Eastern Browns....

[waruikazi]

Yeah, we have pretty much been the same Aliveandkicking... One cranky Olive (which is still alive) and a cranky Whip snake at the NT Station. A cranky (but fairly small thank you God) brown snake (we didn't know what it was), and a Brown Tree Snake at the home Station (The Brown Tree Snake was alive when we sold the Station). The Brown and a grey snake a few years ago at Charlie's. And I came across a few, well four, cranky ones around Mareeba a couple of years ago.

I don't like killing snakes, but as much as I can see the beauty in that Brown, I don't feel the same about Vens as I do about Pythons, or Tree snakes. I know that people are going to be upset and want to flame me, but that is my feeling. When a Ven is close to my house and there is no person to relocate them, they are gone. I have a small son and I won't risk him. Out in remote locations we have to be aware, but a number of us promote pythons and tree snakes.

I'm a bit over trying to shout down people who kill snakes so i'll stay civil this time lol.

The reality is in your situation out in the bush when you kill one ven another will take its place pretty quickly so you are really fighting an uphill battle. Statistically, no matter how much experience you have, you are at a much higher risk of being bitten when you are interfering with a snake. But what i think is the biggest problem is you are acting as a role model for your son and he will think it is ok to kill snakes when they are close to the house and that is when he will get bitten.

 

[Wild_Storm]

That is quite amusing isn't it ... In all honesty! So he killed it and wonders why on earth it was showing such
a defensive mannerism :? ...... The mind truly boggles! There's one of those stupid people redbellybite was talking about before I think! Hard to identify straight away, but when their cover is blown like that, boy are they easy to spot! :shakes head:

Lol... He didn't know it was there until it was 3 foot away from him and heading for him striking when it could. Knowing my mate (15-16 years now) he would have been thinking about something else and wouldn't have seen the snake until the last moment.

They are very safety minded on the Station... Having to pay compensation to someone is too expensive, so the rules in place keep all safe (supposedly). Recently some person left the houseyard gate open and (while I was cooking) I realised after about 10 minutes that my son was NOT in the house. It doesn't take long, however I am lucky... He usually heads for the shed (coz all Unca Arlie too "Uncle Charlie tools" are there... and make LOTS of noise!!) or for the dogs... Which ARE chained up unless working as otherwise they entertain themselves (NOT a good idea).

We only have a few dams on the property, and none of them are within 50km of the homestead. The only troughs are in the yards, which is still a little too far for him to go. BUT some times he is in the house yard while I am cooking (the only animal in the houseyard is Wrecker (a cat, but let's NOT go there) who is a children's pet from day one.

That was the only reason I was for killing the Vens, however they DO get replaced by the next one, I knew that. We had a beautiful huge BHP, but the LATE Roxy (Foxy x Border Collie) sent him to Snake heaven. The other day Charlie was yet again off doing something else in his mind when he nearly stood on ANOTHER BHP (this one about 8 foot apparently), Charlie walked on air... BHP is still alive. We love the pythons around the house, what rats and rabbits Wrecker can't get, the pythons do!!

As Jonno suggested it might do for someone there to do a Snake handling course- I agree, then I would be able to re-locate the ones I DON'T want there and bring back those I DO!!

And before you start, I KNOW that won't work either, as they are territorial animals... :cry:

 

[m.punja]

I bought my first EBD about a year ago now. I wasn't keen on EBD's, didn't think highly of them at all but this one came available and was well tempered and good priced, so i thought why not. He grew on me pretty quickly and their place in my favourite reptile scale jumped up a fair few spots and I soon had a partner or him. This snake was also not badly behalved and I think it's cause it shared a pit with other snakes. At first I was worried if I put the two together I'd have to tear appart two real angry browns but after a while the second became more flighty and agitated and I was coaxed into putting the two together to see what would happen, they have been together ever since and are my most well behalved browns to this date. I now keep eight eastern browns and love them all too bits, over that time EBD's have scaled higher and higher in my most favourite reptiles list and are currently in the top five aussie snakes in my eyes. Although some of mine are complete nut-bags as Jonno said they calm right down after a while, and if you put two together I've found this speeds up the calming process. Hope this info alll help's and if you are thinking of getting one just remember that they still need to be respected and try and buy one that is fairly calm so you can get used to them and feel more comfortable around them. Buying an absolute pyscho and diving into the deep end might ruin the experience for you which would be a pitty because they are such nice snakes.

cheers
Mark

 

[DanTheMan]

Lol... He didn't know it was there until it was 3 foot away from him and heading for him striking when it could. Knowing my mate (15-16 years now) he would have been thinking about something else and wouldn't have seen the snake until the last moment.

Aah I see! It's SO much easier and quicker to kill it than to run the opposite direction!

 

[m.punja]

We are over 600 kms from Anti-venom... And considering the state of THAT road, it is over 9 hours DRIVE.
.

Wont the helicopter fly out your way?
If you are truely a reptile enthusiast and truely don't want to kill any perhaps you should invest in a reptile relocation course and a hoop bag and jigger and put the shovel away. I know plenty of people who aren't keepers or true lovers of reptiles but respect them and understand that they have just as much of a right as we do to be here that they have taken it upon themselves to learn how to relocate venomous snakes safely.
If you are really roughly 9hrs drive from the hospital and really that worried about your son maybe you should move closer to the hospital, or lock him in a padded room? Venomous snakes are just one of many dangers way out, you'll have a full time job protecting him from them all.

If any of this has been said earlier then sorry, I only skimmed across the crap as the true meaning of this thread was browns in captivity, or so I thought it was anyway.

cheers

Mark

 

[m.punja]

SOME snakes are aggro (maybe because it had a bad encounter, I don't know)... But they are the most dangerous because they WILL have a go at you... Without reason, other then you are there, or you moved.
.

I love the idea of this. Imagine this. An Eastern Brown snake waking up one morning, absolutely bawling his eyes out and muttering, 'that damn farmer and his damn shovel. Chopped mum in half yesterday. Today I dedicate my life to going out and hunting and killing every member of his family!' - thats what I call aggressive. I can't see how any snake can be refered to as aggressive rather then defencive.

Maybe it just makes the story sound better, got attacked by a deadly aggro eastern brown the other day, --- must have stood to close to a brown the other day because he wasn't happy, --- yea first story sounds better.

 

[GSXR_Boy]

Why not put a snake proof fence around the main "homestead" ?? (picturing toothless hill billy sitting on an old rocking chair on the verandah. " Hey ma, it's one of them dang brown snakes again")

 

[Fuscus]

I have encountered about two dozen browns in my travels. Most of the times you can't get near them but the ones I have got close to have not shown any "aggression" at all, in fact the last one allowed me to re-arrange him for photoing ( mind you, it wasn't that warm and he did have a lot of ticks on him).
In SA , I needed to answer a call of nature and put a foot right next to one. He did the smart thing and bolted. I remember being very annoyed at myself because I wasn't wearing boots.

 

[redbellybite]

if you had been listening to Jonno he shouldve told you that in a 3 foot diametre of the snake YOU STAND STILL .....you are in the strike range that is why us catchers and keepers inform people that it is best to stand still ......practise this and you will be at a minimal risk ..as the EB will either move on or settle down again ...then you take TINY steps back at first all the while watching the snake if you get a reaction STAND STILL and repeat the following ,,,once you are of a 4 or more feet away you can flee at a faster pace .... its not that its hard to do ,its just that its hard to remain calm whilst doing that ..but you choose to put yourself amongst the wildlife then practise your safety as well ...

 

[elapid66]

That is quite amusing isn't it ... In all honesty! So he killed it and wonders why on earth it was showing such
a defensive mannerism :? ...... The mind truly boggles! There's one of those stupid people redbellybite was talking about before I think! Hard to identify straight away, but when their cover is blown like that, boy are they easy to spot! :shakes head:

what are you trying to say ?? its sounds like your baggin me if so why

 

[Wild_Storm]

what are you trying to say

I think the person mis-read my post, but that is ok... :lol:... My mate didn't kill it and then wonder, he almost got bitten and there is no way at the time he could have stood still. I am not saying it wouldn't have worked, but he couldn't have.

Yes Mark, you are right, it is about Browns in Captivity... I questioned Jonno saying they are pussycats, saying that the ones we've experienced have been very fiesty... And then all heck broke loose. Me trying to explain how things and snakes are on remote Cattle stations ended up hi-jacking the thread. SORRY KaaTom.

 

[moosenoose]

what are you trying to say ?? its sounds like your baggin me if so why

No, I'm actually agreeing with you. Probably just badly worded on my part.

 

[redbellybite]

wild storm what do you mean he couldnt stand still? was he having a FIT?

 

[elapid66]

No, I'm actually agreeing with you. Probably just badly worded on my part.

sorry mate

 

[moosenoose]

ps:Wild_storm I'd also misread the initial thread, I thought the guy HAD killed it. My mistake.

 

[elapid@]

hi

I love the idea of this. Imagine this. An Eastern Brown snake waking up one morning, absolutely bawling his eyes out and muttering, 'that damn farmer and his damn shovel. Chopped mum in half yesterday. Today I dedicate my life to going out and hunting and killing every member of his family!' - thats what I call aggressive. I can't see how any snake can be refered to as aggressive rather then defencive.

Maybe it just makes the story sound better, got attacked by a deadly aggro eastern brown the other day, --- must have stood to close to a brown the other day because he wasn't happy, --- yea first story sounds better.

Thats like when i told my grand parents that i got a tiger snake '" my nans words were"" (Steven i dont mind the red bellied blacks or the pythons but snake i dont like are those dam tigers as i remember this very young girl on her walk to school from the farm got chased and she was bitten several times, when the father got to her she was already dead "' there evil rotten creatures and if one came next to me i wouldn't hesitate to shovel it, steven are you trying to give your nan a heart attack, becarefull that it dosent get out and come after you in the night and bite you. gosh child for heavens sake steven get rid of it. ) My good old nan shes just a protector, but most of the storys come from old school. I told my nan just to make her feel better about my reptiles that i gave the tiger away. she was releaved. The funny thing is she loves my red bellied black (kit) she always asking about it.:lol:

 

[Snake Catcher Victoria]

Ok, imo a snake that has been man handled does remember the experience.
The snake becomes more wary of human contact than an animal that has had no such experiences, therefore becoming more dangerous to humans.
That dosnt mean to say they are activly seeking revenge but they have learned that people are bad and they react more defensivly.
M.punja

'I love the idea of this. Imagine this. An Eastern Brown snake waking up one morning, absolutely bawling his eyes out and muttering, 'that damn farmer and his damn shovel. Chopped mum in half yesterday. Today I dedicate my life to going out and hunting and killing every member of his family!' - thats what I call aggressive. I can't see how any snake can be refered to as aggressive rather then defencive. '

In your nans day there were a lot more tigers around, and a lot more contact with tigers and a lot more wivestales
Elapid@

'Thats like when i told my grand parents that i got a tiger snake '" my nans words were"" (Steven i dont mind the red bellied blacks or the pythons but snake i dont like are those dam tigers as i remember this very young girl on her walk to school from the farm got chased and she was bitten several times, when the father got to her she was already dead "' there evil rotten creatures and if one came next to me i wouldn't hesitate to shovel it, steven are you trying to give your nan a heart attack, becarefull that it dosent get out and come after you in the night and bite you. gosh child for heavens sake steven get rid of it. ) My good old nan shes just a protector, but most of the storys come from old school.'

 

[elapid66]

:shock::shock::shock: wot tha

 

[m.punja]

I don't disagree with you Baz. A snake that has had a bad experience with humans before may be more incline to want to defend itself if it comes back into contact with a human. The idea of it being aggressive is still IMO inaccurate. These snakes would look at humans as a predator, something further up the food chain them prehaps, so it would be more defencive and more easily intimidated.

IMO I can only imagine snakes attacking for a feed or to defend themselves, so the term an agressive snake doesn't sit right for me.

 

[elapid66]

hey baz i was thinkin that a snake would of forgotin about it after about 3 mins