Eastern Brown Snake

Identifying An Eastern Brown Snake

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Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja Textilis)

The eastern brown snake, also referred to as the common brown snake, is an often-sighted and highly dangerous snake found on the Sunshine Coast and around Australia. Incredibly venomous and spanning up to 2m in length at adulthood, this snake can be found in urban areas, where its prey, the house mouse, can be found.

Residents and business owners beware: often travelling into homes or gardens, this venomous snake is not to be trifled with!

Description

About the Eastern Brown Snake

Slender, with a rounded snout, the common brown snake usually grows up to about 1.5m in length – though some adults have been found at 2m in length. Juveniles can vary in colour and markings but generally have a black head with a lighter brown snout and band on the back. Their bodies can be standard brown or include bands down to the tail.

Adult eastern brown snakes tend to range from a pale to very dark brown with markings fading as they age. Their bellies are a pale cream-yellow colour. Adults will also have 17 rows of dorsal scales at midbody.

Habitat

Where Can You Find the Eastern Brown Snake?

The eastern brown snake can be found in just about every type of habitat. Most commonly, they are spotted on the outskirts of urban areas and farmland.

Their diet means that you may find them in your home, gardens, sheds and garages – they may even be found near places of business! Convenient shelter and hiding spots make these places more hospitable to the snake.

Venom

Is The Eastern Brown Snake Dangerous?

The eastern brown snake is incredibly dangerous and is considered the second-most venomous terrestrial snake in the world, second to the inland taipan found in central-eastern Australia.

This species alone is responsible for more than 60% of all snake-bite related deaths in Australia.

Diet

What Does the Eastern Brown Snake Eat?

The common brown snake’s diet consists primarily of mammals such as the house mouse, or rats. However, small birds, eggs and even other snakes may fall prey to them. This snake uses its sight while hunting and can often be seen occasionally rearing its head like a periscope.

Handling

What to do if you see an Eastern Brown Snake

Generally, this snake is more likely to flee when encountering humans than to become aggressive. Spotting them before they spot you is key, as a startled snake is more likely to lash out. Direct contact with the snake should be avoided at all costs, as a single bite can prove fatal to you, your loved ones, and pets.

If you spot an eastern brown snake, or suspect there may be one living in your home or garden, get in touch with our team. We operate 24/7 and can provide identification, capture and relocation services for wild snakes. To ensure your safety and the safety of your family and pets, our team always aims to assist you as soon as possible.

Licensed Snake Experts

Our Snake Catching Process

When we’re looking for a snake, the first places we look are along the walls and under debris. Snakes try to avoid predators by moving along the walls and beneath cover. Unless they are going from concealment to cover or seeking warmth from the sun, it’s unusual to observe a snake moving out in the open. 

We study their body language once we discover the snake, before we attempt to catch it. This tells us what the snake is thinking and indicates what it might do. We can tell when they are going to run, stand up and fight, or simply be apathetic toward our presence based on their body language. It’s critical for us to understand how to capture and handle snakes using this information.

After they’ve been captured, they’re put in a bag and kept quiet in a dark, tight space. This keeps us safe while handling the snake, as well as allows the snake to calm down.

Following the capture of the snake, they are relocated to suitable bushland and set free. Each snake is assigned its own habitat and food. As a result, we release them into areas that are ideal for each species. Keelbacks and Red-bellied black snakes enjoy frogs and lizards, so we put them in areas near water sources such as rivers or dams.

During an operation, we always want to double-check the snakes for health and remove any external parasites like ticks before they are released. If the snake is not healthy enough to be released, it may be due to injury or sickness; they are taken to Australia Zoo’s wildlife hospital for further evaluation, treatment, and rehabilitation.

As snake catchers, all the snakes we catch are logged with the department of wildlife and science. This is so they can keep track of where each snake has been caught and released, to monitor and maintain the biodiversity in the area.

We have also been keeping a personal log of all the snakes we have caught on the Sunshine Coast that you can view on our website. This way you can see the species and location of each snake we have caught around the sunshine coast and in your areas.

Eastern Brown Snake

Frequently Asked Questions

Eastern brown snakes are large reptiles that are commonly sighted in the Sunshine Coast area. Being a venomous snake makes it useful to know how to identify them. If you come across a snake that meets the following characteristics, you may be facing an eastern brown:

  • Slender body with a rounded snout
  • Usually about 1.5m in length, some adults have been found at 2m in length
  • Juveniles have a black head with a lighter brown snout and band on the back. Their bodies can be standard brown or include bands down to the tail
  • Adult eastern brown snakes have a pale to very dark brown color with markings fading as they age. Most colour variations include black and beige, black and grey, brown and beige or brown and black
  • Belly is a pale cream-yellow color

Eastern brown snakes are usually around 1.5m in length when they reach adulthood, though some adult eastern browns have been as long as 2m!

Eastern brown snakes are considered to be highly venomous and dangerous, but they are not typically aggressive. They will usually only bite in self-defense or if they feel threatened, so always be sure to keep children and pets well away from snakes and do not attempt to pick up the snake or remove it yourself. Always contact licensed and experienced snake catchers like Snake Rescue Sunny Coast.

Yes, eastern brown snakes are highly venomous. Their venom can cause serious injury or death if not treated quickly. Living on the Sunshine Coast means that residents should have some understanding of basic snake bite first aid, as the area is known for its snake population.

Follow our snake bike first aid tips and always be sure to dial 000 if you or a loved one has been bitten by a snake, even if you feel confident the snake is not an eastern brown. All snake bites should be attended to as soon as possible.

Eastern brown snakes are not considered to be territorial. They are known to move around in search of food, and may not defend a specific area as their territory.

Yes, Eastern brown snakes are native to Australia and can be found in a wide range of habitats throughout eastern Australia, including in the states of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. They are considered one of the most venomous snake species in the world.

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