Spiders and Snakes in Perth - Part I Snakes

Upon announcing that we would move the family to Perth, and not so much Perth, but Australia the most common response was:

"Oh Australia, you know about the spiders and snakes right?  They can kill you!"

In honesty the comments and the propoganda started to affect a reaction in me.

"How would we keep the kids safe"
"Would we need to have them in blue jeans at all times"
"How would we know when they got bit?"
"How long would we have once they were bit?"

You get the idea.

The truth is something so far from what you read it isn't funny.

First snakes:
I have yet to see a snake in the wild anywhere in my travels up and down the coast of Western Australia. AND....I have yet to meet someone who has been bit by a snake.

That is not to say they are not here.  Western Australia is home to tiger snakes, brown snakes, duggites, king browns, and death adders.  All of which are venomous.

The thing about snakes is however, they don't like being around humans.  Even the slightest vibration can make them go the other direction.  In almost all cases, snake bites occur in humans when the person is trying to do something to a snake or in cases where the person scares a snake which is sleeping or under brush and leaves.  So it usually boils down to drunk bogans and lovely old ladies gardening without a quick check that get bit.

In the end snakes in Perth is simply about a little awareness and it will never be a concern.  It should certainly never prevent anyone from making the journey.

Owen likes his garden time