Wildlife rescuer says snake hatchlings not to be feared but aware of during hatch season

A wildlife expert in the Mid West says the community should be wary but not worried about snakes during hatchling season.

The warning comes after a Geraldton woman posted on social media about a snake bite. It is understood she was bitten by a snake and needed antivenom administered when taken to hospital.

The months between September and April are typical for snakes to be out and about, but Geraldton-Greenough Wildlife Rescue’s Michelle Jones said now was when snake hatchlings appeared.

“We’ve now got the young emerging hatchlings who spend a couple of days hanging around their nest site and then they disperse,” she said.

According to Ms Jones, contrary to popular belief mother snakes do not hang around their eggs once they are laid.

She said the varying condition of backyards meant some houses were more likely to have snakes than others.

“If you’ve got mulch piles, a lot of disregarded tin and junk, then potentially your house could be a great nesting site,” Ms Jones said.

When snake hatchlings were out, Ms Jones said it was important to use common sense.

She said the reptiles would hunt only at night as they did not want to come out in the heat.

Ms Jones recommended wearing enclosed shoes and keeping an eye on the ground when walking to avoid young snakes.

“Hatchlings are scared and they’re very defensive at a young age,” she said.

“A large snake doesn’t really want to conflict with an adult human.

“They know they cant’t eat us and most of the times we get bitten is through them protecting themselves or because they’re scared and they lash out.”

Some gardens, particularly those with food sources such as fruit, can attract rats which in turn can attract snakes.

Ms Jones also said snakes themselves did not always react well to being relocated, with research suggesting relocating could cause them to lose weight to the point they were near death.

Her advice was people should take time to assess the outside of their house to ensure snakes could not get inside.

“A lot of times when I catch them in people’s houses, the door jambs normally have a gap of about one millimetre,” she said.

“It’s the perfect size for a hatchling to get in, so checking the door trimmings at the bottom of the door and making sure they are sealed up is something you should be doing.”

Ms Jones said snakes found inside the house should be covered with a damp towel or blanket, which will cause the snake to feel secure and not move.

From there, contacting a snake catcher was the next step, who can safely relocate the animal.

Ms Jones said there were some businesses in the Mid West who operated 24-7 that were trained to handle and remove snakes.