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Reptiles in Australia


Gya

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Hi,

My wife has been reading lots about Australia and can't stop expressing fears of reptiles (snakes, lizards, etc). She seems to imagine they roam everywhere! What is the situation on the ground?

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Hi,

My wife has been reading lots about Australia and can't stop expressing fears of reptiles (snakes, lizards, etc). She seems to imagine they roam everywhere! What is the situation on the ground?

Yep Gya

I am sorry to say, they are on the ground too, all over the ground... (sorry mate, was just to good not to go there.. :whome: )

But seriously, I think all the Aussies are going to wake up in a couple of hours and be able to tell you. But I have been around most of Victoria, and the southern part of NSW only. And the creatures are there, but not that bad. And they won't come looking for you. A night in the Bosveld will have you running from more critters...

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Depends on where you live. We lived in a newly built suburb for 6 years and didn't really see any wildlife. Now we live near the bush and have a few snakes around in summer. The good news is Melbourne's too cold for snakes between April and September but in summer they do come out. Last year when out running, I saw two in one morning!

On Saturday I saw a 60cm long blue tongue lizard in our street. Was pretty cool.

I console myself with the fact that snake bites and fatality statistics are quite low, and most people who get bitten are messing with them.

Put it this way - they are around, but I don't think they are around any more than some bushy areas in SA.

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Then you had better steer clear of Queensland, snakes abound there! They love the sunny weather and the humidity, makes it easy to slither along!

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I live in Queensland and hardly ever see a snake though I'm sure they're around. Sometimes I can go a couple of years without seeing one. I agree with Hansa, it totally depends how bushy your area is, and my city suburbs experience is similar to his.

I ride my bicycle to work from roughly 4km west of Brisbane City. Rather than just tell you what I don't see I will list the large species I regularly see as I cycle along the local creek path to work:

Eastern Water Dragon:

Eastern+Water+Dragon+NBG+0110.jpg

Source: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Znml6ISORqY/UWUFgG_8bwI/AAAAAAAAFMo/uZevz2RTLFA/s400/Eastern+Water+Dragon+NBG+0110.jpg

Ibis:

4448675-Ibis_Brisbane.jpg

Source: http://cdn2.vtourist.com/4/4448675-Ibis_Brisbane.jpg

Possum:

369853774_c3fad26033.jpg

Source: https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/128/369853774_c3fad26033.jpg

Brush Turkey:

Peter-the-Possum-Bird-Man-also-rats-bees

Source: http://cdn.hotfrog.com.au/companies/Possum-Removal-Peter-the-Possum-Man-Brisbane-also-birds-rats-bees-turkeys-pigeons-gutter-cleaning-insulation-removal-insulation-install/images/Peter-the-Possum-Bird-Man-also-rats-bees-turkeys-pigeons_31324_image.JPG

Owl:

Owl_Barn_Threlfo_big.jpg

Source: http://australianmuseum.net.au/Uploads/Images/10961/Owl_Barn_Threlfo_big.jpg

And the only one that gives me any fear is this bird that goes crazy for some weeks in spring where it swoops to protect its young. It particularly doesn't like cyclists which means it fits in well here ;)

Magpie:

729magpie-420x0.jpg

Source: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cJ5neTo9E2g/UFAU2kztetI/AAAAAAAAAR4/UL7_PS1Pxg0/s640/729magpie-420x0.jpg

In Australia you often find it's the animals you never thought about that bother you the most (e.g. magpies, ants) and the famous ones are mostly avoidable with sensible precautions.

Edited by Fish
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As a budding herpetologist and collect of various reptiles over the course of my life let me assure you it's safer in Aus than South Africa!

First RE lizards, there are only 2 venomous lizards in the world, both of which live in North America.

Snakes, well drop for drop the Top 10 deadliest snakes in the world all live in Australia, scary? Maybe, but how many fatalities occur annually?

The last global toxicology report was done in 2007 and in that year 257 people died of snake bites in South Africa, 4 people died of snake bites in Australia. Yip, 4.

South Africa has potentially 16 deadly snakes, Australia has over 30 with the Eastern Brown Snake claims the most lives in Australia and the Puff Adder here in South Africa.

Not sure if that put you are ease or not, but those are the metrics.

Cheers

Matt

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I want a possum pet!!! :) SO CUTE We visited for 10 days in Melbourne and saw a few TINY spiders, and beetles. And a kangaroo and plenty of birds.

Seen more yukky critters in Pta over a 10 day period including a scorpion in our home 2 months ago. IN PRETORIA and HUGE baboon spiders. My husband had to come home so save us I was FREAKING out. We also get cockroaches. Might be due to the lovely veld next to our home where "bored" people sit around all day long and drink and more than likely poop too. So nice.

Edited by Mel-B
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To add to that, the last death by spider bite was 35 years ago.

Dare I ask about spiders in Perth...? My husband thinks I am stressing for nothing but I think it's because people always go on about the red back and other spiders in Aus. I only saw Daddy Long Legs (which are totally fine with me as I heard their mouths are too small to bite!) when I visited but that was in winter. I believe the spiders come out in the summer. Are my cats going to be OK if they go into the garden?

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Dare I ask about spiders in Perth...? My husband thinks I am stressing for nothing but I think it's because people always go on about the red back and other spiders in Aus. I only saw Daddy Long Legs (which are totally fine with me as I heard their mouths are too small to bite!) when I visited but that was in winter. I believe the spiders come out in the summer. Are my cats going to be OK if they go into the garden?

No deaths for 35 years is Australia wide if that's what you meant so Perth as well ?

Australia is absolutely full of pet cats and dogs and most are fine...I don't hear much about spider problems though I am sure it must happen very occasionally. To be honest I really don't hear about them being much of an issue though I'm no expert (assuming Perth is similar to Brisbane). I think ticks are a greater problem as I have heard about them a few times. Many tick repellent products are available and proper checking of your pet's fur reduces tick issues.

Edited by Fish
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The previous owners of our house lost a Jack Russel to a snake bite. That said - if your garden looks like something that resembles the amazon, (actually that's being kind, the amazon is actually pretty) then snakes are going to love it.

I don't think it's any more of a worry than it was in SA.

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...

Magpie:

729magpie-420x0.jpg

Source: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cJ5neTo9E2g/UFAU2kztetI/AAAAAAAAAR4/UL7_PS1Pxg0/s640/729magpie-420x0.jpg

In Australia you often find it's the animals you never thought about that bother you the most (e.g. magpies, ants) and the famous ones are mostly avoidable with sensible precautions.

As I was saying about the Magpie...this cyclist was in the papers today..check out his helmet mounted rear facing go-pro action (turn on your sound):

Edited by Fish
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