A highly venomous snake has been found far from its usual range, sparking a rare job for snake handlers and an investigation by authorities.
A brilliant orange-red Collett’s snake was discovered in the front yard of a resident’s property at Bribie Island.
Ryan Fuller and Dimity Maxfield, of Snake Rescue Sunshine Coast, were sent a photo of it before the former made his way to the scene.
“We were so excited,” he said.
“We’ve never seen a Collett’s snake in real life before, let alone been able to handle one (so) we were thrilled to get the call.”
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He used a small hook to untangle the snake from long grass before picking it up and placing it in a bag.
“They (Collett’s snakes) are part of the black snake genus and are highly venomous,” he said.
“They are usually considered pretty placid but will still bite if they feel threatened.”
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Mr Fuller said it was unusual find.
“They are generally found in central (western) Queensland,” he said.
“When we find a snake that isn’t from around here, it’s almost always a lost pet or a stowaway that has caught a car ride.
“It’s not often that a snake gets this far out of its natural habitat without some help from a human.”
He said they find a couple of pet snakes each year.
“Usually we will get sent a photo of a snake that has slithered into someone’s yard and can see if it’s a snake not found in the area,” he said.
“But if it’s a lost pet from a snake species that can be found in the area it can be more difficult to impossible to know if it’s a pet or not, especially when it comes to coastal carpet pythons.”
He said snakes found it difficult to survive in unfamiliar territory.
“It depends on the snake species and the new area they find themselves in,” he said.
“It might be too cold or too warm compared to what they are used to, they might struggle to find food, shelter and water, and they have to worry about predators.”
The Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation is reviewing the discovery of the Collett’s snake.
“The department is investigating a report of a suspected escaped pet snake on Bribie Island,” a spokesperson said.
“The snake was captured and is in possession of licensed snake catchers, who are assisting the investigation.”
It is illegal to keep a native snake without a permit, with a maximum penalty of $16,630.
A Specialised or Advanced licence is required to keep dangerous snakes in Queensland.
Permit holders are required to report any deaths or escapes of animals under their care to the department and failure to keep animals in accordance with licence conditions can result in significant penalties and licences being revoked.
Mr Fuller urged people who can’t look after their pet snake any more to hand them to the RSPCA or to someone within snake-keeping communities.
“You just need to make sure both of you have your licences up to date,” he said.
