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Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 25 September 09 9:12 am
by GammaPiSigma
Well it's that time of year again and they seem to be out in force at the moment. I am now up to sighting number 5 in the last month. A Brown and Black snake in the Royal National Park, a Brown and Tiger in the Blue Mountains and a Black in the short grass right next to a local mtb singletrack.

Let us know of any sightings and watch out everbody when you are wandering around this great land of ours.

Cheers,
Michael.

Re: Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 25 September 09 10:18 am
by Agent Basil
Just missed standing on a Copperhead in the Tidbinbilla Range next to Canberra last weekend. You may have the scream from where you are !

Re: Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 27 September 09 8:33 am
by Bronze
I know most here know but I'll say it anyway.
  • Heavy shoes / boots
    Long pants
    Walk heavy footed as vibrations are their key sense
In the event of a bite.
  • * Stay calm (relax and keep your heart rate down)
    * Apply a compression bandage (not a tourniquet)

    Try to identify the culprit but don't chase or kill it. You'll get bit twice
    Do not wash to bite as the venom will be used to identify the species by swab.
    Get carried or walk slowly (remember heart rate) to nearest help. Call for ambulance when in range. Meet ambulance at closest point.
If you can remember at the very least these * first two points you have bought yourself hours to get help.

Regards

Bronze.

Re: Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 02 October 09 11:08 pm
by Rainbow Spirit
JABs and Code 1 had a close call at my Rocks Galore cache with a pair of mating redbelly blacks.
Sounds like a cache find that Tangles would have commented on!

Re: Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 11 October 09 9:51 pm
by FlyingPigSquadron
Caching in NSW near Berry at a lovely little deserted bush graveyard - "Peace Perfect Peace! 1st Oct. It was a very hot day where we were reminded of the dangers of caching once the heat hits!
We returned to our car and commenced the drive off the grass verge only to have a huge black snake "fly" out of the bush beside us, cross the road and attack a car heading in the opposite direction. As it reared up a splendid red belly was clearly seen!!!
A few days later we drove down to Wingan Inlet Vic and then Bemm River and in both cases we narrowly missed running over fat black snakes sunning themselves on the sandy roads

Re: Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 12 October 09 9:57 am
by rogerw3
I have been doing a fair bit of geocaching and general bush walking since last summer, and while I am always very aware of the danger of snakes specially in the warm/hot weather I have yet to see one.
Mind you I always walk with a heavy tread to let the snakes know I am coming. They will always try to avoid you, and unless cornered, threatened or hurt will do their best to get away from you.
Still it does not hurt to be sensible and carry a first aid kit, but always be aware that snakes are around even if you do not see them.

Re: Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 12 October 09 4:36 pm
by Rainbow Spirit
MOST snakes will try to get away from you, except in my experience, the Eastern Brown. This snake is always in an angry mood, and will attempt to come into the strike position and show aggression right from the start. And yes you are right, a broad bandage should be in everyones first aid kit, we all carry a first aid kit don't we?

Re: Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 19 October 09 6:42 pm
by Yurt
Makes you think twice about some of the holes you put your arm down when searching!

Re: Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 21 October 09 5:40 pm
by stringy
On Sunday I found one little red black belly black snake while trying to find "In a round-about way"

Right next to highway under a black sheet of fabric, which I thought was under it.

It gave me such a fright. 8-[

Makes me think how I'll find/hide a cache next time. :shock:

Re: Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 21 October 09 6:33 pm
by Gwennie1984
Well, today at work I looked over my shoulder when using the theodolite and had a brown raised up about half a step behind me. Scared the hell out of me (but I didn't scream) and totally froze. It eventually went away, but came back 10 minutes later. We bailed at that point and found a new section of road to work on. Certainly makes me wary as I am planning to go caching this weekend, need to find a new method of getting hold of caches in all those hidden spots :?

Re: Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 21 October 09 8:40 pm
by SecretSquirrel-BJC
Saw a snake down near the Molongolo River doing Bridge Banter 9
Light Brown and 1.5m long, coiled up in the middle of the path.
If I hadn't have looked down just at the right moment, I reckon I would have stepped on it.

Fortunately I didn't, and after a few moments of eyeballing each other, it slithered off!

Whew!

Re: Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 24 October 09 8:39 pm
by mtbikeroz
Was riding my Mountain Bike on a high country Fire trail in the ACT chasing my last unfound Trig point in the ACT, saw at the last moment, a 1.5m brown lying across the track, no option but to run over it - it didn't like that!!!!!!!, It coiled back, but not up. (I had THICK gaiters and new thick hiking boots on too)
Didn't see it on my return, but I reckon its got a very sore back and a few busted ribs.

Re: Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 26 October 09 8:51 am
by Yurt
Saw something large and slithery in a creek in suburban north shore Sydney yesterday morning.

Turned out to be a very large eel!

Re: Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 26 October 09 9:59 pm
by reasonjo
I found a snake curled up under the cache container for "Crater Lake" (NT) on Saturday.

No idea what sort of snake it was, it was nearly 2m long and very thin and was a yellowish sorta colour. I dropped the cache quick smart and waited a few metres away until it slithered off in the opposite direction. I found 11 more caches that day and I was very, very careful for all of them!

Re: Snakes, Snakes, Snakes

Posted: 04 November 09 8:18 pm
by SecretSquirrel-BJC
I saw this snake pulling a dead roo out of the water today.

Image

well actually I only saw it in a photo - is it real? I dunno.

I really did see another snake the other day though but it was only 1.5m.