The Blotched Blue-tongued Lizard (Tiliqua nigrolutea) — Sydney's Highland Blue-Tongue
At Sydney Snake Catcher we get fewer Blotched Blue-tongue calls than we do for their better-known cousin the Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard, simply because they occupy a more restricted range within the Greater Sydney region. But for residents of the Blue Mountains and the higher country to the south and west of the city, the Blotched Blue-tongue is a familiar and very welcome part of the local wildlife.
The Blotched Blue-tongued Lizard (Tiliqua nigrolutea) is one of six species of blue-tongued lizard found in Australia. Unlike the Eastern Blue-tongue, which is widespread across lowland eastern Australia, the Blotched Blue-tongue is a specialist of cooler, higher-altitude habitats — found across Tasmania, Victoria, and the higher country of New South Wales.
The Blotched Blue-tongue is one of the more visually distinctive lizards in the Sydney region:
The combination of dark base colour and large pale blotches is unmistakable. Unlike the banded pattern of the Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard, the Blotched Blue-tongue's markings are exactly what the name suggests — distinct blotches rather than crossbands.
The Blotched Blue-tongue can be confused with the Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard, but the differences are clear:
If you are in the Blue Mountains, the Southern Highlands or other elevated parts of the Greater Sydney region and you have a blue-tongue with blotchy rather than banded markings, you almost certainly have a Blotched Blue-tongue.
The Blotched Blue-tongue's range within the Greater Sydney region is limited to higher-elevation and cooler environments:
Natural habitats:
Urban and semi-urban habitats:
For Sydney residents, the species is essentially restricted to Zone 4 — the higher country to the west and southwest of the city, including the Blue Mountains, the Upper Blue Mountains, and the country leading down toward the Southern Highlands.
Blotched Blue-tongues, like all members of the genus Tiliqua, are best known for their dramatic defensive display. When threatened, they:
The blue tongue itself is the key. Most predators have never seen a colour like that on a small animal, and the sudden flash of blue is enough to make many predators pause — particularly dogs, foxes and birds of prey. The display is almost always bluff. Blotched Blue-tongues rarely bite unless physically handled.
In Sydney's highland gardens, the display is most often seen when:
Blotched Blue-tongues are omnivores with a slow, methodical foraging style. Their diet includes:
The taste for snails and slugs makes them genuinely beneficial in cool-climate gardens, where these pests can be a significant problem. A resident Blotched Blue-tongue is a quiet, ongoing solution to slug damage in lettuce beds and other soft-leaved plants.
No. Blotched Blue-tongues are completely harmless to humans and pets. They have no venom and pose no significant threat through their bite — though if cornered and handled they can deliver a surprisingly strong pinch with their powerful jaws. Even then, the bite is not dangerous.
The genuine risks run the other way. Blotched Blue-tongues face significant threats from:
The snail bait issue is worth flagging specifically. Metaldehyde-based snail baits are highly toxic to blue-tongues, and lizards that eat poisoned snails are often killed themselves. If you have blue-tongues on your property, switching to iron-phosphate based snail baits (or simply tolerating some slug damage) protects them.
Blotched Blue-tongues have a reproductive strategy suited to cooler climates:
The live-bearing strategy is shared with all Australian Tiliqua species and is thought to be an adaptation to cooler climates. By carrying developing young internally, the female can use her own basking behaviour to thermoregulate them — a significant advantage in the cool conditions of the highlands.
The long lifespan means that a Blotched Blue-tongue you encounter in your garden may have been there for years and may continue to be there for years more. They are not transient visitors — they are residents.
Leave it alone. Blotched Blue-tongues are protected native wildlife, completely harmless and genuinely beneficial — particularly in cool-climate gardens where slug and snail control matters.
Practical steps:
What you should not do:
If you live in a cool-climate part of the Greater Sydney region and you want to encourage Blotched Blue-tongues on your property:
A resident Blotched Blue-tongue is one of the better neighbours a highland gardener can have. They are quiet, beneficial, charismatic and a living link to the cool-climate ecology that defines the Blue Mountains and the Southern Highlands.
The Blotched Blue-tongued Lizard (Tiliqua nigrolutea) is Sydney's highland blue-tongue — a large, dramatic, slow-moving native lizard found in the cooler and higher parts of the Greater Sydney region, particularly the Blue Mountains. They are distinguished from the more common Eastern Blue-tongue by their blotchy rather than banded pattern, and by their preference for elevated, cool-climate habitat. Completely harmless to humans, genuinely beneficial in the garden, and long-lived enough to become a familiar resident over many years, they are one of the species that makes Sydney's highland gardens worth living in. If you have one, treat it as a privilege rather than a problem.
Found a blue-tongue or another reptile at your home? Sydney Snake Catcher operates 24/7 across the Greater Sydney region. We are fully licensed and insured, and we can identify and safely manage any reptile you encounter. Call 1300 599 938.
The Eastern Blue-tongue Lizard (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) — Sydney's Iconic Backyard Lizard
If there is one native reptile that defines suburban Sydney, it is the Eastern Blue-tongue Lizard (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides). Generations of Sydney kids have grown up turning over a piece of corrugated iron in the back shed and finding one curled up underneath, or watching one trundle across the lawn on a warm afternoon, blue tongue flicking in and out. They are familiar, charismatic, completely harmless and one of the best garden residents a Sydney homeowner can have.
At Sydney Snake Catcher we get more calls about Eastern Blue-tongues than just about any other lizard species. They turn up in garages, under hedges, in compost heaps and basking on driveways across every suburb in the city. The good news is almost always the same: leave them alone, they will not hurt you, and your garden is genuinely better for having them around.
The Eastern Blue-tongue Lizard (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) is the most familiar and widely distributed of Australia's six blue-tongue species. They are large skinks — among the largest in the world — and one of the most successful urban adapters in the Australian reptile fauna.
The Eastern Blue-tongue is one of the easiest reptiles to identify in the Sydney region:
The combination of banded back pattern, dark eye-stripe and bright blue tongue makes identification straightforward. Once you have seen one, you will recognise the next one immediately.
The Eastern Blue-tongue can be confused with a couple of related species:
Within the suburban Sydney area at low to moderate elevation, almost every blue-tongue you encounter will be an Eastern Blue-tongue. The Blotched Blue-tongue is restricted to highland areas, and the Pink-tongued Skink is uncommon and habitat-specific.
The Eastern Blue-tongue is one of Sydney's great urban success stories. Their habitat preferences map almost perfectly onto the kinds of features found in older suburban gardens:
Natural habitats:
Urban habitats:
The species' adaptability is what makes it so successful. An Eastern Blue-tongue needs cover for shelter, sun for basking, and food in the form of insects, snails, slugs and soft plant material. A typical established Sydney garden provides all three.
Eastern Blue-tongues are slow-moving and generally placid. They rely on bluff rather than flight or fight when threatened. The defensive display is one of the most distinctive in the Australian reptile fauna:
The blue tongue itself is the key to the display. Recent research has shown that the underside of a blue-tongue's tongue reflects strongly in the ultraviolet spectrum — invisible to most mammalian predators but highly visible to birds and reptiles. The display is essentially an aposematic warning: "I am unusual, I am unexpected, and you should think twice before continuing."
The display is almost always pure bluff. An Eastern Blue-tongue will not chase you, will not pursue your dog, and only bites if physically picked up. Even then, the bite is more of a powerful pinch than a true bite — there are no fangs and no venom.
Eastern Blue-tongues are slow-moving, methodical omnivores. Their diet is broad and beneficial from a gardener's perspective:
The taste for snails and slugs is one of the main reasons blue-tongues are such welcome garden residents. A resident blue-tongue can quietly remove thousands of garden pests over a season. They also clean up fallen soft fruit and other organic debris.
The downside of their adaptability is that they will readily eat unsuitable foods. Pet food left outside, dropped scraps and even some commercial baits can be harmful. Keep pet food bowls inside and avoid leaving food waste accessible.
No. Completely harmless to humans and pets. Eastern Blue-tongues have no venom, and while their jaws are strong enough to deliver a painful pinch if they are picked up, they cannot do any real damage. The dramatic display is bluff. In thousands of call-outs we have never had a serious incident from an Eastern Blue-tongue defending itself.
The genuine risks all run the other way. Eastern Blue-tongues face significant threats:
The snail bait issue is the most fixable. If you have blue-tongues in your garden, switch to iron-phosphate based snail baits, which are safe for reptiles. The slight reduction in slug control is a small price to pay for keeping your blue-tongues alive.
Eastern Blue-tongues have a reproductive strategy that contributes to their longevity:
The long lifespan is worth emphasising. A blue-tongue you see in your garden today may have been resident for a decade or more, and may continue to live there for another decade. They are not transient visitors — they are long-term residents with established home ranges of roughly a quarter of a hectare.
This is part of why relocation is such a bad idea. A blue-tongue moved even a few suburbs away has lost its entire territorial knowledge — where to find food, water, basking sites, shelter, mates. Most relocated blue-tongues die within a few months.
Leave it alone. The Eastern Blue-tongue is the best lizard a Sydney garden can have — beautiful, beneficial, completely harmless and a sign of a healthy garden ecosystem.
Practical steps:
What you should not do:
If you want to encourage blue-tongues in your Sydney garden:
A resident Eastern Blue-tongue is one of the best things a Sydney garden can have. They are quiet, beneficial, charismatic and a living reminder that even densely settled suburbs can support meaningful native wildlife when given a bit of habitat structure.
The Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard (Tiliqua scincoides scincoides) is Sydney's quintessential backyard reptile — large, charismatic, completely harmless and one of the most beneficial wildlife species a suburban garden can host. They are present across all five distribution zones of the Greater Sydney region, thriving in environments from coastal heath to highland forest to dense suburban housing. If you have one in your garden, you are doing something right ecologically. Protect them from dogs, switch your snail bait if you use it, watch out for them on the driveway, and otherwise let them get on with the long, slow, useful business of being a blue-tongue.
Found a blue-tongue or another reptile at your home? Sydney Snake Catcher operates 24/7 across the Greater Sydney region. We are fully licensed and insured, and we can identify and safely manage any reptile you encounter. Call 1300 599 938.
If you’ve found a snake on your property anywhere on the Lower North Shore, call 1300 599 938. Sydney Snake Catcher covers the Lower North Shore year-round, seven days a week.
Don’t try to handle it. Don’t try to kill it. Stay back, keep eyes on the snake from a safe distance, and call. Most bites happen when people try to deal with the snake themselves.
The Lower North Shore is bushland-and-harbour country. From the established residential streets of Chatswood, Lane Cove, Northbridge, Cremorne and Mosman, through the harbour-edge properties at Hunters Hill, Wollstonecraft and Neutral Bay, to the bushland-backed homes adjacent to Lane Cove National Park, Ashton Park and the Sydney Harbour foreshore reserves — every part of the Lower North Shore sits close to bushland or water. That geography defines the snake activity.
The dominant species here is the diamond python. The mature roof spaces of the older Federation and Inter-war housing stock, combined with the bushland connections through Lane Cove National Park and the harbour foreshore reserves, sustain a strong resident python population. Roof cavity callouts run year-round. Red-bellied black snakes appear through the damp gullies running down to the harbour, particularly on properties with pools, ponds or thick shaded garden beds. You’ll also see green tree snakes, golden-crowned snakes, blue-tongues and water dragons. Eastern brown snakes are not a feature of Lower North Shore properties — the bushland-and-harbour character doesn’t suit them.
Every snake we catch is relocated humanely to suitable habitat away from the property. Sydney Snake Catcher operators are licensed under the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and fully insured.
Sydney Snake Catcher is your #1 voted Lower North Shore Snake Catcher — contact us today or call 1300 599 938.
If you have ever been working in your garden on a warm summer afternoon and watched a slender, alert snake glide effortlessly through the foliage of a shrub or along the top of a fence, you have probably had a visit from a Green Tree Snake (Dendrelaphis punctulatus). They are one of Sydney's most commonly seen daytime snakes — and one of the easiest to live alongside, because they are completely harmless.
At Sydney Snake Catcher we get steady calls about Green Tree Snakes, particularly through the warmer months. Homeowners are often surprised to find that the snake in their hibiscus or hanging out near their pond is not only non-venomous but actively beneficial — they are voracious frog and skink hunters, and a healthy population of them is a sign that your garden has the right structure to support native wildlife.
The Green Tree Snake (Dendrelaphis punctulatus) is a non-venomous colubrid snake found across northern and eastern Australia, with populations extending into the Sydney region. They are arboreal specialists — built for climbing through vegetation — and one of the few Australian snakes that is active primarily during the day.
The Green Tree Snake is one of the easier species to identify in the Sydney region:
The big round eyes, slim build and bright yellow belly are the easiest features to spot. In good light, a Green Tree Snake moving through foliage looks almost luminous — the contrast between the green back and the yellow underbelly is striking.
The Green Tree Snake can be confused with a few species, but the differences are clear:
The combination of slender build, bright green or olive back, yellow belly and round pupils makes the Green Tree Snake quite easy to separate from anything else in the Sydney region.
Green Tree Snakes are habitat generalists with a clear preference for damp, vegetated areas with good prey populations:
Natural habitats:
Urban habitats:
They tend to do well in mature gardens with structural complexity — the kind of garden that has been allowed to develop some character over time, with shrubs, climbers, leaf litter and the occasional unkempt corner.
Green Tree Snakes are alert, fast-moving and visually-oriented. They rely heavily on their excellent eyesight to hunt and to detect threats. When approached, they typically respond by:
The blue display is one of the more spectacular reptile defensive displays in Sydney. By inflating the body and spreading the scales, the snake reveals a brilliant flash of pale blue normally hidden between scale rows. The effect is sudden and dramatic, and is intended to startle predators that have not seen the colour before.
They are also known to aggregate — particularly during cooler weather. It is not unusual to find several Green Tree Snakes sharing a roof cavity, a compost heap or a sunny rock in autumn and winter. This habit can lead to homeowners getting alarmed about "infestations" when what they are actually seeing is normal communal sheltering.
Green Tree Snakes are diurnal hunters with broad prey preferences:
The diet is focused on small, fast-moving prey that the snake's excellent eyesight and rapid strike can capture. They hunt by sight, moving through vegetation and along the ground, watching for movement and striking quickly when prey is detected.
Their fondness for frogs is one of the reasons they do so well near garden ponds and water features. A pond with a healthy frog population is a Green Tree Snake banquet.
No. Green Tree Snakes are completely harmless to humans and pets. They have no venom, no fangs designed for envenomation, and no significant defensive bite. Their teeth are small and not capable of doing real damage even if a bite occurs — which is rare, because their default response to a threat is to flee rather than fight.
If handled, a Green Tree Snake may:
None of these are dangerous. The musk smell, however, is genuinely unpleasant and lingers — another good reason to leave wild snakes alone rather than trying to pick them up.
Green Tree Snakes have one of the more remarkable communal nesting habits among Australian snakes:
The 400-egg communal nest is one of the more astonishing reptile facts in Australia. It is essentially a generational maternity ward — successive cohorts of females returning to the same proven nest site over decades. If you have such a site on your property without knowing it (most likely in a hollow log or an old compost heap), you may have far more Green Tree Snakes living on your property than you realise.
Leave it alone. Green Tree Snakes are exceptional garden residents — beautiful, harmless, beneficial and an indicator of good habitat structure.
Practical steps if you encounter one:
What you should not do:
If you want to encourage Green Tree Snakes on your property:
A property with Green Tree Snakes is a property doing something right ecologically. They are at the top of a small but functioning food chain that includes frogs, lizards, insects and the plants that support all of them.
The Green Tree Snake (Dendrelaphis punctulatus) is one of the most welcome native snakes a Sydney homeowner can find on their property — slim, fast, brightly coloured, completely harmless and genuinely beautiful. They are diurnal, easy to identify with their bright green back and yellow belly, and they thrive in mature gardens with good vegetation, frogs and structural complexity. Their presence is a sign that your property is supporting a functioning native ecosystem, and the right response to finding one is to enjoy the sight and let the snake go about its business.
Found a Green Tree Snake or another reptile at your home? Sydney Snake Catcher operates 24/7 across the Greater Sydney region. We are fully licensed and insured, and we can identify and safely manage any reptile you encounter. Call 1300 599 938.
The Diamond Python (Morelia spilota spilota) — Sydney's Iconic Native Python
If there is one snake that belongs to Sydney, it is the Diamond Python (Morelia spilota spilota). Found nowhere else in the world outside of New South Wales and a small part of eastern Victoria, the Diamond Python is the city's signature reptile — a stunning, large, completely harmless native python that has held onto its place in the urban landscape better than almost any other large native species. They are one of the few large reptiles you can genuinely encounter in a Sydney backyard, and for those of us who work with them, they are one of the most rewarding species in the Australian fauna.
At Sydney Snake Catcher we relocate more Diamond Pythons than any other species. In 2025 alone, we attended over 150 Diamond Python jobs across the Greater Sydney region — second only to the Red-bellied Black Snake in our call volume. Almost every one of those pythons was relocated calmly and safely, with no harm to the snake, the homeowner or anyone else. They are genuinely one of the easiest, most pleasant species to work with — and one of the most misunderstood by homeowners who find one on their roof or in their shed.
The Diamond Python (Morelia spilota spilota) is a subspecies of carpet python endemic to coastal and adjacent eastern New South Wales and a small part of eastern Victoria. They are the southernmost-distributed python species in the world, adapted to cooler conditions than any of their tropical relatives, and one of the most beautiful snakes anywhere on the planet.
The Diamond Python is one of the most distinctive snakes in the Sydney region:
The rosette pattern is the defining feature. No other snake in Australia has quite this combination of yellow rosettes on a dark background. Once you have seen a Diamond Python in good light, you will never confuse it with anything else.
Diamond Pythons are one of the few large native reptiles that have genuinely persisted in suburban Sydney. They occupy a wide range of habitats:
A property does not need to be on the bush edge to host Diamond Pythons. We regularly attend jobs in densely settled suburbs where the local python population has been quietly living in roof cavities and garden corners for years without the homeowners ever realising.
One of the defining features of urban Diamond Pythons in Sydney is their use of roof cavities and ceiling spaces. The pattern is consistent across decades of observation:
This habit is genuinely beneficial. A Diamond Python in your roof is the most effective rodent control system you can have — quiet, free, and ecologically appropriate. The downside is that the same python may also take roof-dwelling possums, which some homeowners value.
If you have a Diamond Python in your roof and you can tolerate its presence, the best thing to do is leave it alone. If you cannot tolerate it, a licensed reptile catcher can remove and relocate it — but be aware that an attractive roof will likely be recolonised by another python in due course.
Diamond Pythons are one of the calmest, most placid snakes in Australia. We have relocated hundreds of them, and the typical experience is striking in how undramatic it is:
This temperament is one of the reasons we recommend that homeowners who find a Diamond Python do not panic. Unlike many snakes, Diamond Pythons can often be allowed to move on of their own accord without any drama. They are simply not interested in confrontation.
The famous trick we sometimes recommend to homeowners is this: name the snake. Once a homeowner has called their resident python "Bruce" or "Stella" or "Diamond Jim," they tend to develop a relationship with the animal rather than a problem with it. The python's status shifts from "scary intruder" to "garden character," and the next time it appears, the response is curiosity rather than fear.
Diamond Pythons are constrictors. They have no venom and rely on overpowering and constricting their prey. Their diet shifts with age and circumstance:
Juveniles:
Adults:
The taste for possums is one of the reasons Diamond Pythons do so well in suburban Sydney. A leafy suburb supporting a healthy possum population is essentially a Diamond Python buffet. We regularly find pythons with enormous food bulges from a recent possum meal — sometimes the meal is so large the snake cannot move properly and needs to be left to digest.
The famous "possum food coma" is one of the more reliable ways to encounter a Diamond Python. After a large meal, the snake will retreat to a quiet basking spot and remain there, almost immobile, for days or even weeks while the meal digests. Many of our call-outs are to homeowners who have found a python in this state and assumed something is wrong with it. Nothing is wrong — it has just eaten a possum.
For humans, no. Diamond Pythons are non-venomous, and the calm temperament means bites are extraordinarily rare. We have never had a serious human injury from a Diamond Python relocation in over thirty years of doing this work.
That said, a few caveats are worth noting:
For pets, the picture is more nuanced:
The straightforward rule: respect Diamond Pythons, do not handle them, secure your livestock and small pet animals, and you will have no problems with them.
Diamond Pythons have one of the most interesting reproductive cycles among Australian snakes:
The maternal incubation behaviour is one of the most striking features of the species. Diamond Pythons are one of the very few snakes in the world that actively warm their eggs through their own body heat. The female maintains the clutch at approximately 30°C through controlled muscle contractions, allowing the eggs to develop reliably even in the cooler conditions of southeastern Australia.
Stop, take a breath and recognise that you have found one of Sydney's most beautiful native animals.
Practical steps:
What you should not do:
We end by making a case that many readers may not expect from a snake catcher: try, if you can, to live alongside your Diamond Python rather than removing it.
A Diamond Python in your garden:
Properties with resident Diamond Pythons are often the same properties with the most thriving native wildlife generally. Their presence is a sign that your garden is doing something right. We routinely encourage homeowners to think of their python not as a problem to be solved but as a partner in keeping the local ecology in balance.
That said, if removal is genuinely needed — a python in an aviary, a chicken coop being raided, a snake in a building where it cannot be safely tolerated — we are here. Sydney Snake Catcher relocates Diamond Pythons routinely, professionally and humanely. Every Diamond Python we handle is released into suitable habitat away from the property of concern.
The Diamond Python (Morelia spilota spilota) is Sydney's signature snake — a large, beautiful, non-venomous native python found nowhere else in the world outside of New South Wales and eastern Victoria. They are present across all five distribution zones of the Greater Sydney region, and they have adapted to suburban life better than almost any other large native reptile. Calm, charismatic and genuinely beneficial, they are one of the species that makes Sydney's wildlife distinctive. If you find one in your garden or your roof, the best response is calm appreciation rather than panic — and if you genuinely need it moved, a licensed reptile catcher can do it without harm to you, the snake or anyone else.
Found a Diamond Python or another snake at your home? Sydney Snake Catcher operates 24/7 across the Greater Sydney region. We are fully licensed and insured, and we relocate Diamond Pythons and all other native reptiles humanely. Call 1300 599 938.
The Golden-crowned Snake (Cacophis squamulosus) is a small, nocturnal snake found in forest, sandstone country and established suburban areas of Sydney. It is most frequently encountered on warm, humid nights, particularly after rain, when it emerges to search for prey.
Golden-crowned Snakes are venomous but are not considered dangerous to humans. However, they can be confused with other small, dark-coloured snakes, including species capable of causing serious envenomation. Any unidentified snake should therefore be treated cautiously.
If you find a Golden-crowned Snake or another unidentified snake at your property, keep your distance, watch where it goes and call Sydney Snake Catcher on 1300 599 938.
Sydney Snake Catcher attended approximately 47 Golden-crowned Snake call-outs during 2025, making it one of the more regularly encountered small snake species in the Sydney region.
Scientific name: Cacophis squamulosus
Family: Elapidae
Average length: Approximately 50–60 centimetres
Maximum length: Approximately 75 centimetres
Venom rating: Venomous but not considered dangerous to humans
Activity: Nocturnal
Reproduction: Egg-laying
Habitat: Forest, sandstone country, bushland and established suburban gardens
Distribution: Central New South Wales to south-eastern Queensland
Golden-crowned Snakes have a slender body, smooth scales and a distinctive pale marking across the head and neck. The upper surface is generally dark brown, grey-brown or charcoal, while the underside is pink or reddish.
Identification features include:
The pale head marking gives the species its common name. Its shape and intensity vary between individuals and may appear cream, yellow or light brown depending on the animal and lighting conditions.
Although these features can assist identification, colour and pattern should not be relied upon in isolation. Poor lighting, movement and incomplete views can make several Sydney snake species appear similar.
Do not approach, handle or turn over a snake—including a dead or apparently injured snake—to inspect its underside or other identifying features.
Golden-crowned Snakes may be confused with several other small snakes found in eastern Australia.
The Marsh Snake (Hemiaspis signata) is a small, dark-coloured snake with a pale stripe along each side of the face. These markings generally extend from the snout through or behind the eye rather than forming the crown-like marking seen in a Golden-crowned Snake.
The Eastern Small-eyed Snake (Cryptophis nigrescens) is a small, glossy black or dark grey nocturnal snake. It lacks the pale crown marking of the Golden-crowned Snake and has a pinkish belly that can become darker towards the tail.
Eastern Small-eyed Snakes are dangerously venomous. The similarity between the two species in poor light is an important reason not to identify or handle a small, dark snake without expert assistance.
The Dwarf Crowned Snake (Cacophis krefftii) is considerably smaller and has a cream or yellow hood-like marking across the nape. Its recognised distribution does not include Sydney, although it occurs farther north from the Central Coast into south-eastern Queensland.
The White-crowned Snake (Cacophis harriettae) has a more strongly contrasting pale marking around the head and neck. It occurs primarily in north-eastern New South Wales and south-eastern Queensland and is not a typical Sydney species.
Because small nocturnal snakes can be difficult to distinguish, any uncertain identification should be referred to an experienced snake catcher or herpetologist.
Golden-crowned Snakes occur along the east coast and adjacent ranges from central New South Wales to south-eastern Queensland. Within the Sydney region, they are particularly associated with sandstone country and are more frequently recorded in northern Sydney.
Suitable natural habitat includes:
Golden-crowned Snakes also occur in established suburban areas where suitable shelter and prey remain. They may be found in:
During the day, Golden-crowned Snakes shelter beneath rocks, logs and leaf litter. They emerge after dark to search for prey and may cross driveways, paths and lawns while moving between areas of cover.
Golden-crowned Snakes are secretive, ground-dwelling snakes that are active mainly at night. Sightings are most common during warm and humid conditions, particularly after rain.
Their usual response to disturbance is to remain still or attempt to escape. If cornered, a Golden-crowned Snake may perform a distinctive defensive display by:
This display can appear threatening but is primarily defensive. Golden-crowned Snakes rarely bite; however, they should not be handled or deliberately provoked.
Golden-crowned Snakes are nocturnal predators that feed mainly on small reptiles. They use scent to locate sleeping lizards within their night-time shelters.
Their recorded diet includes:
The availability of small lizards and suitable daytime shelter helps explain why Golden-crowned Snakes can persist in established suburban gardens near bushland.
As native predators, they form part of Sydney’s natural food web. Their presence generally indicates that suitable habitat and native prey remain in the area.
Golden-crowned Snakes are venomous members of the elapid family but are not considered dangerous to humans. They are reluctant to bite, and confirmed bites are uncommon.
Nevertheless, all suspected snakebites should receive immediate first aid and medical assessment. This is particularly important because Golden-crowned Snakes may be confused with other small, dark snakes that are capable of causing serious envenomation.
The appearance of the snake, absence of pain or lack of visible fang marks should never be used to dismiss a suspected bite.
Treat every suspected snakebite as a medical emergency.
Do not wash the bite site, cut or suck the wound, apply a tourniquet, or attempt to capture or kill the snake.
Do not remove clothing to apply the bandage. Apply it over the clothing if necessary.
Golden-crowned Snakes are not considered a significant envenomation risk to people, but pets should not be permitted to approach or attack any snake.
Dogs and cats frequently initiate encounters with snakes. This places both animals at risk and can make safe snake removal more difficult.
If a pet has been bitten or has had close physical contact with an unidentified snake, contact a veterinarian immediately. Do not rely on an assumed identification or wait for symptoms to develop.
Cats are also known to capture Golden-crowned Snakes and may carry them into homes. Keeping cats indoors, particularly at night, reduces the risk to native reptiles and prevents snakes from being brought inside.
Golden-crowned Snakes reproduce by laying eggs. Females lay between two and 15 eggs, with an average clutch containing approximately six.
Eggs are generally laid in January in sheltered locations that provide stable moisture and temperature. Hatching usually occurs in March, and the young measure approximately 16 centimetres in total length.
Hatchlings are independent from the time they emerge. Their small size means they may be mistaken for worms or other harmless animals, particularly in poor light.
Pregnant females have been observed lying on warm roads at night, possibly using the retained heat to assist the development of their eggs. This behaviour, together with their nocturnal activity, makes Golden-crowned Snakes vulnerable to vehicle strikes.
If you find a Golden-crowned Snake or another small, dark snake at your property:
Do not attempt to catch, handle, kill or relocate the snake. Native snakes are protected in New South Wales and should only be captured by an appropriately licensed snake catcher.
If the snake enters a garage, laundry or other enclosed area, close internal doors where practical and safe, keep the area undisturbed and contact a licensed catcher.
Golden-crowned Snakes are frequently observed crossing driveways, paths and roads on warm, humid nights. Their dark colouring and relatively small size make them difficult to see against bitumen, pavers and damp ground.
Properties near bushland or sandstone habitat can reduce accidental injuries by:
Golden-crowned Snakes are native wildlife and may occasionally pass through suitable suburban habitat. Complete exclusion from an outdoor property is rarely possible, but practical maintenance can reduce shelter immediately around buildings.
Recommended measures include:
Where a property adjoins bushland, leaf litter, fallen timber and native ground cover should be retained within natural habitat areas where possible. Maintenance should concentrate on the immediate area surrounding homes and frequently used structures.
The Golden-crowned Snake is a protected native species. Although it is not considered dangerous to humans, professional identification is recommended when there is any uncertainty or when a snake is found inside a building.
Sydney Snake Catcher provides professional snake identification and removal throughout Greater Sydney, 24 hours a day.
If you find a Golden-crowned Snake or another unidentified reptile, keep your distance, watch where it goes and call 1300 599 938.
If you have turned on the porch light on a warm summer evening and found a long, slender snake with oversized eyes peering down from the rafters or sliding along a fence line, you have almost certainly met a brown tree snake. It's one of the most distinctive snakes in the Sydney region, and the one most likely to turn up inside a home, shed or roof space rather than out in the open.
At Sydney Snake Catcher we get regular calls about brown tree snakes through the warmer months, especially after rain. They're excellent climbers, fearless around urban structures, and one of the few local species that will genuinely come into a house through a gap that most other snakes would walk straight past. The first thing every homeowner should know is that while this species is technically venomous, it is not considered dangerous to humans.
The brown tree snake, Boiga irregularis, is a rear fanged colubrid native to northern and eastern Australia, and also found in parts of Indonesia, Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. It's infamous internationally as the species that devastated Guam's native bird population after being accidentally introduced there in the 1940s, but within its native Australian range it's simply one part of a functioning ecosystem.
Venom rating: mildly venomous, not considered dangerous to humans Total length: around 1.2 metres average, up to 2 metres Conservation status: IUCN least concern Urban adaptation: very high Activity: strictly nocturnal, most active in the warmer months
Brown tree snakes have a very distinctive look once you know what to search for:
Slender bodied with a notably long, thin profile Head clearly distinct from the neck Very large eyes with vertical pupils, an adaptation for hunting at night Body colour ranging from reddish brown through tan to pale brown Irregular darker crossbands or saddle markings along the back Cream to yellow underbelly Long, prehensile tail used for climbing Smooth scales with a slight gloss
The slender body, oversized eyes with vertical pupils, and clearly defined head are unmistakable together. No other Sydney snake has eyes that large relative to its head, and it's the single most reliable feature to check.
Eastern brown snake: round pupils, a much shorter tail relative to body length, faster ground movement, different head shape. Eastern browns are active by day and rarely climb. Diamond python: heavier built, distinctive diamond pattern with cream centres, round pupils, a much larger jaw structure. Green tree snake: round pupils, generally green or olive colouring, active during the day rather than at night.
The vertical pupils and oversized eyes are the giveaway. A slender snake climbing a fence at night with eyes that look almost too big for its head is almost certainly a brown tree snake.
Brown tree snakes are highly adaptable and occupy a wide range of habitats. In the Sydney region they do particularly well anywhere vegetation meets built structure.
Natural habitats include open woodland and dry sclerophyll forest, rainforest margins, coastal scrub, sandstone country, and riparian vegetation along creeks and rivers.
In urban settings they turn up in roof spaces and ceiling cavities, garden sheds and garages, aviaries and chicken coops, pergolas, verandahs and external rafters, mature gardens with trees and shrubs, brick walls with deep mortar gaps, stone retaining walls, and stacked timber.
The combination of strong climbing ability and nocturnal habits means this species reaches urban structures that ground dwelling snakes never do. A brown tree snake can scale a brick wall, slip through a gap under a roof tile, and spend the day curled up in a ceiling cavity without the homeowner ever knowing it's there.
The brown tree snake is one of the most accomplished climbers in the Australian snake fauna. The prehensile tail works almost like a fifth limb, gripping branches, beams and structural edges while the body reaches forward. They can climb almost any vertical surface that offers grip, brick, bark, mesh, rough timber, and even some painted surfaces.
Their hunting style suits this lifestyle. They're ambush predators that move through vegetation at night, investigating roosting birds, sleeping lizards and the entrances to tree hollows. The large eyes give excellent low light vision, letting them hunt in conditions where most other snakes are effectively blind.
When threatened, typical behaviour includes flattening the body to look larger, raising the head and forebody, striking repeatedly with the mouth open, hissing, and coiling defensively into a tight S shape. The display is impressive and can be alarming to watch, but the bites themselves are rarely a real threat to a person.
This is where brown tree snakes generate the most calls. They're notorious nest raiders, and a backyard aviary or chicken coop full of birds is essentially an open invitation. We regularly remove them from aviaries housing finches, budgies and other small birds, chicken coops where they take eggs and chicks, roof cavities directly above bedrooms, garages and sheds with mouse populations, pergola rafters above outdoor dining areas, and external lights where geckos and moths gather.
If you find one in an enclosed space, particularly an aviary or a roof cavity, call a licensed reptile catcher. They aren't dangerous, but they aren't easy to remove either. They climb, they hide, they squeeze into tight gaps, and a homeowner attempting it themselves often ends up losing track of the snake inside the structure.
Brown tree snakes are mildly venomous. They have small fangs set toward the back of the upper jaw and produce a mild venom used to subdue prey. A bite to a person typically causes localised swelling around the site, mild pain, occasional itching or a rash, and no systemic effects in a healthy adult.
They are not considered dangerous to humans. The combination of small rear fangs, mild venom, and the difficulty this species has actually delivering venom into a human bite means confirmed bites usually produce little more than a bee sting equivalent.
Bites should still be treated properly. Wash the site with soap and water, apply a cold compress if there's swelling, and monitor for any unusual symptoms. Seek medical attention if swelling is significant or there's any sign of an allergic reaction, and children, elderly people or anyone with compromised immunity should see a doctor regardless.
There are no recorded human deaths from brown tree snake bites in Australia.
The risk to pets is more variable. Small birds in aviaries face real risk from both constriction and envenomation. Cats and dogs generally aren't at serious risk from a bite, though a smaller pet should still be monitored if bitten.
Brown tree snakes are opportunistic nocturnal predators. Diet includes birds, particularly roosting and nestling birds, bird eggs, lizards, especially geckos, frogs, small mammals such as mice, rats and small possums, and occasionally other snakes.
The willingness to raid nests is part of what makes this species so successful in suburbia. Wherever suburbs offer nesting sites, gardens, aviaries, eaves, palm trees, brown tree snakes have plenty to eat.
Mating occurs in spring and summer, with eggs laid across the same period. Clutches run from 3 to 12 soft shelled, leathery eggs, laid in moist, protected sites such as roof cavities, tree hollows, deep rock crevices and ceiling spaces. Hatchlings are fully independent from the moment they emerge.
The preference for warm, dry, protected nest sites is exactly why this species ends up in roof cavities so often. A female that finds a good one will keep using it.
The right response depends on where it is.
If it's outside, in the garden or on a fence, leave it alone. It's hunting and will move on by morning. Keep pets away and don't approach or try to capture it.
If it's inside, in a roof cavity or an enclosed structure, call a licensed reptile catcher. Sydney Snake Catcher handles this kind of removal routinely. Don't try to remove it yourself, since they climb and hide well enough that you'll likely lose track of it. Close the door to that room or space if you can, and keep children, pets and family clear of the area.
If it's in an aviary or chicken coop, remove birds and eggs from the immediate area if it's safe to do so, then call a licensed catcher. Once the snake is out, identify and seal the entry point, since brown tree snakes will return to a reliable food source.
Do not kill it. It's protected native wildlife. Do not corner it, since a cornered snake will defend itself, and while the bite isn't dangerous, it's still a bite. Do not write it off as just a tree snake and ignore it either, since a wrong identification can be an expensive mistake if it's actually inside an aviary.
Seal gaps in eaves, fascia boards and around roof tiles. Fit snake proof mesh to aviary doors and ventilation gaps, and use snake proof chicken coop mesh with an aperture under 12 millimetres. Clear dense vegetation from immediately around buildings and trim branches that overhang the roofline. Cut down food sources such as spilled bird seed, unsecured bins and exposed pet food, and deal with rodent problems, since mice and rats are a direct draw.
Are brown tree snakes dangerous to humans? No. They're mildly venomous but not considered dangerous. A bite typically causes localised swelling and mild pain, similar to a bee sting, with no recorded human deaths in Australia.
Why do brown tree snakes keep getting into my roof? They're strong climbers that hunt at night and look for warm, dry, protected spaces to shelter and breed. A roof cavity with an accessible gap is close to ideal.
Are brown tree snakes a risk to chickens or aviary birds? Yes. They're persistent nest raiders and will take eggs, chicks and small birds given the chance. This is the most common reason we're called about this species.
What should I do if I find one inside my house or shed? Close off the room if you can, keep children and pets away, and call a licensed catcher. Don't try to remove it yourself, since they climb and hide in ways that make DIY removal difficult.
The brown tree snake is one of Sydney's most distinctive species, a slender, nocturnal climber with oversized eyes that thrives in suburbia as readily as in the bush. It's mildly venomous but not dangerous to humans, with bites producing little more than localised swelling and discomfort. It is, however, a determined raider of aviaries, chicken coops and roof spaces, and removal from any enclosed structure should be handled by a licensed catcher. A brown tree snake in the garden is generally a sign the local ecosystem is intact enough to support a healthy population of birds, lizards and small mammals.
Found a brown tree snake or another reptile at your home? Sydney Snake Catcher operates 24/7 across the Greater Sydney region. We are fully licensed and insured, and we identify and safely manage any reptile you encounter. Call 1300 599 938.
At Sydney Snake Catcher we get relatively few Death Adder call-outs across the Greater Sydney region. The species has become uncommon in heavily urbanised parts of the city, and most of our Death Adder work is on the bush-edge fringes — the Central Coast, parts of the Hawkesbury, the Sutherland Shire and properties bordering national parks. But for homeowners in those areas, Death Adder awareness is essential. They are one of the few Australian snakes that genuinely require a different mindset to manage safely.
The Common Death Adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) is one of the most distinctive snakes in Australia. Despite the name, they are not adders — they are elapids, related to brown snakes and tiger snakes — but they have evolved a body shape and hunting strategy that converges remarkably with the true vipers of other continents. This convergent evolution makes them look and behave more like a Gaboon Viper or a Saw-scaled Viper than like their actual Australian relatives.
The Common Death Adder is one of the easiest snakes to identify by body shape alone. Once you have seen one, the silhouette is unmistakable:
The combination of the chunky body, triangular head, short tail and pale tail-tip is unique to Death Adders in the Sydney region. No other native snake here has this body plan.
Common Death Adders have specific habitat requirements that limit their distribution within the Greater Sydney region:
Natural habitats:
Within the Sydney region, they are found primarily in:
They are essentially gone from inner-city Sydney and the densely-developed suburbs. The species needs leaf litter, sandy soils and a healthy prey base — features that have disappeared from most of the city.
The Common Death Adder is unlike any other Australian elapid in its behaviour. Where most Australian snakes are active hunters that move through their environment in search of prey, Death Adders are sit-and-wait ambush predators with a hunting strategy that has more in common with crocodiles than with their fellow elapids.
The typical hunting sequence:
This strategy has several implications for human encounters:
This is the critical thing to understand about Death Adders: they are dangerous precisely because they do not move. Other venomous snakes warn you. Death Adders do not. They simply wait, and if you put a foot in the wrong place, they bite.
Common Death Adders prey almost exclusively on small vertebrates that move past their ambush sites:
The caudal lure is one of the most striking adaptations among Australian snakes. The tail tip — usually a contrasting pale colour against the leaf litter — is wriggled slowly while the rest of the snake remains motionless. To a small lizard or bird looking for an insect, the lure looks like a worm or grub moving slowly through the leaves. The prey approaches, the snake strikes, and the hunt is over in less than a second.
Yes — extremely so, but with important nuances. Death Adder venom is highly neurotoxic, capable of causing rapid paralysis and respiratory failure. Their fangs are among the longest of any Australian elapid relative to body size, allowing effective venom delivery.
Effects of a bite to humans:
Human fatalities: Historically, Death Adders were a significant cause of snakebite deaths in Australia. With modern antivenom, fatalities have become rare. However, untreated bites remain potentially fatal, and the species' ambush behaviour means that bites can occur to people who never even knew there was a snake present.
The important nuance: bites are uncommon because most people do not encounter Death Adders by chance. The species' restricted habitat, nocturnal activity and tendency to remain hidden mean that most Sydney residents will never see one. But where encounters do occur — typically in bushland, on bush tracks, or in properties bordering national parks — the risk is real because the snake will not warn you of its presence.
The danger to pets from Death Adders is severe, though encounters are rare:
Dogs:
Cats:
If you have pets and you live in Death Adder habitat — particularly properties bordering bushland with leaf litter — keep dogs on lead when walking through bush trails and be aware that pets may be bitten without you knowing the snake was there.
Common Death Adders have a reproductive strategy adapted to their sedentary lifestyle:
Neonate Death Adders are tiny replicas of the adults, with the same banded pattern and stubby body shape. They are equally venomous, and equally inclined to remain motionless rather than flee. Death Adder hatchlings are one of the more dangerous neonates in the Australian fauna because of their venom potency and ambush behaviour.
This is one of the species where the response needs to be particularly considered.
Immediate steps:
Calling for help:
While you wait:
What you should absolutely not do:
A Death Adder bite is a true medical emergency. Treat it with maximum urgency:
A particular note about Death Adder bites: the progression of symptoms can be slow initially, but is reliably severe. Do not be lulled by an apparently slow onset. The bite is potentially fatal and requires immediate medical intervention regardless of how the patient appears in the first hour.
Pet bites require the same urgency. Get the animal to a 24-hour veterinary clinic immediately.
If you live in Death Adder habitat, these measures will reduce the chance of an encounter:
A critical point: do not assume that "tidying up" the entire garden will solve the problem. Death Adders are part of a functioning bushland ecosystem, and aggressive clearing of leaf litter destroys habitat for many beneficial species. The right approach is sensible management — clear paths, clear high-traffic areas, but leave the broader bushland intact and avoid stepping into unfamiliar leaf litter.
The Common Death Adder has declined significantly across much of its range, including parts of the Sydney region. The main pressures on the species are:
For homeowners on bush-edge properties in the Central Coast, Sutherland Shire and Hawkesbury, the species is something to manage carefully but also to respect. Death Adders are part of the ecological character of these landscapes, and their presence is an indicator of relatively intact bushland.
The Common Death Adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) is one of Sydney's most distinctive and dangerous snakes — a sit-and-wait ambush predator that does not flee when approached and that delivers fast, accurate strikes with highly neurotoxic venom. They are restricted to bushland habitats with sandy soils and leaf litter, particularly on the Central Coast, in the Hawkesbury, and around the Sutherland Shire. Encounters are uncommon but consequential, because the species' behaviour means a person can walk right up to a Death Adder without knowing it is there.
If you encounter a Death Adder on your property, the response is non-negotiable: stop, identify its exact location, keep it in sight, back away to at least 5 metres, and call Sydney Snake Catcher. Do not attempt to handle, kill, or interact with the snake. The risk is too high. If anyone is bitten — human or pet — treat it as a life-threatening emergency. Call 000 for human bites. Apply pressure immobilisation. Do not delay.
Found a Death Adder or another reptile at your home? Sydney Snake Catcher operates 24/7 across the Greater Sydney region including the Central Coast, Hawkesbury and Sutherland Shire. We are fully licensed and insured, and we specialise in venomous snake removal. Call 1300 599 938 — day or night.
The Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus) is a large, dangerously venomous snake found across parts of southern Australia. In New South Wales, it is strongly associated with wetlands, swamps, creeks, lagoons and other areas where water and dense ground cover occur together.
Tiger Snakes are much less commonly encountered across Greater Sydney than Red-bellied Black Snakes or Eastern Brown Snakes. However, they do occur in suitable habitat and should never be ruled out simply because a snake does not have obvious bands.
If you find a Tiger Snake or any unidentified snake, keep your distance, watch where it goes and call Sydney Snake Catcher on 1300 599 938.
Scientific name: Notechis scutatus
Family: Elapidae
Average length: About 1.2 metres
Maximum length: Mainland animals may reach approximately 2.1 metres
Venom rating: Dangerously venomous
Activity: Mainly active during the day
Reproduction: Gives birth to live young
Conservation status: Not listed as threatened in NSW
Tiger Snakes are moderately large, strongly built snakes with broad, deep heads that are only slightly distinct from the neck. Their bodies are noticeably more robust and muscular than those of Eastern Brown Snakes.
The classic Tiger Snake has dark olive, brown or black colouring with lighter cream or yellow crossbands. These bands give the species its common name, but they are not present in every individual.
Tiger Snakes may be:
The bands, when present, vary considerably in width and definition. Some individuals have bold, contrasting bands, while others have markings that are difficult to see. Completely unbanded Tiger Snakes also occur.
The underside is usually pale yellow, cream, grey or olive and may become darker towards the tail. The scales are relatively large and semi-glossy.
When threatened, a Tiger Snake may flatten its neck and upper body, making the head and forebody appear considerably broader.
Because Tiger Snakes vary so much in colour and pattern, identification should not be based on bands alone. Never approach a snake to inspect its markings.
Juvenile Tiger Snakes generally resemble smaller versions of the adults, but their patterning can be more distinct. They are often grey, brown or olive with pale crossbands, although unbanded juveniles also occur.
Young Tiger Snakes may be confused with several other species, including Rough-scaled Snakes and Stephens’ Banded Snakes. Depending on their colour and pattern, they may also be mistaken for juvenile Eastern Brown Snakes.
Juvenile Tiger Snakes are venomous from birth. Their smaller size does not make a suspected bite any less of a medical emergency.
The Tiger Snake’s highly variable appearance means it can be confused with several other snakes found in or near the Sydney region.
Red-bellied Black Snakes (Pseudechis porphyriacus) have glossy black upper surfaces and red, pink or orange colouring along the lower sides of the body. They are also strongly associated with wetlands and waterways.
Dark, unbanded Tiger Snakes may be mistaken for Red-bellied Black Snakes, particularly when the underside cannot be seen.
Some Eastern Brown Snakes (Pseudonaja textilis) retain body bands and may superficially resemble a Tiger Snake. Eastern Brown Snakes generally have a slimmer build and a smaller head, but these differences should not be assessed at close range.
The Rough-scaled Snake (Tropidechis carinatus) is a dangerously venomous species associated with moist forests and waterways. It has keeled scales that give the body a rough appearance, but this feature is difficult to assess without close examination.
Copperheads (Austrelaps species) are robust snakes that can resemble unbanded Tiger Snakes. They are more commonly associated with cooler parts of south-eastern Australia and are not typical snakes of suburban Sydney.
Colour and pattern alone are not reliable enough to confirm a snake’s identity. Treat any unidentified snake as potentially dangerous and leave identification to an experienced snake catcher or herpetologist.
Tiger Snakes have a fragmented distribution across south-eastern and south-western Australia. In New South Wales, they occur mainly in the cooler southern and coastal parts of the state.
Within the Greater Sydney region, Tiger Snakes have a more localised distribution than Eastern Brown Snakes or Red-bellied Black Snakes. They are most likely to occur in areas containing suitable wetland habitat, particularly around coastal swamps, creeks, lagoons, drainage systems and densely vegetated waterways in the Blue Mountains and occasionally within the Sydney Basin.
Suitable Tiger Snake habitat can include:
Tiger Snakes may shelter beneath fallen timber, inside abandoned animal burrows, beneath debris or within thick, matted vegetation.
Although strongly associated with water, they are not restricted to the water’s edge. A Tiger Snake may move through surrounding grassland, woodland or developed land while searching for food, shelter or a mate.
Tiger Snakes are mainly active during the day, although they may also forage on warm evenings. They are strong swimmers and regularly search for prey in and around water. They can remain submerged for several minutes and are also capable climbers.
A Tiger Snake will generally attempt to escape if it is given sufficient space. It does not hunt or deliberately chase people.
If cornered or repeatedly approached, a Tiger Snake may defend itself by:
This defensive display is a warning that the snake feels threatened. Move away slowly and give it room to escape.
Many snakebites occur when people attempt to catch, move or kill a snake. Do not use a broom, rake, shovel, hose or other household item to force it away.
Tiger Snakes have a varied diet that reflects their association with wetlands and waterways. Their prey includes:
Frogs are an important food source in many Tiger Snake populations. Properties adjoining frog-rich wetlands, dams or drainage systems may provide both suitable prey and shelter.
Tiger Snakes can hunt on land, in water and occasionally above the ground. They have been recorded climbing vegetation and human-made structures.
Reducing rodents and removing clutter can make a property less attractive to snakes, but it is neither practical nor desirable to eliminate the native frogs and other wildlife associated with healthy wetlands.
Tiger Snakes are dangerously venomous and were responsible for numerous deaths before the development of modern antivenom and improved snakebite treatment.
Tiger Snake venom can affect several systems within the body. Envenomation may cause:
Local pain and swelling may occur, but the appearance of the bite does not indicate whether venom has been injected. Fang marks may be small or difficult to see.
Not every bite results in envenomation, but this can only be determined through medical assessment and blood testing. Every suspected Tiger Snake bite must be treated as a medical emergency.
Prompt pressure-immobilisation first aid and hospital treatment greatly improve the outcome.
If you see a Tiger Snake or any unidentified snake at your home or workplace:
Do not try to catch, kill, corner or move the snake.
A photograph can help with identification, but only take one from a safe distance. Never move closer to obtain a clearer photograph.
If the snake disappears into vegetation or beneath a structure, note the exact location and direction of travel. This information can help the snake catcher assess the situation.
Sydney Snake Catcher provides a 24-hour snake identification and removal service across Greater Sydney.
Treat every suspected snakebite as an emergency, even if the person feels well or there are no obvious fang marks.
Do not wash the bite site, cut or suck the wound, apply a tourniquet, or attempt to catch or kill the snake.
Do not remove clothing to apply the bandage. Bandage over the clothing if necessary.
Tiger Snakes can pose a serious risk to dogs and cats. Dogs commonly initiate encounters by approaching, barking at or attempting to attack snakes. The snake then bites defensively.
Signs of snakebite in a pet may include:
Symptoms vary, and an animal may appear to recover briefly before deteriorating.
If snakebite is suspected, keep the animal as still as possible and transport it to a veterinarian immediately. Call the clinic while travelling if another person can do so safely.
Do not wait for symptoms to become severe.
Unlike Eastern Brown Snakes, Tiger Snakes do not lay eggs. Females give birth to live young, usually during late summer or autumn.
Litter sizes vary considerably and may range from approximately 10 to more than 60 young. The number depends on factors including the female’s size, condition and population.
The young are born enclosed in thin membranes, which they quickly break through. They are independent from birth and receive no parental care.
Male Tiger Snakes may engage in ritualised combat during the breeding season. The males partially intertwine their bodies and attempt to push each other down. This behaviour can be mistaken for mating.
Finding a juvenile Tiger Snake does not necessarily mean that the mother or an entire litter remains nearby. Young snakes disperse and may travel from their place of birth.
Tiger Snakes are most active during the warmer months, particularly from spring through autumn. They may also emerge to bask on mild winter days.
Their activity is influenced by:
During cooler periods, Tiger Snakes may shelter in animal burrows, beneath large rocks, inside fallen timber or underground.
In hot weather, they may remain close to water or seek shelter beneath vegetation and structures.
You cannot make an outdoor property completely snake-proof, particularly if it adjoins a wetland or waterway. However, you can reduce suitable shelter and food sources around buildings.
Practical measures include:
Vegetation around natural wetlands provides important habitat for frogs and other wildlife. Property maintenance should focus on the immediate area around homes and buildings rather than clearing native wetland habitat.
These measures can reduce the likelihood of an encounter but cannot prevent every snake from entering or passing through a property.
The Tiger Snake is a native, protected animal and should only be captured and relocated by an appropriately licensed snake catcher.
If you find a Tiger Snake—or any snake you cannot confidently identify—keep your distance, watch where it goes and call Sydney Snake Catcher on 1300 599 938.
The Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja textilis) is one of the most medically significant snakes in Australia. It occurs across much of Greater Sydney, particularly in open, semi-rural and modified landscapes where rodents are plentiful.
Despite its name, colour alone is not a reliable way to identify this species. Eastern Brown Snakes vary considerably in appearance, and several other Sydney snakes may also be brown. If you find an unidentified snake, keep your distance, watch where it goes and call Sydney Snake Catcher on 1300 599 938.
In 2025, Sydney Snake Catcher attended 79 Eastern Brown Snake call-outs. This was substantially fewer than our call-outs for Red-bellied Black Snakes and Diamond Pythons, but every suspected Eastern Brown Snake requires a cautious response.
Scientific name: Pseudonaja textilis
Family: Elapidae
Average length: About 1.5 metres
Maximum reliably recorded length: Just over 2 metres
Venom rating: Dangerously venomous
Activity: Mainly active during the day
Reproduction: Egg-laying
Conservation status: Not listed as threatened in NSW
Eastern Brown Snakes are slender to moderately built, with a relatively small head that is only slightly distinct from the neck. Adults average about 1.5 metres in total length, although some individuals exceed this.
Their colour is extremely variable and may include:
Most adults are fairly uniform in colour, although some retain faint bands or scattered darker scales. The underside is usually cream, yellow or orange and may be marked with pinkish-orange, brown or grey blotches. The scales are smooth and slightly glossy, and the pupils are round.
These features can help with identification, but they should never be used as a reason to approach a snake. Colour, lighting, distance and poor-quality photographs can all be misleading.
Hatchlings and juvenile Eastern Brown Snakes can look very different from adults. Many have:
These markings generally fade as the snake matures, although some individuals retain body bands into adulthood.
Juvenile Eastern Brown Snakes are venomous and must be treated with the same caution as adults. Their small size does not make a suspected bite any less of a medical emergency.
Not every small, banded snake with a dark head is an Eastern Brown Snake, so identification should be left to an experienced snake catcher or herpetologist.
Several species found around Sydney may be mistaken for an Eastern Brown Snake.
The Yellow-faced Whip Snake (Demansia psammophis) is smaller and usually has a distinctive dark, comma-shaped marking extending from the eye towards the corner of the mouth. A narrow dark bar is often visible across the snout.
The Yellow-faced Whip Snake is venomous but is not considered dangerous to humans, although a bite can cause pain and swelling.
Common Tree Snakes (Dendrelaphis punctulatus) are slender, fast-moving and highly variable in colour. They often have a yellow underside and may be olive, brown, blue-grey or green. They are non-venomous.
Brown Tree Snakes (Boiga irregularis) have a proportionally larger head, large eyes and vertical pupils. They are mainly nocturnal and are only occasionally encountered in the Sydney region.
Colour alone is not enough to identify a snake. Lighting, distance, movement and individual variation can make several unrelated species appear brown.
Treat any unidentified snake as potentially venomous and do not attempt to handle it.
Eastern Brown Snakes occur across large parts of eastern Australia. They favour open landscapes, including grassland, woodland, scrubland, farmland and disturbed areas. They generally avoid rainforest and alpine habitats.
Within Greater Sydney, they are most often encountered in western and south-western Sydney, the Hawkesbury, the Macarthur region and semi-rural districts.
They may also occur wherever suitable habitat and prey remain, including industrial land, drainage corridors, vacant blocks and suburban properties adjoining undeveloped land.
Around homes and workplaces, Eastern Brown Snakes may shelter or forage near:
Eastern Brown Snakes are less frequently encountered in densely developed parts of inner Sydney, but an unusual location should never be used to rule the species out.
Eastern Brown Snakes are alert, fast-moving and mainly active during the day. Their usual response to a person is to escape if a clear route is available. They do not hunt or deliberately chase people.
If cornered, restrained, injured or repeatedly approached, an Eastern Brown Snake may defend itself. It can raise the front of its body, form an S-shaped posture and strike. This is defensive behaviour rather than evidence that the snake is naturally aggressive.
Many snakebites occur when people try to catch, move or kill a snake. The safest response is to stop, move away slowly and give the snake room to escape.
Eastern Brown Snakes primarily prey on small vertebrates. Their diet includes:
Introduced House Mice are an important food source, particularly in agricultural and semi-rural areas.
Reducing rodent activity can make a property less attractive to snakes, although no form of property maintenance can guarantee that a snake will never pass through.
Eastern Brown Snakes are dangerously venomous and are responsible for more snakebite deaths in Australia than any other snake species. This reflects the potency and effects of the venom, the snake’s wide distribution and its overlap with heavily populated and agricultural areas.
Brown snake venom can cause venom-induced consumption coagulopathy, a serious disruption of the blood-clotting system. Severe envenomation may also cause sudden collapse, seizures, cardiac arrest, bleeding or kidney injury.
A bite may initially cause little pain, and fang marks can be difficult to see.
Not every bite results in venom being injected, but there is no safe way to determine this outside a hospital. Every suspected snakebite must be treated as a medical emergency. Prompt first aid and hospital treatment greatly improve the outcome.
Eastern Brown Snakes are often described as the “second most venomous land snake in the world.” This claim is based on laboratory toxicity testing and does not provide a useful measure of what will happen following an actual bite.
The important point is that an Eastern Brown Snake bite can cause rapid, life-threatening envenomation and requires urgent medical care.
If you see an Eastern Brown Snake or any unidentified snake at your home or workplace:
Do not try to catch, kill, corner or move the snake. Do not use a broom, rake, hose or other household item to force it away.
A photograph can assist with identification, but only take one from a safe distance. Never approach a snake to obtain a clearer photograph.
Sydney Snake Catcher provides a 24-hour snake identification and removal service across Greater Sydney.
Treat every suspected snakebite as an emergency, even if the person feels well or there are no obvious fang marks.
Do not wash the bite site, cut or suck the wound, apply a tourniquet, or attempt to catch or kill the snake.
Do not remove clothing to apply the bandage. Bandage over the clothing if necessary.
An encounter between a pet and an Eastern Brown Snake can be fatal. Dogs commonly approach or attack snakes and may be bitten during the interaction. Cats are also at risk.
Signs of snakebite in a pet can include:
Symptoms vary, and an animal may appear to recover briefly before deteriorating.
If snakebite is suspected, keep the animal as still as possible and transport it to a veterinarian immediately. Call the veterinary clinic while travelling if another person can do so safely.
Do not wait for symptoms to develop.
Eastern Brown Snakes lay eggs. Mating generally occurs in spring, and males may engage in ritualised combat. During combat, the snakes raise and intertwine the front portions of their bodies while attempting to push each other down. This behaviour is sometimes mistaken for mating.
Females usually lay their eggs in a sheltered, humid location such as an animal burrow, soil cavity, hollow log or other protected site. Clutch size varies, and larger females may produce more than 20 eggs. Communal nesting has also been recorded.
Hatchlings emerge fully independent and are capable of delivering a venomous bite.
Seeing one juvenile does not necessarily mean there is a nest on the property. Young snakes disperse, and the animal may have arrived from elsewhere.
You cannot make an outdoor property completely snake-proof, but you can reduce suitable shelter and food sources:
These measures reduce potential shelter and prey but cannot prevent every snake from entering a property.
Eastern Brown Snakes are mainly active during the warmer months, with sightings increasing from spring through autumn. Their activity is influenced by temperature, available shelter, breeding behaviour and prey abundance.
Rodent population increases can support larger brown snake populations over time, but a short-term rise in call-outs does not necessarily mean snake numbers have suddenly increased. Weather conditions may simply make snakes more visible or bring them into contact with people more often.
The Eastern Brown Snake is a native, protected animal and should only be captured and relocated by an appropriately licensed snake catcher.
If you find an Eastern Brown Snake—or any snake you cannot confidently identify—keep your distance, watch where it goes and call Sydney Snake Catcher on 1300 599 938.
We provide professional snake identification and removal across Greater Sydney, 24 hours a day.
