If there's a snake at your home or property in Agnes Banks, call 1300 599 938. Stay a safe distance, move pets clear of the area, and keep your eyes on the snake from a safe spot. The single most useful thing you can do before we arrive is maintain visual contact - a snake that's been watched continuously is far easier to locate. A snake that's disappeared will often reappear, but if we arrive and can't find it, we will need to leave. You don't need to take a photo or identify the species, just watch where it goes.
If you've found a snake on your Agnes Banks property, call 1300 599 938. We're usually on site within around thirty minutes depending on traffic and access, and we operate twenty-four hours across Agnes Banks and the wider Penrith LGA.
Agnes Banks sits on the northern edge of the Penrith LGA, with the Nepean River forming much of its western boundary and Castlereagh Nature Reserve lying to the south. It is rural acreage country, combining horse properties, market gardens, larger residential blocks, remnant Cumberland Plain woodland and extensive river corridor habitat.
That mix of dry paddocks, sheds, dams, drainage lines, mature trees and stored farm materials creates suitable conditions for several local snake and reptile species. Eastern Brown Snakes and Red-bellied Black Snakes are both regularly encountered in Agnes Banks, although Eastern Browns tend to dominate on the drier acreage properties.
Eastern Brown Snakes favour dry, open ground and areas where mice are active. This includes paddocks, hay sheds, machinery sheds, chook pens, horse stables, feed storage areas, woodpiles, rubbish piles, foundation gaps, dry stone walls and stacks of timber or corrugated iron.
Red-bellied Black Snakes are more closely associated with moisture and frogs. They are commonly found around dam edges, drainage lines, water troughs, stock tanks, swimming pools, pool pump housings and low-lying paddock corners after rain.
Blue-tongued Lizards are heavily represented across Agnes Banks and are frequently mistaken for snakes. Green Tree Snakes occur along treelines, fence lines and mature plantings around homes, while Lace Monitors occasionally move through larger acreage properties and blocks connected to bushland.
For professional snake removal in Agnes Banks, call Sydney Snake Catcher on 1300 599 938.
The Eastern Brown Snake is a major species in our Agnes Banks snake-catching work and is probably the snake most likely to be encountered on the suburb’s rural and acreage properties.
Eastern Browns are slender, fast-moving snakes that vary considerably in colour. They may be pale tan, golden brown, mid-brown, reddish brown, dark brown or almost black. Adults typically reach between 1.5 and 2 metres.
They are highly venomous and responsible for more serious snakebite incidents in Australia than any other snake. However, the risk to someone who gives the snake space and does not attempt to catch or corner it remains low.
Eastern Brown Snakes generally try to escape when given the opportunity. They become defensive when cornered, stepped on, trapped or actively pursued.
In Agnes Banks, Eastern Browns favour dry, open habitat and areas with strong mouse activity. We commonly attend them:
Rural properties naturally contain more stored material, animal feed and mouse habitat than suburban blocks, making them particularly suitable for Eastern Brown Snakes.
If you see an Eastern Brown Snake on your Agnes Banks property, step back, keep watching from a safe distance and call 1300 599 938.
Red-bellied Black Snakes are also regularly encountered in Agnes Banks, although they are generally less common than Eastern Browns on the suburb’s drier acreage blocks.
They are glossy black above, with red, pink or reddish colouring along the lower sides and underside. Adults commonly reach between 1.5 and 2 metres.
Red-bellied Black Snakes favour wetter ground and areas with reliable frog activity. In Agnes Banks, they are commonly found:
Red-bellied Black Snakes follow frogs, so sightings often increase after rainfall and during the warmer months when frogs are more active.
They are venomous but generally less defensive than Eastern Brown Snakes. When given room, they usually move away rather than hold their ground.
Blue-tongued Lizards are not snakes, but they are among the reptiles we are called about most often in Agnes Banks.
These large, slow-moving native skinks are regularly mistaken for snakes because of their size, short legs and the way they flatten their bodies when threatened. When frightened, they may open their mouth, display a bright blue tongue and hiss loudly.
Despite the impressive performance, Blue-tongued Lizards are harmless.
They are beneficial animals that feed on snails, slugs, insects and other invertebrates. Around Agnes Banks properties, they commonly shelter:
Unless a Blue-tongued Lizard is injured, trapped or inside a building where it cannot safely remain, it should usually be left alone.
Green Tree Snakes occur throughout Agnes Banks, particularly along treelines, fence lines and mature plantings around homes and sheds.
They are slender, fast-moving and completely non-venomous. Despite the name, they are not always green. Individuals may be bright green, olive, brownish, grey or almost black, usually with a yellow or cream underside.
Green Tree Snakes are excellent climbers with sharp eyesight. We commonly find them:
They feed mainly on skinks, geckos and small frogs.
Green Tree Snakes are harmless and should generally be left alone unless they have entered a house, become trapped or moved into an area where they cannot safely remain.
Lace Monitors occur in Agnes Banks because of the suburb’s acreage character, mature trees and connections to bushland and river habitat.
They are large, distinctive native goannas with dark grey or black scales and pale cream or yellow bands. Adults may exceed 2 metres in total length, including the tail.
Lace Monitors are sometimes reported as snakes because residents only see part of the long body or tail moving through vegetation.
They are protected native reptiles and generally present no danger when left alone. However, they can inflict a serious defensive bite or scratch if cornered, grabbed or handled.
Most Lace Monitor sightings resolve themselves. The animal moves through the property and is often gone within several hours or by the following day.
We attend when a Lace Monitor has settled somewhere it cannot safely remain, including:
The reptile activity in Agnes Banks closely reflects the available habitat and food.
Eastern Brown Snakes follow mice, rats, small reptiles and eggs. This is why they are regularly found around hay sheds, feed storage, machinery sheds, chicken coops, stables, foundations and stored materials.
Red-bellied Black Snakes follow frogs and moisture. They concentrate around dams, drainage lines, water troughs, pool pump housings, creek corridors and low-lying areas after rain.
Blue-tongued Lizards follow snails, slugs and insects through garden beds, sheds, compost areas and feed storage buildings.
Green Tree Snakes follow skinks, geckos and small frogs through treelines, mature gardens, pergolas and fence lines.
Lace Monitors follow rodents, eggs, carrion and other food opportunities from bushland into larger acreage properties.
Reducing food and shelter is generally much more effective than trying to repel the reptile itself.
Common locations include:
We regularly find them:
Typical shelter sites include:
We most often find them:
Common locations include:
Step back and keep a safe distance.
If possible, maintain visual contact with the snake from a secure position. A snake that has been watched continuously is much easier for our Agnes Banks snake catcher to locate and remove.
Do not try to catch, move or contain the snake. Do not approach it for a photograph or attempt to identify the species from close range.
Call 1300 599 938 and tell us where the snake was seen and where it moved.
You do not need to follow it around the property. We use the likely species, temperature, time of day, surrounding habitat and layout of the property to determine where it may have taken shelter.
If you believe the snake is an Eastern Brown, distance is particularly important. Do not corner it, chase it or attempt to move it with a rake, shovel or stick. Eastern Browns are fast, alert and more likely to become defensive when pursued.
If given enough space, the snake will usually try to leave the immediate area.
If a snake enters the house, leave the room and close the door behind you where it is safe to do so. Place a towel along the gap beneath the door and call us immediately.
Snakes also enter sheds, stables, feed rooms and garages on rural properties. The same advice applies: close the building where possible, keep everyone away and call Sydney Snake Catcher on 1300 599 938.
A suspected snake bite is a medical emergency. Treat every bite as potentially venomous, even if the snake appeared harmless or no symptoms are immediately present.
If someone is bitten:
Movement spreads venom through the lymphatic system, so keeping the patient still is one of the most important parts of snakebite first aid.
Snake deterrent powders, sprays, ultrasonic devices and similar hardware-store products are not reliable. Do not waste money on them.
The most effective approach is to reduce food, shelter and access points around the property.
Reducing rodent activity is the single most useful measure.
Eastern Brown Snakes follow mice and rats. On acreage properties, hay sheds, feed storage, chicken coops, stables and machinery sheds can all support rodent populations.
Use proper rodent control, secure animal feed, clean up spilled grain, tidy stored timber and corrugated iron, keep materials above the ground and seal accessible foundation gaps where practical.
Inspect stacked materials carefully before moving them.
Keep pool pump housings, water trough surrounds and stock tank areas clear and easy to inspect.
Thin dense, damp garden beds near the house, particularly along fences connected to drainage lines, dams or creek corridors.
Reduce artificial frog shelter directly against buildings without harming the frogs. Native frogs are protected and are an important part of the local environment.
Blue-tongued Lizards are not pests. They are harmless and beneficial.
The aim is not to remove them from the property, but to be aware that they may shelter in garages, sheds, feed rooms, garden beds and beneath stored materials.
Across any Agnes Banks property, the most effective measures include:
No acreage property can be made completely snake-proof, particularly in a rural suburb such as Agnes Banks. However, reducing rodents, removing unnecessary shelter and keeping frequently used areas clear can make snakes less likely to remain close to the house, sheds and stables.
For professional snake removal in Agnes Banks, call Sydney Snake Catcher on 1300 599 938.
How quickly can a snake catcher get to Agnes Banks?
We're usually on site in Agnes Banks within around thirty minutes, depending on traffic and access. Sydney Snake Catcher operates twenty-four hours a day across the suburb and the wider Penrith LGA. Call 1300 599 938.
Is the snake in my yard a Brown or a Red-belly?
It depends on where you found it. Browns favour the drier ground, sheds, hay sheds, paddock edges, woodpiles, foundation gaps, around chook pens. Red-bellies favour the wetter ground, pool pump housings, dam edges, drainage lines, damp garden beds. Both species are common in Agnes Banks and they overlap in some places, but the habitat is the strongest clue. If you can send through a photo from a safe distance, we can usually identify the species before we arrive.
I have horses and livestock. Should I be worried?
Horses and livestock are generally at lower risk than dogs and humans, partly because of their size and partly because they tend to avoid snakes rather than investigate them. Dogs and curious working dogs are the highest risk on a rural property. Keep an eye on dogs around dams, woodpiles and shed corners through the warmer months. If a dog has been bitten, treat it as a medical emergency and get to a vet immediately.
Did I do something wrong to have a snake on my property?
No. Snakes move through every rural property in Western Sydney. Your property isn't the reason, it's just on the route. Snake sightings aren't a sign of an unclean property, they just mean the local environment provides food, water, warmth and shelter.
Does one snake mean more are nearby?
No. Snakes don't travel in pairs, don't form groups, and don't nest in suburban yards. One sighting almost always means one snake. On rural blocks, multiple sightings over a season usually mean different individuals moving through different parts of the property at different times, not a colony.
How dangerous is an Eastern Brown Snake?
Eastern Browns are clinically the most dangerous land snake in Australia, but the practical risk to anyone giving them space is very low. They will flee if given the chance and only become defensive when cornered or actively pursued. Most snakebite hospital admissions in Australia involve someone trying to catch, kill or move a snake themselves. Step back, keep your distance, and call 1300 599 938.
Should I try to remove the snake myself?
No. All native snakes in New South Wales are protected wildlife, and several species commonly encountered around Agnes Banks are venomous, including the Eastern Brown, which is clinically the most dangerous land snake in Australia. The vast majority of snakebite hospital admissions involve someone trying to catch, kill or move a snake themselves. Step back, keep a visual from a safe distance, and call 1300 599 938.
Are snakes protected in New South Wales?
Yes. All native snakes, plus Blue-tongued Lizards and Lace Monitors, are protected under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016. They must be handled and relocated by licensed catchers. Sydney Snake Catcher operates under licence MWL103807.
Sydney Snake Catcher 1300 599 938. Licensed, insured, on call 24/7 across Agnes Banks and the wider Penrith LGA.
