Marsh Snake - April 2010

During the hot weather WIRES receive many calls to relocate a snake that has unintentionally made it’s way inside a house or some other unsuitable area. Only members who have attended courses and been trained to handle snakes are able to attend a call to remove or relocate a snake.

A call came from a resident of Gulmarrad to say there was a snake in her garden caught up in a spider’s web. One of our Reptile Handlers went to the house and collected a very small, 160mm Marsh Snake, fully expecting it to be showing signs of becoming the next meal for the owner of the web.

The WIRES member returned home with a very dehydrated reptile, but otherwise appeared uninjured. The resident was happy for the snake to be returned and released into one of the leafy gardens around the house, so after 48 hours in care the Marsh snake was released back to the wild none the worse for it’s sticky encounter with the web.

Marsh Snakes are common in the Clarence Valley and grow to a maximum length of 900 mm. Unlike the majority of reptiles, who lay eggs, the Marsh Snake bears live young. They normally feed on small lizards and frogs. These snakes are venomous and although not considered dangerous to humans, could give a painful bite.

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