An O’Connell residence was guest to an uncomfortable visitor last week, as a tiger snake was found slithering throughout the house.
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The appearance of the tiger snake, which was a fully grown male, serves as a timely reminder to be on the lookout for the reptilian species during the warmer months.
Orange-based snake catcher Jake Hansen was called out to O’Connell to help handle the situation, and says tiger snakes are an often misunderstood species.
“The tiger snake has a reputation for being aggressive, but if you gain a better understanding of their behaviour, you’ll find that they are more of a defensive animal,” Mr Hansen said.
“Their threat display is very dramatic, and involves flattening their neck out, making loud hissing noises and performing a mock strike.”
Mr Hansen has already received a number of call-outs throughout the summer months thus far, and has linked the increase in snake sightings with the hot weather as well as the greater number of people at home this time of year.
“With the really hot weather, that’s when I start to get most calls about snakes being inside people’s homes,” he said.
“Snakes like to be operating at a body temperature of around 30 degrees, and when the temperature rises above that, they seek cooler ground such as people’s houses.”
The tiger snake and the eastern brown snake are the two most common breeds found in the Bathurst region.