Owing to its abundance of national and conservation parks, Adelaide is home to a wide variety of native wildlife, including venomous snakes.
In this article, we look at the characteristics and preferred habitats of 5 of the most commonly encountered venomous snakes in Adelaide.
For the most part, these snakes have highly toxic venom that can affect living cells and cause dangerous symptoms ranging from bleeding and nausea to irregular heart beat and death.
It is important to remember, however, that these snakes will never go out of their way to attack you. In fact, most bites occur when people attempt to approach, capture, or kill snakes.
If you need a snake relocated from your home, contact a snake catcher, instead.
Moderate to robustly built body ranging from 1.5 to 2 m in length
The scales on their back and sides are smooth, glossy, and uniformly black
The lowermost rows of scales on their sides are bright crimson and fade to pink as they reach the middle of the underbelly
Habitat
A distinct population of Red bellied black snakes occurs at the southern end of the Mount Lofty Ranges, including:
Near streams, swamps, and other moist habitats within forests, woodlands, and grasslands
Near drainage canals and farm dams in disturbed areas and rural properties
They typically shelter in thick vegetation, mammal burrows, and under large rocks.
The Tiger snake (Notechis scutatus)
Appearance
Thick, muscular body ranging from 1 to 1.5 m long
Body scales ranging from dark olive brown to black, interspersed with vertical off-white to yellowish bands (though some individuals may be pattern-less)
Habitat
Tiger snakes are mainly found in and around the Murraylands and the Fleurieu Peninsula, including Kangaroo Island. This includes:
Watery environments, such as creeks, rivers, or swamps
Highly degraded areas, such as pastoral lands
They typically shelter in matted vegetation, disused animal burrows, and under fallen timber.
The Eastern brown snake
Appearance
Slender to moderately built body ranging from 1.5 to 2 m long
The scales on their back and sides are smooth, slightly glossy, and can be almost any shade of brown, from near black to light tan
The scales on their underbelly are generally cream and interspersed with brown, grey, or pinkish-orange blotches
Habitat
The Eastern brown snake is the most common snake in South Australia and is regularly encountered in Adelaidean suburbs. They can be found in a wide range of habitats, except for rainforest and alpine regions, and generally shelter in or under:
Animal burrows
Fallen logs
Man-made debris
The Pygmy copperhead
Appearance
Muscular, moderately robust body that can reach 115 cm in length
The scales on their back and sides are semi-glossy and uniformly grey brown to blackish
The lowermost rows of scales on their sides are enlarged and usually paler, while their underbelly can range from cream to grey
Habitat
The Pygmy copperhead can be found in the high altitude forests of the Mount Lofty Ranges, and in a wide variety of habitats on Kangaroo Island, including:
Coastal dunes
Open grassland
Closed woodland
They typically shelter under flat stones, fallen timber, and in matted vegetation.
The Little whip snake
Though Little whip snakes are venomous and can cause pain, they are virtually harmless to humans.
Appearance
Small, slender body that generally only reaches 45 cm long
A black, hourglass-shaped patch that extends from the back of the nape to between the eyes
The scales on their back and sides can range from tan to orange and have a dark edge
Habitat
The Little whip snake can be found west to south east of South Australia, including:
Grasslands
Grassy woodlands
Well drained hillsides
They have been found under rocks, logs, and partially embedded in the soil.
Final thoughts
Head to our Resource Library for information about identifying and treating bites from some of Australia's deadliest snakes.
We also cover snake bites in our general and childcare first aid courses.
We have training locations in every state, capital city, and major town throughout Australia, including Adelaide - head to our website to find and enrol in a first aid course near you today.
Though Grey house spiders can live in a variety of habitats, they prefer to build their tangled, ladder-like webs in and around houses on the eastern side of Australia. Like most House spiders, their bites can cause moderate to severe local symptoms.
The Black whip snake is common throughout south east Queensland, including Brisbane. Large individuals are considered potentially dangerous, as their venom can cause a host of moderate to severe symptoms.
The Common tree snake is one of the most common snakes encountered in Brisbane and wider south east Queensland (QLD). They are regularly encountered in homes and suburban gardens, where they use an interesting defence to deter any potential threats.
