Brisbane named prime spot for snake activity, surge in snake bites reported

Brisbane is proving a prime spot for snake bites in Queensland, with October the worst month this year. FULL LIST OF SNAKE BITES

Queensland has just recorded its second worst month for snakes bites this year.

A toxicologist and an advanced care paramedic have warned people not to remove or play with snakes, with at least a dozen people recently bitten on the hand or arm.

In total, 103 people reported being bitten by a snake in October with Brisbane the prime spot.

Metro North and South Health Services recorded 20 bite incidents combined, with other hot spots in Mackay with 13 and 11 in the Cairns region.

In January there were 104 bite incidents recorded across the state.

University of Queensland toxicologist Bryan Fry said the mixture of the wet and warm weather had led to an active month in October, with residents urged to make their homes as “snake-unfriendly” as possible.

An eastern brown snake, captured and released by Jack Hogan from Snake Catchers Northern Rivers.

“Lots of prey is a big warning sign that there’s snakes around,” he said.

“It’s important to always keep the lawn short, avoid having lots of structure around your property where they can hide, and if you’ve got a chicken coop, make sure it’s far from the house.”

He said that the eastern brown snake and the rough-scaled snake were two of the most dangerous snakes in south east Queensland, not just because of their toxicity, but also because of where they’re found.

“It’s not just because of their incredibly potent and fast-acting venom, but also because they thrive around a human habitat so the likelihood of getting bitten is so much higher,” he said.

An eastern brown snake at Tamborine Village. Picture: Gold Coast and Brisbane Snake Catcher

To reduce the chance of getting bitten, he said it’s vital not to take matters into your own hands.

“Leave them alone or you’re going to die, it’s not called the hangover adder, it’s the death adder,” he said.

“No one is ever attacked by a snake, it only bites because it thinks we are predators … in a lot of cases, about half, it’s people doing the wrong thing, trying to kill the snake and have got bit.”

Advanced Care Paramedic Tracey Cater said always treat a snake bite as if it is life-threatening.

“Be careful around timber piles or any place a snake can hide when lifting or moving and don’t try to kill or catch a snake.”

“Don’t wash the area because they swab for the venom at the hospital so pop a pad over the bite site and bandage over the area that is bitten and bandage from the bottom to the top.

Mr Midtun captured this “gorgeous, but deadly” eastern brown snake, the second most venomous snake in the world, from the bathroom of a Townsville home recently. Picture: Halvard Aas Midtun Photography

Over the last 12 months there has been 875 bites in total, with 102 in Cairns and Hinterland, 99 in the Sunshine Coast, 93 in Metro South and 92 in Metro North.

“They have antivenom detection swabs so they know what antivenom they need and if it’s nothing then nothing is lost, so always treat for the worst,” Ms Cater said.

Ms Cater said if you are with someone who has been bitten to calm them down, put compression bandages around the bite, if it’s on the leg from the toes up to the thigh.

Then put the limb in a splint and get to a hospital as soon as possible.