Rowville snake: Ferny Creek Trail sighting of copperheads prompts warning to leave alone
Possible copperhead snake sightings across Knox and along a Rowville trail has a reptile expert warning the community to leave then alone or potentially get bitten.
Outer East
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With Victorians spending more time outside exercising in coronavirus restrictions a Rowville woman is urging walkers to be aware snake season has started.
Tracey Johnston spotted two snakes on her walk along the Ferny Creek trail with one curled up sleeping and the other slowly slithering into the long grass.
“In the 25 years I’ve lived in Rowville, it’s the first time I’ve seen a snake,” Mrs Johnston said.
Mrs Johnston said there had been other snake sightings she had heard of since the start of the warm weather and wanted to alert people who were out and about.
“You see a lot of people with dogs and kids out there,” she said.
“And now with everyone wearing masks and stepping to the side to let bikes and others walk past, be aware snakes could be there.”
Snake Catcher Victoria’s Barry Goldsmith said a snake won’t jump up and bite someone if they leave it alone.
“They’re shit scared of us,” he said.
“They’re natural habitat is in the bush. You don’t want them in your house.”
Mr Goldsmith said the most common snake found in Knox was the copperhead and came in both dark and light brown colours.
He said with coronavirus forcing people outdoors he had received phone calls every day from someone who had moved something in their garden and uncovered a snake.
“If you approach a snake, you’ll scare it,” he said.
He said snakes that were scared would scare the threat by going flat and then potential “mock strike” to scare the person away.
“If you hit it or try and catch it the chances of getting bitten increase.”
He said it wasn’t only illegal to kill a snake, it was also dangerous.
“It’s un-Australian to kill a snake,” he said.
“If you harm a snake, it will get angry and could bite the next person or animal it sees.”
Mr Goldsmith said he had been on the job for 40 years ensuring no one was bitten or harmed snakes.
“There is no recorded death from a copperhead snake bite,” Mr Goldsmith said.
“They actually eat other snakes.”