Snake experts urge locals to stay alert, even as cooler months near

A local professional snake catcher is warning Darling Downs residents to stay alert after a man in his 60s was bitten on the arm at a private residence in Kleinton on Saturday morning.

SNAKES ON THE DOWNS: Professional snake catchers are warning Darling Downs residents to stay alert after a man in his 60s was bitten on the arm at a private residence in Kleinton. Picture: Richard Walker

A man in his 60s has been fortunate enough to live to see another day after being bitten on the arm by a snake Saturday morning.

The Queensland Ambulance Service reported the man in his 60s was transported to the Toowoomba Hospital in a stable condition after he was bitten by an unknown species of snake at a private Kleinton address at about 10.30am.

Experienced local snake catcher, Gunter Glaser from Darling Downs Snake Catchers 24/7

said it is important all Queensland residents remain alert to snake activity even as the cooler winter months approach.

“Snakes are pretty much active right up until the winter months of June, July and August and even then we still get roughly one or two call outs each week because you’ll still get the odd couple getting about,” he said.

“People seem to think snake activity slows right down as soon as the weather starts to drop but this isn’t the case.

“We have seen snake catching call outs settle down a little bit with all of the wet weather we’ve been having but that’s not because they aren’t out there – it’s generally because we’re not out and about walking all over the place getting in their way.”

Gunter Glaser from Darling Downs Snake Catchers 24/7 with a blue bellied black snake in Oakey earlier this year.

Mr Glaser said the snake catching business has been much quieter this year compared to last snake season.

“We’ve chalked it down to the mouse plague, if there’s plenty of mice for them to be catching out in the paddocks and bush they don’t have as much reason to come in closer to dwellings where people are living and working to look for something to eat,” he said.

“The most common snakes we catch here on the Downs is carpet snakes followed closely by brown snakes.

“We get a lot of people saying to us ‘I haven’t seen a snake on my property for 10 to 15 years’ and we always tell them just because you haven’t seen them doesn’t mean they aren’t there.

“Brown snakes will typically hang around and visit the same area of land fairly regularly, so they’ve probably been in and around your property every month looking for frogs, mice and other snakes to eat but they are sneaky and try to avoid humans wherever possible so you probably aren’t going to see them all too often.”

Mr Glaser said it was important to always have a well-stocked snake kit in the car and house at all times.

“Just because we’re getting close to winter does not mean they have packed it in for the year and have gone to bed for a few months,” he said.

“They are definitely still going to be out there hunting while they can right up until June and even sometimes into July so stay alert and be prepared with plenty of bandages and supplies.”

Originally published as Snake experts urge locals to stay alert, even as cooler months near