Frequently Asked Questions

Snakes and other reptiles may enter your home or yard from time to time, and seeing a snake unexpectedly can cause a fright. If you encounter a snake in your home or yard, don’t panic. Snakes are shy creatures that will often run if given the chance. Most snakes are just passing through so if you encounter a snake, stand still or slowly step away to a safe distance (3 – 4 metres).

If the snake is located in or around your home, keep your eyes on it at all times and call your local snake catcher, Snake Rescue Sunny Coast. Take a photo if it is safe to do so as being able to identify the snake makes our job easier if we know what species of snake we are dealing with.

Snakes’ natural habitats and human habitats often overlap. If you’ve found a snake in your home or garden, chances are that it was searching for food or shelter.

Snakes will look for small, warm, or secluded areas to rest in, which is why many Sunshine Coast residents find them in their roofs or ceilings. Snakes often enter houses and yards looking for food, shelter and water. Houses are really good at providing all three to both the snakes and their prey. Snakes eat rodents, birds and lizards, and are attracted to the gardens, sheds and roof cavities that their prey is sheltering in.

Snakes will also commonly enter chicken pens and aviaries to eat the rodents feeding on the discarded seeds. In this way, they can make excellent pest controllers!

Snakes often enter houses through open doors or small gaps under the doors. They also frequently get inside through the small gaps on the side of garage doors.

Another way they can get inside is through weep holes in brick and cement houses. They can use the weeping holes to enter the wall cavity and then enter the house through any holes on the inner wall like the holes made for piping, such as the holes made for the dishwasher pipes.

All snakes have the potential to bite, but will usually only do so as a last resort when they feel threatened or are being harassed. Very few snake species are overtly aggressive, and most species choose to flee instead of face would-be threats.

90 – 95% of snake bites occur when someone is either trying to capture or kill the snake. The other 5 – 10% of bites are usually from unintended interaction with a snake. For example, accidentally stepping on one whilst on a bush walk or mistakenly grabbing one whilst weeding the garden.

Snake bites usually occur on the arms and legs. This is because unintentional contact with a snake is most likely to take place with your arms or legs, such as when you are out hiking or when working in your garden or shed. 

Acquiring basic snake bite first aid knowledge is incredibly useful when living in areas that are prone to snake residency. Follow our tips to be prepared for potential snake bites that can happen and remember to always call 000 in the event of a bite!

Snakes are venomous, not poisonous. It can be confusing, but a quick way to understand the difference is by remembering this: If it bites me and I die, it’s venomous. If I bite it and I die, it’s poisonous.

No, not all snakes are venomous. Of all snake species found in Queensland, about 65% of them are venomous.

Two specific groups of snakes produce venom: front-fanged snakes (Elapids) and some rear-fanged snakes (Colubrids). The Elapids group contains some of the most notoriously venomous snakes in Australia, such as the Taipan, Eastern Brown Snake, and the Tiger Snake.

Yes, as soon as a snake is born it has functioning venom glands and the venom is just as potent and life threatening as their adult counterparts.

It is not always possible to tell if a snake is venomous from the way it looks, unless you are familiar with the species – like the notorious red-bellied black snake and the eastern brown snake, both of which are well-known to be venomous.

If you encounter a snake, always treat it as potentially venomous and dangerous. This is the safest approach. Contact the Snake Rescue Sunny Coast team to safely identify, capture and relocate the snake elsewhere.