Snakes are active in warm weather We are more likely to encounter snakes during the warmer months of the year, from October to April when they are active. The most common snakes encountered are the: Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis)
Australia's snake season generally hits between September and April as they start to venture out looking for food or a mate, but this can be brought forward if the end of winter and start of spring are unseasonably warm.
Snake activity picks up as temperatures fall in late summer and early autumn before they go into hibernation, which can be as early as September or as late as December. On warm days, snakes in brumation sometimes come out of their dens to bask in the sunshine.
Snake season in Australia - September to April. When the weather warms up and spring arrives, we begin to see snakes emerge from their brumate period. Brumation, which is a form of dormancy in reptiles, it is similar to hibernation.
South Australia
Sand dunes are common breeding grounds for snakes of this region. Most of the venomous tend to be in this area. This is because it receives large amounts of sun but at the same time allows for enough cover for protection.
Snakes can be found all over Australia, not only in the Outback. However, you will hardly see them. On all my trips I only saw a few snakes and I nearly stepped on one when I was walking along the Eyre Highway, see the picture above (at least I thought it was a snake at that time). But this won't happen every day.
Snakes Around the House. There are a number of common venomous snakes found in South Australia, many of which often find their way into residential areas. These snakes pose a danger to residents and can cause anxiety for anyone who suffers from ophidiophobia or herpetophobia, the fear of snakes or reptiles.
It's rare for Australian snakes to strike. It's even more uncommon for the fangs to penetrate clothing and the skin.
Add mesh hardware cloth around your home to prevent snakes from getting close to your home. Add hog fuel or other rough landscaping materials to your garden. Snakes don't like to move through this type of material as it can hurt them. Plant marigolds around your home, they tend to deter snakes.
Snakes will go into hiding as early as September or as late as December depending on which part of the country you live in. Depending on where they are, snakes will either hibernate or brumate. Hibernation occurs when snakes enter a deep sleep state, usually in colder snowy climates.
Snakes like to warm their bodies in the sunshine. Hiking in the evening or early in the morning helps you avoid their favorite part of the day.
Too much landscape water may attract prey species such as worms, slugs and frogs, which in turn may attract snakes seeking a meal. Keep trees and shrubs trimmed and away from your home and garage, and keep branches off the ground.
Sarpagandha. Known by a variety of names, for example, Sarpagandha, Indian Snakeroot, and Insanity herb, this plant is known for its capacity to repel snakes.
Do Dogs Keep Snakes Away? Yes, big dogs especially can be a deterrent to snakes. They bark loudly and are much larger than snakes, so they will typically choose to stay away.
Research has shown that cinnamon oil, clove oil, and eugenol are effective snake repellents. Snakes will retreat when sprayed directly with these oils and will exit cargo or other confined spaces when these oils are introduced to the area.
If you find a dry, scaly sheet of the skin or a crumpled heap somewhere close to an entrance into the walls of your home or small space areas. If you are inspecting a dusty area or crawl space, you might notice slither tracks that indicate where a snake has traveled. Snakes have a distinctive smell that is noticeable.
Use Natural Predators
Foxes and raccoons are common predators of snakes. Guinea hens, turkeys, pigs, and cats will also help keep snakes away. If foxes are indigenous to your area, fox urine is a very good natural repellent for snakes when spread around your property.
You want to make your property as inhospitable as possible, so concentrate on ridding it of any places snakes would consider good spots to hide. Remove debris, from piles of boards, tin, sticks and leaves to flat boats on the ground and piles of bricks or stone, AWR advised, and keep vegetation cut back.
There are around 3,000 snakebites in Australia each year, with recent figures showing around 550 hospitalisations and an average of two deaths per annum. While 57% of snakebites happen in regional and rural areas – not in cities – the majority happen near homes or buildings.
Unlike most venomous snakes, which tend to bite people who are either handling them or who surprise them, the large Australian mulga snake has also been found to attack people who are asleep.
EnviroBug offers the strongest, most effective, most reliable battery-powered snake repellers you can buy to protect you from deadly Australian ground snakes. 8 out of 10 snake bites occur when people try to pick them up, scare them, corner them or accidentally step on them.
Shredded skin is a dark and scaly sheet of skin, so keep looking for such signs in small areas, corners, or the wall of your home. If you see slither tracks in the dusty area of your backyards or happen to find a small crawl place, it indicates that a snake must have visited your place.