Yeh she did get help, I may have understated the significance of a bite. Some get pretty sick, some up and die in an hour. Depends. You will have a nasty scar. Or loose a limb. Tissue damage is eminent. Her legs were pretty gnarled up.

I've heard either way- get the venin, become more sensative to the poision or some such...I dunnow. I do know she'd been popped a few times that I've seen...I wear chaps and carry snakeshot. They can pop at my legs all they want w/ chaps on, I'm not getting bit. Screw that!

DB's are deadly but aint like the Fear or Blackie down there...them's 'll dirt-nap ya, one bite, no if's and's er but's. You guys got THE snakes down there man. I'd be walking on stilts in your country.

I have a healthy fear and respect for them critters- I treat them like guns, always loaded, watch that muzzle etc. They are a fact of life, everywhere in bunny town. Incredible creatures but...I don't like 'em!

Did I mention I don't like snakes?

Without a doubt the worst two snakes we have here in Australia are the Taipan and the Tiger Snake. The Taipan being the nastiest and is the most venomous land based snake. The deadliest is actually a sea snake Belcher's Sea Snake at 100 times more deadly than the Taipan.

Belcher Sea Snake

Hydrophis Belcheri - Most Venomous Snake

Snake's Record : Inland Taipan is not world's most toxic venomous snake else rightly saying it is terrestrial world's most toxic land snake on earth. Neither it is Beaked Sea Snake (Enhydrina schistosa). Snake which is 100 times more venomous than Taipan, Beaked Sea Snake or any other snake on earth is Hydrophis Belcheri.

hydrophis belcheri

Belcher's Sea Snake ( Hydrophis Belcheri )

Snake's Description : Hydrophis Belcheri's thin body is usually chrome yellowish in colour and is surrounded by dark greenish bands. Head is short and has same color as that of bands. Its mouth is very small but suitable for aquatic life. Its body when viewed outside water appears having fainted yellow colour.

Snake's Names : Its scientific name 'Hydrophis Belcheri' was given by John Edward Gray in 1849 which commemorates the British Naval officer and explorer Sir Edward Belcher (1799-1877). Hydrophis comes from Greek, here 'hydro' = water and 'ophis' = serpent, belcheri comes from latin here 'belonging to man named belcher'. It is also referred as Faint Banded Sea Snake and Belcher's Sea Snake.

Snake's Characteristics : Hydrophis Belcheri is a sea snake. Its scales are different from other snakes and they overlap each other. Dorsal pattern does not extend on to venter, it has scales with a central tubercle. It is highly compressed at the rear end of the body and has a short head. Abdominal board is very narrow or non-existent. Like other sea snakes it also has a paddle-like tail which make him an expert swimmer. It rarely goes on land, eats fish and shellfish. It breaths air, has valves over its nostrils that close underwater. It can hold its breath for as long as 7 to 8 hours while hunting and even sleeping but then has to come over water surface for a quick breath of air. It is a docile specie and not aggressive at all. It is usually active at night. It may deliver a provoked bite only after repeated severe treatment. It usually bites fishermen handling nets but only 1/4th of those bitten are envenomated since Hydrophis Belcheri rarely injects any venom. Few milligrams (mg) of Belcheri's myotoxic venom is enough to kill an estimate of more than 1000 people. If Belcheri injects, sure death within few minutes. Painful death may even take less time depending on victim's body size and time taken by infected blood to reach its vital organs. It is the most toxic venomous specie of snake known to date and holds a record in Guinness Book.

Snake's Length : Hydrophis Belcheri range from 0.5 to 1 metre in length.

Snake's Distribution : Its main habitat is the Ashmore Reef in the Timor Sea off north-western coast of Australia. It is also found in seas of Indonesia and the South Pacific, having been recorded in the Philippines near Visayan and Panay islands, Gulf of Thailand, Sulawesi, New Guinea, Fiji, Kiribati, and the Solomon Islands.

Inland Taipan ( Oxyuranus Microlepidotus )

Western or Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus Microlepidotus) (Fierce Snake),
Central Ranges Taipan (Oxyuranus Temporalis),
North-West Australian Taipan (Oxyuranus Scutellatus Barringeri),
Papuan Taipan (Oxyuranus Scutellatus Canni), and
Costal Taipan (Oxyuranus Scutellatus Scutellatus).

Snake's Description : Generally Taipans are uniformly olive or dark brown, the head is somewhat darker brown.

Snake's Toxic Rank 1 : Inland Taipan is the world's most venomous land snake. Its bite is synonymous with death. Maximum survival time recorded after Taipan's bite is not more than few hours. Without prompt medical assistance its victim has rarest chance of recovery. Taipans are divided into following five sub-species viz; Western or Inland Taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) or (Fierce Snake), Papuan Taipan (Oxyuranus s. canni), Common or Coastal Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus), Central Ranges Taipan (Oxyuranus temporalis) and North-West Australian Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus barringeri). Here Inland Taipan (Fierce snake) is the most toxic specie of all. Maximum yield recorded from a single bite of Inland Taipan is 110 mg. Just few mg of Inland Taipan's venom is enough to kill over 100 people or 250,000 mice. Australia's Western or Inland Taipan or Fierce Snake is the world's most toxic terrestrial snake. (Ranked No.1)

Snake's Characteristics : It is considered as the most venomous land snake on earth. Many people believe Taipans are very aggressive but the fact is that they are docile creatures. Yes they have an aggressive disposition only when mishandled or disturbed without warning. When aroused, Taipan can display a fearsome appearance by flattening its head, raising it off the ground, waving it back and forth, and suddenly striking with such speed that the victim may receive several bites before it retreats. Its venom is a powerful neurotoxin, causing respiratory paralysis.

Snake's Habitat : At home in a variety of habitats, Inland Taipan are found from the savanna grasslands to the inland dry plains of Australia. Where as 'Oxyuranus scutellatus' are often seen in forests and open woodlands. Very less or no information; regarding newly discovered Central Ranges Taipan (Oxyuranus temporalis).

Snake's Length : Average Taipan's length is 1.8 meters and maximum of 3.7 meters.

Snake's Distribution : Taipans (Oxyuranus scutellatus) are found in Northern Australia and Southern New Guinea. Whereas Inland Taipan (world's most toxic land snake) are found in Central Australia. Papuan Taipan (Oxyuranus s. canni) are found in New Guinea.

I have seen quite a few Taipans in the wild...and trust me when I say I give them a wide berth. There are others to be mindful of when out hunting...the King Brown, Eastern Brown, Red Belly Black Snake, Death Adder and several others. All will cause you a lot of grief that leads to death without treatment.

Hey Elvis...I don't think you guys have any snakes in NZ do you?

Cheers, Vince

I've had 2 eastern browns come into the house over the years, nearly stepped on one in the computer room, after I had stopped squealing like a girl, both I and the snake where peering around different corners at each other wondering WTF to do next. Answer, I left and opened all the doors, by the time a snake charmer had been collared and came around the snake had legged it.
The other was at the bottom of the stairs doing a bloody good angry cobra impersonation while the cat was lining it up, it too left when given a clear path out. Bloody cranky things the eastern brown and living in a yard near you (mine).

Kiwis in the bush on exercizes, bloody funny to watch, mention the word snake and watch the reaction :-D. Snakes and ticks are magnetically attracted to them............

no we dont have em over here thank the good lord for that our native birdlife would be stuffed if they ever got here, and I reckon the ol undies would take a hiding when bush stalking too , the ferns where I hunt are waist high stuff pushing through that if there was something under there that would bite your bum for the hell of it .

You are right about the ferns etc. Snakes are quite happy to curl up in the bracken fern, blackberry patches and the brambles. Trouble is, that is the best place to find the wabbits too.

I have an unwritten agreement with snakes...they don't bite me and I won't shoot them 15 times with my 12g loaded with #4 shot.

Cheers, Vince

Elvis wrote:

the ferns where I hunt are waist high stuff pushing through that if there was something under there that would bite your bum for the hell of it .

Interesting point. Makes me reacll what pop told me- look before ya park yer keester. Cuz I aint suckin' a bite there out...

stovepipe wrote:

Cuz I aint suckin' a bite there out...

for such occasions my oldest daughter gave me a tool. It's called Aspivenin and it's a little pump that sucks the poison out.
But since we don't have that many snakes or scorpions outside the zoo's, it's better I call it a toy to show around, because it doesn't serve that well when it stays at home all the time and that's the place where midges and wasps don't bother me that much.

See these guys all the time on the bunnie trail (they like lil cotton tail's so I hear) and they give ya plenty or warning and usually scoot. Could feed a family of 6 off one of these fat boys....tastes like chicken!

stovepipe wrote:

tastes like chicken!

Jeeez that's a huge fat one!!! I put one on the bbq once. Skinning it was the fun part, because it never stopped wiggling. Made a real nice hat band out of the skin. They do taste like chicken, but you have a billion bones to pick through. Wasn't worth the trouble. If you over-cook the meat, it's like trying to eat rubber-bands. What I did was chop it into about 4 inch pieces, soaked them in a marinade that had some lemon juice in it and then put them on the grill. Not much meat on them so they cook really fast. Novelty idea but not worth the time spent.

Suz

Aloysius wrote:

stovepipe wrote: Cuz I aint suckin' a bite there out... for such occasions my oldest daughter gave me a tool. It's called Aspivenin and it's a little pump that sucks the poison out. But since we don't have that many snakes or scorpions outside the zoo's, it's better I call it a toy to show around, because it doesn't serve that well when it stays at home all the time and that's the place where midges and wasps don't bother me that much.

Suckin aint going to achieve much (maybe a life long friend for all the wrong reasons if they live )
The venom circulates in the lymph system not the blood system, so sucking is out.
If bitten on a limb a full length compression bandage is your best treatment.
This works on our snakes in Austarlia.
www.snakeshow.net/down...tralia.pdf

That is a monster Stovey...would like to see one of them in the wild...from a distance of course. I've heard of a lot of people eating snake, and I have tried it out here in Australia, but it's not something I go crazy over...much prefer crocodile or turtle.

Pete...I reckon the Aspivenin is a good piece of kit. I have never actually seen one, but after a goodly search on the net I have seen plenty of info on it, and I reckon it would be worthwhile giving it a try mate.

Aspivenin

Cheers, Vince

Woof!
Bunnys: 9, stovey: 0!

Got to my first spot but changed things up some- came in the back door, stalking- not driving...found one of the Bull-jack's napping @ around 60y. The 5MOA dot was covering his head too much and too low so I went for the flip-up's on the M&P 15-22 as they're set for 50y, proned out on my belly in the dirt, I'm almost getting buck-fever my heart is pounding so hard and....I let the front one slip instead of easing it up and "clack!" He was gone. Like a mini-donkey, giant ears whipping back and forth, getting monster air over bushes. I sent a full mag his way on one knee just because I could. My fault. I sat there dejected on an ant pile lamenting my stupidity for a few, 'till they told me to move.

Saw 2 other monsters @ spot's 3-4 but I'da needed a .308 to get them. They were having none of it. Boy is it warming up out there too- 97* before I bailed just shelled from chasing 60-70y flushers. No wind either so all the noise my chap's made with me stomping all over the place like a baffoon was an early warning. Man are they on to me. This was a tough, gruling hunt and the last couple miles were kinda survival mode...must...get..back...to...truck.....

I only got one clear shot @ around 25y and....the safety was on and the dot was still off after just getting to that spot- least I remembered to put the mag in.

All in all a wonderfull day to be out in the bush wtinessing some of natures fastest and hardiest creatures- I also stumbled onto a nice covey of valley quail. And kept stumbling onto them, over and over...I never had so many false-mounts before...hope they are still there in a few weeks. Two of them ran into my legs again! Quail are a hoot. I love them lil' guys. Funny pit-pit noises, running hither and yon...then BOOM! Off like a shot. (Had to duck one as it was headed right fer me noggin'!)

Wellup? That's my upland report for this week, sorry it wasn't productive but, that's why they call it hunting and not gathering! I'm off for a nap and to cooll down in Vince's cooler....pssht! AHHHHH>>>dat's bettuh. Thanks mate!

Cheers!

Stovie:

It's the PBR,

Heck of a plinker....fetches wabbits on the hop from 30+y (current hunt excepted ), and, cold ones from the fridge.

It's a keeper!

Oh- wait, ya mean PBR = misses? Of course, that's why we drink AFTER we shoot...RIGHT? Misses are all me. I aint that bright! And I'd never blame Vince's cooler for anything other than makin' me feel better at the end of a long hot day of kickin' bushes..I know better than that.

Ever seen a bag fulla uppercuts up close from a large Aussie lad? Trust me, ya don't wanna!