# Best places to find snakes



## Foozil (Jan 21, 2018)

G'day,

I've never had much luck finding snakes before. I mainly look around the Appin area and never really find much. My targets are pythons, tree snakes and small elapids (golden crowns, small eyed, etc). Is there a certain time of day thats better? I usually go just after dark, turning rocks and looking on the tracks. Any suggestions much appreciated.

Thanks,


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## bluedragon (Jan 21, 2018)

yesterday i was playing with a wild yellow faced whip snake handling it and everything didn't get bitten and i got some real good pics when i released him ill upload them later there my favourite there so cute to


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## Foozil (Jan 21, 2018)

bluedragon said:


> yesterday i was playing with a wild yellow faced whip snake handling it and everything didn't get bitten and i got some real good pics when i released him ill upload them later there my favourite there so cute to


So what kind of habitat, time of day, under wood or a rock...? Would love to see some pics though.


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## bluedragon (Jan 21, 2018)

i live in dry woodland lunch time under hay bail
[doublepost=1516517038,1516516734][/doublepost]



there apparently a near threatened species


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## Foozil (Jan 21, 2018)

Beautiful! We found one out west the other day but it got away before we could take pics


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## bluedragon (Jan 21, 2018)

ive got this little guy in my yard and ive got a baby Coastal Taipan and keel back water snakes in my dam


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## Foozil (Jan 21, 2018)

I'm super jealous


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## dragonlover1 (Jan 21, 2018)

bluedragon said:


> i live in dry woodland lunch time under hay bail
> [doublepost=1516517038,1516516734][/doublepost]View attachment 322877
> View attachment 322878
> View attachment 322879
> ...


big eyes for a little snake, are they nocturnal?


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## bluedragon (Jan 21, 2018)

i dont know but theey are abit


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## SpottedPythons (Jan 21, 2018)

dragonlover1 said:


> big eyes for a little snake, are they nocturnal?


No, they are in fact diurnal. The large eyes signifies the snake relies more heavily on vision for hunting than other species. In fact, studies done by R. Shine show nocturnal species actually have smaller eyes relative to the head.


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## Scutellatus (Jan 21, 2018)

dragonlover1 said:


> big eyes for a little snake, are they nocturnal?


They are diurnal and eat mostly lizards. You need big eyes for those quick little buggars.



bluedragon said:


> i live in dry woodland lunch time under hay bail
> [doublepost=1516517038,1516516734][/doublepost]View attachment 322877
> View attachment 322878
> View attachment 322879
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Demansia Psammophis Psammophis are near threatened in Victoria only.


I would love to get my hands on Demansia Flagellatio, they are one of, if not the best looking Demansia around.


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## Imported_tuatara (Jan 21, 2018)

i'd love any demansia, i'd get less venomous elapids/colubrids before pythons for sure, if allowed lol.


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## dragonlover1 (Jan 21, 2018)

Everybody has their favourites.I'd love to have RBB,I think they are THE most beautiful snake;But I know I would stuff up,I could be cleaning out a dragon house for instance,pick up a water bowl and think this needs a clean,come back 1/2 an hour later and realize the door is still open..whoops..lucky it's a dragon and not a RBB or worse.So I have banned myself from getting any elapids..


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## Foozil (Jan 21, 2018)

Id love any of those small mildly venomous elapids! Especially whip snakes and golden crown snakes.


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## Bluetongue1 (Jan 22, 2018)

@Foozil A north facing ridge with an exposed rock shelf that has exfoliate small slabs of rock on top is an ideal place to find Yellow-faced Whips. Searching under fallen timber and moveable rocks on the southern side of deep, moist gullies will possibly turn up a Small-eyed snake. Walking along creeks you may encounter the odd RBB. Tigers show a preference for living in the vicinity of swamps. Low lying grassland along drainage lines is a good place to Marsh snakes

In general terms, country rubbish tips are good places to go herping. Along the same lines, most farmers dump worn out farm machinery and old building materials in a back paddock out of the way. So if you have a contact there, then ask. Any sort of ground debris can yield snakes but corrugated iron stacked several sheets deep is definitely one of the most productive as it provides ideal refuges for both snakes and rodents.

If you do not already have one, then invest in a good quality head torch for picking up eye shine and checking out walking tracks at night. Warm, moonless nights are the best. Warm nights with light rain can often bring out a separate range of fauna. Temperature is more important than what time. However, many evenings it stay warm for only an hour or three after dark and then the temperature takes a nose dive.

If you want to get serious about field herping, then buy yourself a little hard cover note that will fit comfortably in your pocket and write down the details of each reptile encounter – how, when, where, habitat.

Albeit limited, I hope the foregoing is the sort of information you were chasing.


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## Foozil (Jan 22, 2018)

Bluetongue1 said:


> @Foozil A north facing ridge with an exposed rock shelf that has exfoliate small slabs of rock on top is an ideal place to find Yellow-faced Whips. Searching under fallen timber and moveable rocks on the southern side of deep, moist gullies will possibly turn up a Small-eyed snake. Walking along creeks you may encounter the odd RBB. Tigers show a preference for living in the vicinity of swamps. Low lying grassland along drainage lines is a good place to Marsh snakes
> 
> In general terms, country rubbish tips are good places to go herping. Along the same lines, most farmers dump worn out farm machinery and old building materials in a back paddock out of the way. So if you have a contact there, then ask. Any sort of ground debris can yield snakes but corrugated iron stacked several sheets deep is definitely one of the most productive as it provides ideal refuges for both snakes and rodents.
> 
> ...


Wow, thanks so much for the info!


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## saximus (Jan 22, 2018)

To go along with BT1's post, one of the most successful herping "trips" (in terms of number of animals we saw) came from doing laps up and down a long, quiet road surrounded by bush after a fairly warm day. Once the air started to cool, the animals would come and grab the last of the extra heat off the road. I'm not super experienced so can't say if that road was special in particular but I think it had more to do with the environment and luck of the draw than specific location. 

Just a note of flipping rocks - make sure they go back to how you found them .


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## Foozil (Jan 22, 2018)

saximus said:


> To go along with BT1's post, one of the most successful herping "trips" (in terms of number of animals we saw) came from doing laps up and down a long, quiet road surrounded by bush after a fairly warm day. Once the air started to cool, the animals would come and grab the last of the extra heat off the road. I'm not super experienced so can't say if that road was special in particular but I think it had more to do with the environment and luck of the draw than specific location.
> 
> Just a note of flipping rocks - make sure they go back to how you found them .


Thank you! We always put the rocks back exactly how we found them


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## GBWhite (Jan 22, 2018)

I don't usually give tips on field herping but you seem keen so f you intend to do some field work there are some other important things to do. As Mike mentioned if you want to get serious take a note book and record as much details as possible. As well as what he has noted include, location, species, size (if not size then an estimate of whether it's a juvenile, sub adult or adult) and condition, aspect, microhabitat, date & time of day, weather conditions, the outside temperature, the temperature of the micro habitat where it was discovered (under the rock, in a crevice etc) and and if possible the temperature of the critter. Take a camera or use your phone to take a photo of the general habitat as well as the microhabitat and the critter. By photographing the critter you can take it home in your camera and not in a bag. All this info will serve you as a future reference. After some time you'll realise that there are certain times of the year, specific habitat, prefered temperatures and weather conditions that will be of benefit when you're looking for target species.

Leave as smaller imprint as possible on the natural environment as possible and to do this it is imperative that leave an area close as possible to it's natural state. Don't just flip rocks, fallen timber, sheets of iron etc and leave them. Try and return them as close as possible to their original position. If you do find an animal under a rock, timber or iron remove it before replacing the item to avoid injury to the critter. When you turn exfoliates check the undersurface for Leisure's Geckos before replacing it. You'll also find it beneficial to replace tip debris, building material and sheets of iron to their original position. 

It's much safer to go herping with another person in case of an accident or bite. Also make sure you carry a compression bandage and are familiar with first aid for a snake bite and stay hydrated during summer.

To give yourself the best chance to find critters, familiarise yourself with the type of species you might encounter along with their prefered habitat. Don't take on anything you don't feel confident in handling.

In summer the best time to undertake day excursions to find herps in your area is just after dawn to around 9/10am. You won't find much around Appin after dark walking bush tracks and nighttime is too dangerous to get out and about on those ridges if you're inexperienced. As well as finding Whips on those nth/east ridges there's a good chance you'll come across Small Eyes, Broad Headed Snakes, Diamonds, Tree Snakes (Brown and Green), possibly Mustard Bellied Snakes and the odd Brown. Other than Browns and large Diamonds all the others prefer to find refuge under exfoliated rocks. Adders like to find refuge under ground debris just just off the exposed rock. Golden Crowns prefer a much cooler micro habitat in shaded areas of the gullies. In summer Diamonds like to bask on exposed ridges during the early morning heat before finding refuge in a hollow tree or crevice for the rest of the day. Browns also like to bask in the early morning so be vigilant. Check crevices in rock outcrops for both snakes (Hops, Diamonds, Tree Snakes) and lizards (Cunningham Skinks, White Skinks and Broad Tailed Geckoes).


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## Foozil (Jan 22, 2018)

Thanks so much @GBWhite, thats super helpful, will be sure to keep all of that in mind.


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## Nero Egernia (Jan 22, 2018)

GBWhite said:


> It's much safer to go herping with another person in case of an accident or bite. Also make sure you carry a compression bandage and are familiar with first aid for a snake bite and stay hydrated during summer.



To add onto this, if you do decide to go alone be sure to tell someone where you're going and how long you expect to be gone for.


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## Foozil (Jan 22, 2018)

Nero Egernia said:


> To add onto this, if you do decide to go alone be sure to tell someone where you're going and how long you expect to be gone for.


No worries there, I always go with my dad


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## dragonlover1 (Jan 22, 2018)

Nero Egernia said:


> To add onto this, if you do decide to go alone be sure to tell someone where you're going and how long you expect to be gone for.


This is standard advice for bushwalking but sadly ignored by the majority and as George said always carry a compression bandage,I have 1 permanently in my binocular case which is always in my backpack along with a reptile identification book,camera,water bottle.Plus old time advice such as always carry a knife and some string or rope and possibly a small tarp.


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## Flaviemys purvisi (Jan 22, 2018)

Depending how seriously remote you're going, I've often taken a personal epirb. Some of the spots I go chasing turtles are more than 150km from the nearest mobile phone reception area.


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## Foozil (Jan 22, 2018)

Where we look we are only right near the road, also very close to houses, and I know my way around there very well. Not saying I won't take precautions like mentioned above, but its always good to know your way around the area.


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