up, and it was only really small so I gave people the opportunity to get up close and personal with it, to show it wasn’t trying to kill anyone. Then I went out and released it.”
Mr Alford said while many people are scared of snakes because of their potential to kill through venom, they reality was they're just as likely to want to get away.
“They know they can’t eat us so when we go near them we’re always looked upon as a threat,” he said.
“It’s only when they feel threatened or get cornered is when they [strike].”
Mr Alford is one of about 130 snake handlers across the region who volunteer for Wildcare.
He said in total there were 19 snakes currently in care, from injuries sustained most commonly from bird netting, becoming caught in drink cans, or dog bites.