Busy season for snake catcher

Griffin snake catcher Josh Castle says it has been a busy snake season across the region, with most action in the north.

Through his business, Josh’s Snake Catching and Relocation, he’s had more callouts in the northern part of the region, particularly in Morayfield, Caboolture and Elimbah.

In saying that, he is called to the Redcliffe peninsula and North Lakes a few times a week.

Josh says Rothwell and Kippa-Ring are areas he visits frequently and he removed a red-bellied black snake from Redcliffe this season.

He’s also removed brown snakes and red-bellied black snakes from Murrumba Downs this summer.

Strange finds

A couple of callouts which stand out in his memory are a 2.1m carpet python found in a toilet S-bend at Taigum. The homeowner had called a plumber, when the toilet would not flush, and they called Josh when they discovered the scaley problem.

It had climbed up the pipe and became wedged.

Another amusing discovery was a snake in a box of home brew beer bottles on Christmas Day at Morayfield.

Callouts have started to slow, thanks to recent rain and cooler weather.

Josh says one in three houses have a snake in the roof, so while it was difficult to keep them away, there are things homeowners can do to deter them.

Tips to keep snakes away

Snakes are attracted to chickens, guinea pigs and birds. If you have these as pets, it is a good idea to keep them as far away from the house as possible and to use snake-proof mesh on enclosures.

Snakes will regularly travel through a yard and if they cannot find a safe place to stop, they will most likely keep moving.

Do not leave corrugated iron and timber lying around, which hold heat and provide a safe place to rest.

If you do find a snake in your yard, take a photo (if it is safe to do so) and send it to a licenced snake catcher. Do not ask community facebook page members to identify it for you.

Some venomous species can be easily confused with non-venomous ones, with deadly consequences.

It is also important to keep an eye on it, so the snake catcher can find it easily.

Josh says snakes are to be respected, not feared, as more people died from horses, dogs and car accidents than snakes.

“People are scared because of what they can do. If you leave them alone, they’re not going to hurt you,” he says.

“But if you look at every snake as deadly, that’s the best way to stay safe.”

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