[*LucyE*]

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/queensland...1113-29a4x.html

I have a huge snake phobia and that just makes me want to curl up in the fetal position and rock. DH isn't home so I have to debrief with someone

I am amazed how well the staff handled the situation as well as all the children. Kudos to them for being so well prepared/trained.

A huge 3m brown snake was found next door to my DD's kindy last year. Yikes!

[Chelli]

Oh wow
They did so well to keep their cool! I couldn't imagine living anywhere where you would have to do snake drills! I have had a snake in my internal garage before though right where my babies were playing on scooters. So grateful they knew not to touch it and to come inside to tell me.

[_Alana_]

We have a large bushy park next to out centre ( my kids centre and my work ) that our yard butts up with. The sandpit has a pool fence separating it. The council workers have said they have seen a few lately whilst cutting the shrubs. I'm cautious when pulling the sand cover back but luckily I don't have a fear or phobia.

With all the noise at our centre in the day they'd be a stupid snake to come close, it makes me want to run

[EBeditor]

My. worst. nightmare.

[Hooray Henry]

My sister came face to face with an Eastern Brown in the kitchen last weekend. She was far calmer than I would have been!

[snakeman]

Snakes are OK. As Melbourne's only 24/7, I've had an average of five snake call outs a day for the last month on the back of about double that number of calls to catch snakes across Victoria. Generally, if a snake is ignored, it goes away. We prefer to come out to catch and relocate the snake only when there is potential danger to children and pts.

In terms of the news article, Brown snakes are not aggressive to people, but they are intelligent and will bite when provoked.

Having caught thousands of them and being the first person in the world to have bred the species in captivity (something I do yearly), I am qualified to offer an opionion.
All the best

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[PrincessPeach]

Snakes are OK. As Melbourne's only 24/7, I've had an average of five snake call outs a day for the last month on the back of about double that number of calls to catch snakes across Victoria. Generally, if a snake is ignored, it goes away. We prefer to come out to catch and relocate the snake only when there is potential danger to children and pts.

In terms of the news article, Brown snakes are not aggressive to people, but they are intelligent and will bite when provoked.

I still don't think i'd be hanging around long enough to test your information...I can't stand them.

Mind you we were always taught as kids to steer clear of a brown as they are the agressive ones - but that was in regional Qld.

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[evalynnI]

Snakes are OK. As Melbourne's only 24/7, I've had an average of five snake call outs a day for the last month on the back of about double that number of calls to catch snakes across Victoria. Generally, if a snake is ignored, it goes away. We prefer to come out to catch and relocate the snake only when there is potential danger to children and pts.

In terms of the news article, Brown snakes are not aggressive to people, but they are intelligent and will bite when provoked.

Having caught thousands of them and being the first person in the world to have bred the species in captivity (something I do yearly), I am qualified to offer an opionion.
All the best

Yep, you sound more than qualified to offer an opinion, but my opinion of brown snakes still hasn't changed . But I have had a nasty encounter with one, and if they're not normally aggressive, well it was definitely having a bad day is all I can say. Basically, it swam directly across a river, making straight for where there was a group of kids playing - quite noisily I will admit, but on the opposite side of a river and not chucking stuff across the other side. As soon as it landed on the bank it literally leapt towards us all - by that time the kids were all in cars with doors shut and a couple of the adults started pelting it with rocks as there was no way we could have got away from it. Luckily for us all (as we were in the middle of nowhere, miles away from a hospital) one of the rocks landed square on its back right behind the head, breaking its back. It was the most terrifying thing I have ever experienced, and believe me, if I ever see another one I will not be hanging around to find out if it's in a good mood or not!

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[Chedasha]

My worst nightmare as well. I shudder in horror thinking about snakes.

[*Spikey*]

Its early in the season.

Snakes are coming out of hibernation.

They are hungry, and they are looking to mate.

They also don't 'hear' the way you do (although they do hear), vibrations from the ground are their main source of information about what's going on. Obviously, a snake isn't likely to register the sound of playing children as something to avoid - the vibrations are more likely to do so.

If you're between them and the place they're going, they will appear to chase you. Move away at an angle, don't go in the direction they're already headed.

Snakes will respond if you attack them or they feel threatened - so don't approach them, don't chuck things at them, and basically leave them alone. Give them a wide berth, and they will go about their business and ignore you.

And if you're really concerned about snakes in your yard, check out the vibrating snake repellents. The snakes in our local area move through areas with the repellers installed very quickly, if they have to go through there at all. Much better than having a snake set up residence.

Finally, I hope you're all up to date with your first aid skills and know what to do in the event that a person or animal is bitten by a snake.