# When are Blacks & Brown Snakes More Active Night/Day?



## cemspec (Oct 2, 2009)

I have a couple of friends on acreage and the same question has come up with both of them later regarding when blacks and browns are most active and when they would be out feeding?

I know my pythons are more active at night time and stay hinden during the day but I am not sure about venomus snakes.

I would presume they could sun themselves during the day but do they feed during the day or at night? I would also think they would be more aggressive during the day from heat and less aggitated at night due to the temperature!

Would love to hear feedback on this


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## JasonL (Oct 2, 2009)

They are more active by day, but can still be active at night if temps suit.


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## Glowmonkey (Oct 2, 2009)

We mostly see them in the paddock during the day, but of a night find them on the sandstone verandah, there are two reasons for this, the sandstone holds the heat, and we have a lot of green tree frogs that come and sit on the window ledge and door trim catching moths and insects that are flittering over the screens trying to get into the light, so I would say if the conditions are right to feed of a night then expect them to be around either times.


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## Serpentes (Oct 2, 2009)

Glowmonkey, what species do you mean by "them"?

I'm yet to see a brown or a red-belly out after dark.


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## Tim93 (Oct 2, 2009)

Mainly at day, on realy hot days they might take cover then come out at night and sit on a warm rock or the road somewhere.


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## jamgo (Oct 2, 2009)

Both can be very active after dark in warm weather.


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## Serpentes (Oct 2, 2009)

I should clarify I've never seen an eastern brown at night. I've seen other Pseudonaja species after dark, just didn't think it was too common in easterns. 

It sure would be a nasty surprise to run into an eastern brown in the dark


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## Jonno from ERD (Oct 2, 2009)

We regularly find Eastern Browns active after night, especially young animals.


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## Serpentes (Oct 2, 2009)

Cool, another thing for me to look forward to seeing! There's always something new.


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## JasonL (Oct 3, 2009)

Serpentes said:


> Glowmonkey, what species do you mean by "them"?
> 
> I'm yet to see a brown or a red-belly out after dark.



I saw an adult RBB actively hunting Litoria freycineti at 1am last year, we watched it for a few minutes. It was a VERY hot night.


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## Twin_Rivers (Oct 3, 2009)

I have seen many Eastern Browns active at night thoguh normally smaller animals upto 2 feet in length where as larger animals 2 feet and over I have only seen at night. I have only seen RBB's active during the day


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## cemspec (Oct 3, 2009)

Thanks for everyones input I am currently house sitting a friends property for a week and just before she left she found a brown snake skin near the chickens and horses and is terrified of them.

She has asked me to ring wires and get them out to try and find the snake and remove it as she is very worried about the horses and kids but I dont think they will come out unless you know its location.

Fun week ahead looking for a brown snake/s and keeping away from it! :lol:


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## JasonL (Oct 3, 2009)

Yes, you will need to see the snake and know where it is for someone to come out, it could be Km's away by now.... chickens / Birds = Rodents = Snakes.


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## Serpentes (Oct 3, 2009)

JasonL said:


> I saw an adult RBB actively hunting Litoria freycineti at 1am last year, we watched it for a few minutes. It was a VERY hot night.



That's really interesting, I've often thought they'd have foraging success at night, but I think that's the first red-belly late-night record I've heard of. Early evening activity isn't unusual but into the night is I reckon (unless they don't get seen at night because they're stealth black? )

Take certain areas of the northern Royal (yes I was once a hobbit myself) where we all know there are loads of red bellies, I've seen over 20 in a couple of hours there during the day, and never one at night with extensive spotlighting effort over a few years.


Cemspec: As for that rogue brown on the farm, $50 you never see it again.


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## JasonL (Oct 3, 2009)

You couldn't of "BEEN" a hobbit.... if you left ..... I was most suprised to see it, though at the same time it was a bizaar night, at the same place (Uloola) I found a very awake Cunningham sitting on a exposed ledge, it was so hot all the platurus had left the rocks and were sitting on the dirt, and all the Water Dragons were perched above the water on wood, none in the water as it was hot and def none asleep in the very hot sandstone... it was an extremely hot night and animals were behaving in a weird way....It was interesting to see what different herps were doing, learnt a bit that night.


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## cemspec (Oct 3, 2009)

Serpentes said:


> Cemspec: As for that rogue brown on the farm, $50 you never see it again.


 
She has seen skins there before and the current one found is only about a meter long.

She has a chicken pen (mice) then a big pile of horse poo (warmth during the day) then beside that horse feed shed (mice) then horse stables.

SNAKE HEAVEN!  I am sure the whole family will come out soon!


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