Snakes around the home

This year has been a very good year for snakes - having sighted many more snakes than previous. Notably, it was a very good winter. Consistent rains, extending well into summer with mild weather and no days of sweltering heat (to date at least)............we still have green grass in the paddocks.

Once again,  a Lowland Copper Head Snake (Austrelaps superbus) has taken up residence under the deck. Just like snakes of previous years, the process is essentially the same. Up at 8am, sunning itself for around ½ an hour, before heading off to the dam to hunt.

Warming up in the sunshine

Returning from the dam around 2 hours before sundown, there's another warm up for ½ an hour, before retiring below deck. If a cool change is coming through, the snake will often be home an hour or so before the change.

The Copper Head returns to his abode.

On one occasion, a Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus) had a look under the deck. We didn't see it leave but it hasn't been sighted for a few weeks so we assume it has gone elsewhere.

A Tiger Sanke checking out the Copper Head's abode

Just recently, we were recording a Lowland Copper Head as it attempted to shed its skin. It was searching for a suitable location where it could wedge itself between two tufts of grass and by pushing past, shed the outer layer of skin. We often find the skins laying on the ground.

We had been filming for almost 30 minutes - unfortunately, it had been unsuccessful in finding suitable vegetation in which to wedge itself. We had switched off the camera when Janet noticed a Tiger Snake making its way towards the Copper Head we had been filming.

We were unclear how each would behave - were they friends or foe, so we restarted the camera and recorded what happened.

Although both snakes are documented as dangerously venomous, we find the Lowland Copper Heads quite timid, shying away and heading off in another direction when approached.

With the broad flat head and more forward facing eyes, the Tiger Snake is certainly an intimidating sight. A Tiger Snake is more likely to stand it's ground, and on a couple of occasions, we have had them rise up in front of us before slapping their head on the ground - sorta like beating its chest. That generally sends us in the other direction!

More information can be found at :
http://australianmuseum.net.au/Tiger-Snake/
http://australianmuseum.net.au/Copperhead