# Taipan or Brown



## Mulcahy (May 27, 2008)

Hey i was just wondering how to easily tell the difference between a taipan and a Brown Snake cause we have had a heap of these snakes getting around and we dont no which one they are,


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## m.punja (May 27, 2008)

textilis - common/eastern browns have spots/specks on their bellies, not sure about western browns. I'm pretty sure the tais don't. Either way, good idea to steer clear


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## dodgie (May 27, 2008)

Taipans have a coffin shaped head.


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## Mulcahy (May 27, 2008)

well they have the coffin shaped head so we may have to get the snake man in


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## flinders (May 27, 2008)

m.punja said:


> textilis - common/eastern browns have spots/specks on their bellies, not sure about western browns. I'm pretty sure the tais don't. Either way, good idea to steer clear




tais do have orange - pink spots as well.


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## voodoo (May 27, 2008)

Coastal Taipans are common up your way. The easiest way to id a taipan is the head is usually lighter than the rest of their body.
Both these snakes are North QLd forms

Brown



Taipan


See the difference

Cheers
Dee


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## cockney red (May 27, 2008)

Even more so if they're EB'S.


Mulcahy said:


> well they have the coffin shaped head so we may have to get the snake man in


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## mysnakesau (May 27, 2008)

The park I worked with have coastal and inland taipans. I don't remember their heads looking like that. But with the coastals, their face seems to be more whiter than the browns though. But then they were only youngsters too, don't know if that makes any difference.


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## FNQ_Snake (May 27, 2008)

The best way to tell a Taipan from a Brown is the cream coloured bottom lip on the Taipan. It is quite distinctive. 

Disclaimer: This; however, is no fool proof method. Either way, if you get bitten your pretty buggered.


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## Australis (May 27, 2008)

Colour is a very poor indicator of species.


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## FNQ_Snake (May 27, 2008)

Australis said:


> Colour is a very poor indicator of species.



I realise this professor, but can you show me a Brown with a creamy coloured bottom lip? If you can I will retract my statement. This also the reason for my disclaimer.


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## Mulcahy (May 27, 2008)

thnaks for all the help we have defently got a family of taipains moved in we seen two babys yesterday and a big one on friday


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## FNQ_Snake (May 27, 2008)

Good luck with it mate, they are a beautiful creature. If you can try and get some pics for us (do so safely though).

Cheers

P.S. You don't want to get bit like the other two blokes a couple of weeks ago.


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## Mulcahy (May 27, 2008)

i dont plan to get bitten haha


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## tan (May 27, 2008)

What area are you in?


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## Australis (May 27, 2008)

FNQ_Snake said:


> I realise this professor, but can you show me a Brown with a creamy coloured bottom lip? If you can I will retract my statement. This also the reason for my disclaimer.



My comment wasn't exclusive to your post for a start, so bloody relax man you will live longer.
Its not like it matters really, they are both ridiculously toxic, so correct identification is hardly
a matter of life and death, both can put you in the ground .. 

Creamy coloured enough?





Plus it has a much lighter coloured head compared to its body (so also going against Voodoo's post)








Matt


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## tan (May 27, 2008)

Quite possibly not either also...whip perhaps? Or something else , pics would help.... I get heaps of callouts to so-called Browns and Taipans, and usually neither is the case....not saying its not just a thought. But in any case ALWAYS take extreme care..


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## FNQ_Snake (May 27, 2008)

Ah, his profile says FNQ.


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## Magpie (May 28, 2008)

Yes, but FNQ is a ridiculously big place, most people consider it to start at Townsville and go to the tip of the cape, some 1300km away and the cape is some 700km? wide. It's probably a bigger area than Victoria.
I would be fairly surprised for someone to e seeing either Tai's or browns in those sort of numbers, especially at this time of year.
Are you seeing them during the day or at night?
Is there any chance of you taking a photo of one?


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## redbellybite (May 28, 2008)

australis is right about colour definition YOU CAN NOT TELL BY COLOUR ALONE the taipan is a more slender necked and its head is distinct from this where as the browns head isnt the brown snake will form a S shape when threatend its a common stance by this reptile the taipan seems to hold itself more in a straighter hold with its head pulled in and like was said the brown is speckled ......as you can see by the pic in my avatar:lol:


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## PilbaraPythons (May 28, 2008)

Stating a more specific location should indicate what you are more likely to encounter.
I have my doubts that you are seeing so many Taipans though and not because they aren't around in many areas up that way, but more the case that they aren't so commonly seen simply because they are a shy and nervous species and very hard to even get close to.


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## redbellybite (May 28, 2008)

just on another note SNAKES dont take care of their young in the wild ,so if you happen to see a few bubs it doesnt mean mummy and daddy are there as well the possibility could be you have had a clutch of eggs in your yard that have hatched alot seem to panic if they see bubs that mumma must be on the look out ......


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## tan (May 28, 2008)

Magpie said:


> Yes, but FNQ is a ridiculously big place, most people consider it to start at Townsville and go to the tip of the cape, some 1300km away and the cape is some 700km? wide. It's probably a bigger area than Victoria.
> I would be fairly surprised for someone to e seeing either Tai's or browns in those sort of numbers, especially at this time of year.
> Are you seeing them during the day or at night?
> Is there any chance of you taking a photo of one?


 
Ditto mags...


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## TrueBlue (May 28, 2008)

the legnith of a taipans head is around 2 1/2 times the width whereas a browns is only 1 1/2 times.
as has been said colour meens jack, even the head, as most dark coloured browns have a light coloured head and most light coloured browns will have a darkish head. Both taipans and browns come in an aray of colours and shades of all those different colours.
As Dave has said it sounds very unlikely to be taipans as they are very rarely encountered even where they are common.


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