Gya Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neels Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 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 GyaI am sorry to say, they are on the ground too, all over the ground... (sorry mate, was just to good not to go there.. )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... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansaPlease Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mara Posted October 1, 2014 Report Share Posted October 1, 2014 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! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DXB2OZ Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 Been in Melbourne 3 months. Seen a possum and a cockroach. All very unexciting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 (edited) 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:Source: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Znml6ISORqY/UWUFgG_8bwI/AAAAAAAAFMo/uZevz2RTLFA/s400/Eastern+Water+Dragon+NBG+0110.jpgIbis:Source: http://cdn2.vtourist.com/4/4448675-Ibis_Brisbane.jpgPossum:Source: https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/128/369853774_c3fad26033.jpgBrush Turkey: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.JPGOwl:Source: http://australianmuseum.net.au/Uploads/Images/10961/Owl_Barn_Threlfo_big.jpgAnd 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:Source: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cJ5neTo9E2g/UFAU2kztetI/AAAAAAAAAR4/UL7_PS1Pxg0/s640/729magpie-420x0.jpgIn 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 October 2, 2014 by Fish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AFreshStart Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 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.CheersMatt 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted October 2, 2014 Report Share Posted October 2, 2014 To add to that, the last death by spider bite was 35 years ago. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gya Posted October 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted October 3, 2014 Thx for the info guys. @Fish those r nice pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel-B Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 (edited) 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 October 6, 2014 by Mel-B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kay79 Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 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? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted October 6, 2014 Report Share Posted October 6, 2014 (edited) 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 October 6, 2014 by Fish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HansaPlease Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted October 7, 2014 Report Share Posted October 7, 2014 (edited) ...Magpie:Source: http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cJ5neTo9E2g/UFAU2kztetI/AAAAAAAAAR4/UL7_PS1Pxg0/s640/729magpie-420x0.jpgIn 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 October 7, 2014 by Fish 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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