Snake catcher feeling the heat with eastern browns spike

Sweltering temperatures are keeping one snake catcher on his toes as the season enters its busiest stretch.

GOT YOU: Ipswich snake catcher Brandon Wilkinson has had a busy time with eastern brown snakes this season.

EXTREME heat is keeping one city snake catcher on his toes as the season enters its busiest stretch.

"As we move into the hottest months, I'm expecting more and more callouts," Brandon Wilkinson of Ipswich Snake Catchers 24/7 said.

"It's been non-stop since August and we've also seen a spike in activity because of the number of heatwaves we've had this season.

"At one stage in October, I was catching three eastern browns a day. It was hectic and there were some really big ones in there, too.

"The calls were coming so fast I was running out of bags to put snakes in.

An eastern brown snake.

"When you think I catch on average between 20 and 30 in a month, it is unusual.

"Throw in a couple more heatwaves over January and February and it looks like I won't be getting much rest any time soon.

"Hopefully I'll get a break once the cooler weather sets in around June."

A 2.4m eastern brown snake. Picture: Rus Norton

Although he's had his fill of brown snakes, Mr Wilkinson has also attended plenty of callouts for carpet pythons and common tree snakes.

"Those three are most typical of the Ipswich area," he said.

"I've also bagged a few escaped pets like a jungle carpet python and a Murray Darling python."

An eastern brown snake.

Occasionally he also has his hands full relocating snake eggs.

"It's mostly eggs from carpet pythons and brown snakes. I keep them in an incubator until they've hatched. Then I release them near where I released the mother," Mr Wilkinson said.