With 20 years of experience, South Coast snake catcher Brendan Smith knows how to keep snakes at bay.
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"Save your money," he said. None of the snake deterrents on the market work he said from experience.
Rather, the best defence was keeping your property tidy and your garden clear of low-growing branches so there was good visibility of the ground and plants.
"They thrive on good habitat and cover," Mr Smith said.
"Without that they are very exposed to predators and people."
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When clearing overgrown gardens, wear good boots and gloves and jiggle the area with a stick or rake before getting your hands dirty.
Swish a stick in front when walking along overgrown tracks and pathways.
Snake encounters
If you encounter a snake, stop and watch it.
"What stirs them is movement. Screaming just threatens them," Mr Smith said.
"They are more afraid of us than we are of them."
If you are between a cornered snake and its escape route, "gradually back off".
Mr Smith said snakes' elaborate defence display is not an intention to bite, but a signal for whatever is scaring them to move away.
Snakes are very sensitive and can distinguish between people who intend them harm and those who have stumbled across them.
When bitten, stay calm
Mr Smith said treat every snake bite as if it was "highly venomous, especially if you are not very experienced".
The most effective treatment is pressure immobilisation technique, namely immediately tightly applying heavy bandages to stop the venom spreading into the lymphatic system.
The bandage needs to be applied within 30 to 60 seconds.
"Those first moments are critical."
"If done correctly, it buys an immense amount of time but you have to remain calm and be very still," Mr Smith said.
"Help has to come to you."
Most common snakes on the South Coast
- Diamond python (non-venomous)
- Red-belly black (ranked around 17th most venomous in the world)
- Mustard-bellied snake (mildly venomous)
- Eastern small-eyed snake (ranked around the same as red-belly black)
- Death adder (ranked 9th most venomous and fastest striking snake in the world)
- Tiger snake (5th most venomous)
- Eastern brown snake (2nd most venomous snake in the world)
Important role in ecosystem
Mr Smith said the more people who understood and appreciated snakes, the better the world would be.
"Once their behaviour is understood, they are really not that bad."
To survive, snakes need food, shelter and warmth and their behaviour was "pure instinct".
Snakes play their part in the broader ecosystem, including controlling rats and mice and being a food source for other creatures.
"Most of the snakes in a clutch of eggs will be eaten by kookaburras, currawongs, tawny frogmouths, owls, hawks, falcons and large frogs," he said.
"So they support a lot of animals in the ecosystem."
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