# Snakes Downunder!!



## Bax155 (Jan 28, 2009)

Yesterday I spent the day at Snakes Downunder at Childers and let me tell you it's one of the best reptile parks I've had the privilage to visit!! The staff are absolutly fantastic, Julie-Anne said 2 years ago she had never handled snakes and has only recently started doing the 1st show of the day handling various pythons such as Coastal Carpet, BHP, Olive and she also showed us a gorgeous lil Brown Tree Snake and even free handled a Red-Bellied Black snake like a seasoned pro, mind you all the vens they free handle have been raised in this fasion and no-one should try this at home!! Ian Jenkins vens show was awesome and I was totally gobsmacked at his specimens ease of free handling, this show involved Mulga Snake, Eastern Brown, Tiger, Inland Taipan, Common Death Adder and a Coastal Taipan, the Eastern Brown even fell asleep in thepalm of his hand during the show which I have attached a photo of!! The other show was the Saltwater Crocodile feeding which is so close quarters the croc made me jump when it launched out of its pond!! He even got it to do it's death roll for us!! The many outdoor pits holding species such as Eastern Water Dragon, Painted Turtle, Inland Beardie, Frilled Necked Lizard, Shingleback, Blotched Bluey, Cunninghams Skink, Sand Monitor, Perentie and Lacey were some of the best pit displays I've ever witnessed and we also had the privilage (being the only 2 people there) to have Julie-Ann take us on a personal tour and show us all the various species in the pits!!
The also have an outdoor vivarium which contains Angle Heads, Water Dragons and various frog species, next was the snake house which was well designed and lit, this housed species such as Coastal taipan, Inland Taipan, Eastern Brown, Tiger, Jungle Python, Coastal carpet, BHP, Woma, Boyds Forest Dragons, Western Brown, Blue-Bellied Black Snake, Red-bellied black snake, Scrub Python, Olive Python and Mulga Snake (I think that was all of them:?)!! Although only a small park it was great fun and had some great Aussie species!! I totally recommend anyone that ventures near the Childers area to pop in and take a look as its great value for $18 and unlike most parks when you handle the Coastal Carpet and Saltwater Crocodile you get to take your own photo's and not get charged $15 a pop like other parks!!! Sorry for rambling on so much I just had so much fun and wanted to share it with you all!!!
Cheers
Bax

Here's a few photo's from my day at Snakes Downunder!! Enjoy!!
Julie-Anne and Red-Bellied Black Snake.





Me with Saltwater Crocodile.




Me and Coastal Carpet.




Inland Bearded Dragon.




Ian Jenkins and Mulga Snake.




Sleepy Eastern Brown.




Inland Taipan.




Macca the Saltwater Croc grabbing a feed.




Macca smiling for a photo!!


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## megrim (Jan 28, 2009)

That 'Macca' is a real stunner! Wonderful shots man, thanks muchly for sharing


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## sweetangel (Jan 28, 2009)

wow awesome 

where is this place and do they have a website??


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## moosenoose (Jan 28, 2009)

I was going to make it up there the other week, but one thing led to another and the time didn't permit. Great pics by the way!


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## Bax155 (Jan 28, 2009)

This is there website www.*snakesdownunder*.com/ 
the adress is *51 Lucketts Road Childers Queensland - Phone 07 4126 3332*
*its 1 hour south of Bundaberg!!*


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## bfg23 (Jan 28, 2009)

am i the only one who thinks holding such venemous snakes is simply mad :shock:


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## Bax155 (Jan 28, 2009)

True it's mad and that's why I would never attempt such a thing!! But these vens are raised in this way and Ian has known them for a decade, so he knows thier temperament to a tee!!


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## Kris (Jan 28, 2009)

He knows their temperament eh? He mis-judged the Mulga or Colletts that tagged him a few yearsago. Did he mention that?


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## -Matt- (Jan 28, 2009)

I was up that way not too long go and didnt even know that the place existed until Id gotten home, was devestated! Will certainly pay a visit next time I am up there


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## Oldbeard (Jan 28, 2009)

I love that place. I went there a few years ago. Totally awesome. I could rave on and on about how great it is but i would just be repeating what bax has said.
The vens are awesome. I fell in love with the collettes when I was there and it has been my fave snake since.
If you saw Ian handling the snakes you would not think he was mad. It definitely isnt something everyone should do but this guy is great.
The macadamia icecream place down the road is totally awesome too


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## Oldbeard (Jan 28, 2009)

great pics by the way


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## Bax155 (Jan 28, 2009)

Kris said:


> He knows their temperament eh? He mis-judged the Mulga or Colletts that tagged him a few yearsago. Did he mention that?


 No he didnt mention that but I was going to ask how many times he's been tagged but thought it might be to embarasing for him as I know your bound to get tagged now and then when handling vens like this!!


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## aoife (Jan 28, 2009)

Macca is so cute!!


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## Vixen (Jan 28, 2009)

Bax155 said:


> as I know your bound to get tagged now and then when handling vens like this!!


 
Exactly, so if you handle them properly and safely you should NEVER get tagged. 

Was a nice place to visit though seeing as we live closeish and there are no other reptile parks around. The only other bad thing I have to say is the advice one of staff gave me (I won't mention who) that you should just stick rodents straight in the freezer to kill them. I nearly fumed but kept my mouth shut.

Hope you dont me adding some photos.


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## Vixen (Jan 28, 2009)

The scrubby was very cute, you should have seen the people run when he reached toward the barrier during the show. :lol:


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## Australis (Feb 2, 2009)

Anyone snap some photos of the Anglehead enclosure?? 
Maybe ill just cruise down their myself, seems plenty to see.


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## BlindSnake (Feb 2, 2009)

Yeh, Ian is an great guy, always willing to help fellow herpers.. His place is like every herpers dream backyard!!
His enclosures are well set up, informative and new.
IMO, if you want reps, he beats aus zoo hands down. I much prefer quality and attention to customers, over all the razzle dazzle crap.

I have some great behind the scenes photos, will have too see if I can find them and put them up..


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## redbellybite (Feb 2, 2009)

Must get up there ,have been told by a few that have gone there ,that its a good place ,only a few hours from me.As far as Aussie Zoo goes , they do have some amazing Australian snakes , but you dont get to know much about them as there isnt any interaction(unless your there at feeding time)only a small info sign at each enclosure.I dont understand why they walk around with exotic species of snakes but have never seen them walking around with our Aussie beauties,cant even get a pic with a coastal.


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## innocent (Feb 2, 2009)

looks like a great place...love the pic's thanks..


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## Bax155 (Feb 2, 2009)

Australis said:


> Anyone snap some photos of the Anglehead enclosure??
> Maybe ill just cruise down their myself, seems plenty to see.


This is the best shot I got!!


Great enclosure they have a heap of frogs in there and some juv eastern water dragons but they got spooked as soon as we went in!!


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## inthegrass (Feb 2, 2009)

it is a great place to visit, and it is only a short drive from me.
cheers


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## SCam (Feb 2, 2009)

i was going to rochampton and saw the place and decided to stop there on the way back... so on the way back we stoped in..IT WAS CLOSED the only day it was closed during the week. i was so sad


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## BlindSnake (Feb 3, 2009)

redbellybite said:


> Must get up there ,have been told by a few that have gone there ,that its a good place ,only a few hours from me.As far as Aussie Zoo goes , they do have some amazing Australian snakes , but you dont get to know much about them as there isnt any interaction(unless your there at feeding time)only a small info sign at each enclosure.I dont understand why they walk around with exotic species of snakes but have never seen them walking around with our Aussie beauties,cant even get a pic with a coastal.


 
Its true that aus zoo have a few (not many) exotics, but I dont even bother going there when Im in QLD every year anymore, as the reptile stock is never new, just the same stuff year after year.. Sad for what used to be a reptile park. They even do the same tired old skit in the snake show every day for years! lol NO close up interaction unless you pay to have a Burmese draped round your shoulders for a split second while they take a pic..etc etc.

They really dont have any aus herps that you cant see at any other place, and the fact that so many ppl work there means you might ask a question of a passing keeper, and they will say, "I dont know, I just open the gates for the train and hose down the paths." LOL

IMO, if you want exotics, you cant beat ARP, and for aussie reps, a smaller park like Ian's (Snakes Downunder) is the way to go.


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## snakeg56 (Feb 3, 2009)

yes, snakes down under is a top park to go too, and Ian is a great bloke, but he needs more people to visit so I encourage all herps to take a visit


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