# Brown Snake



## saratoga (Jan 6, 2009)

A beautiful big Brown Snake from Cann River, East Gippsland. 






















Unfortunately the snake was killed by a car probably only minutes before we found it.......fortunately it showed hardly any signs of external damage and made for some nice photos.

I tried for what I thought was a fairly natural pose...did it fool anyone?


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Jan 6, 2009)

Very fresh roadkill, great closeups of scalation.
Keep em coming mate.


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## Dipcdame (Jan 6, 2009)

beautiful looking animal.......... shame it's dead.... what a waste (sigh)


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## Dipcdame (Jan 6, 2009)

beautiful looking animal.......... shame it's dead.... what a waste (sigh) - good pose though!!


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## ryanharvey1993 (Jan 6, 2009)

good specimen, should have taken it to the museum or preserved it (if you didnt)


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## smacdonald (Jan 8, 2009)

saratoga said:


> I tried for what I thought was a fairly natural pose...did it fool anyone?



Yep, I thought it was alive.


Stewart


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## dunmovin (Jan 8, 2009)

Yes I thought it was alive. Nice photos , what camera are you using ?
Cheers


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## KaaTom (Jan 8, 2009)

Had me fooled too.... great pics though


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## amy5189 (Jan 8, 2009)

thats great. i thought it was alive too. i didnt read the thing at the end and im like HOW DID THEY GET PICS OF UNDERNEATH WITHOUT BEING EATEN?!
you're braver than i am. for some reason im scared of dead animals. id rather touch a live one..... :shock: dont know why.....


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## Renagade (Jan 8, 2009)

yeah i was wondering how you got so close after the second pic/ wondering what camera and lense kit you were using. did it cross your mind that playing with dead things is strange? suppose it's like in the 1800s where dead people had their photos taked sitting in a chair all dressed up.


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## saratoga (Jan 10, 2009)

thanks for the comments....I'm using a Nikon D200 camera.

Here is a photo of the snake as we found it.






It's rarely that you find a dead snake in "such good condition"

Even though it was dead I was very careful in moving it...held it with a proper head grip as I have heard stories of freshly killed snakes still twitching or having the bite reflex....so don't automatically assume it's safe because its been run over.

You're right I should have taken it to a Museum but the logistics of the situation didn't allow for it unfortunately.

"suppose it's like in the 1800s where dead people had their photos taked sitting in a chair all dressed up"...yeah thats kind of spooky.....they even painted "eyes" on their closed eyelids sometimes!


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## bredli84 (Jan 10, 2009)

Well done, fooled me! 

great photography there saratoga, also enjoyed the gippy dragon thread.


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## misssullivan (Jan 10, 2009)

even in that pic it looks fairly alive!


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## smacdonald (Jan 10, 2009)

saratoga said:


> I have heard stories of freshly killed snakes still twitching or having the bite reflex.



I've decapitated an eastern brown and the body still responded to touch and maintained a righting reflex. They're tough animals. I don't muck around with the head end.


Stewart


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## m.punja (Jan 10, 2009)

great pics saratoga, you had me going. I was starting to think, mate your braver then I thought  done well, great photos.


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## kel (Jan 10, 2009)

reptilesDownUnder said:


> I've decapitated an eastern brown and the body still responded to touch and maintained a righting reflex. They're tough animals. I don't muck around with the head end.
> 
> 
> Stewart




great pics, i guess thats where they get the old wives tale they dont die till night time, till they are cold


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## Snake Catcher Victoria (Jan 11, 2009)

> I've decapitated an eastern brown and the body still responded to touch and maintained a righting reflex. They're tough animals. I don't muck around with the head end.


 I bet you never beheaded a snake again after that Stewart..I have watched the head of tiger snake as its eyes followed movement and the mouth opened in defence as it was approached.
Gave me nightmares, now if i have to euthanise them i use the blunt force causing brain trauma. 
A lot quicker but not great if the animal is going to the museum.


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## i_LoVe_AnImAlS (Jan 11, 2009)

nice shots i love the close up you sure fooled me i thought it was alive


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## smacdonald (Jan 11, 2009)

ssssnakeman said:


> I bet you never beheaded a snake again after that Stewart..I have watched the head of tiger snake as its eyes followed movement and the mouth opened in defence as it was approached.
> Gave me nightmares, now if i have to euthanise them i use the blunt force causing brain trauma.
> A lot quicker but not great if the animal is going to the museum.



I had already crushed the animal's skull. I decapitated the head to make sure I didn't get bitten while I was examining the animal's body. I would never decapitate an animal to kill it. Crushing the skull completely is the only non-chemical method I use, but you're right, it's not good for specimens destined for museums.

I think I'd have nightmares too if I had a bodiless snake's eyes following me.


Stewart


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## moosenoose (Jan 11, 2009)

I was fooled! What a stunner, and what a shame  Sadly some things are also unavoidably hit on our roads, perhaps the case with this one?


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## Hooglabah (Jan 11, 2009)

i really love brown snakes they are so permantly pissed off and thier snakey expression reflects that so well.


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