Australian snake safety guide

Snake in the backyard: what to do (and what NOT to do)

A live snake in a backyard is a safety situation, not an identification challenge. The safest response is to create distance, protect children and pets, and let a properly authorised local professional decide the next step. Queensland’s environment department advises people to back away and allow a snake to move away, while NSW advises keeping children and pets well away and contacting a local reptile handler or wildlife rehabilitation group. [1] [2]

Many healthy snakes seen in a yard are simply passing through, according to WIRES. That does not mean a household should get close, assume a species from colour, or wait beside it to see what happens. Keep the plan simple: distance first, professional help if the snake remains, is in a high-contact part of the yard, or you cannot keep people and animals safely separated. [3]

The first few minutes: make space, not drama

Move everyone away from the area in a calm, deliberate way. Bring children indoors or to another secure part of the property. Take dogs, cats and other pets inside and keep them there; do not let a dog investigate, bark at or chase the snake. NSW Government and WIRES guidance is explicit that children and pets should be kept well away. [2] [3]

Do not approach the snake to confirm its species, sex, size or destination. From a genuinely safe place—such as indoors or well away from its path—you may keep track of its last known location if this does not require moving closer, following it into cover or putting yourself between it and an exit. WIRES advises that a snake in a yard may be monitored from a safe distance; Queensland advises allowing it to move away. [1] [3]

Give the snake room rather than cornering it. Queensland’s department says snakes generally prefer to retreat but can become defensive when threatened, and notes that most snake bites are received by people trying to capture or kill a snake. [1] Keep gates closed only if that is already the safest way to prevent people or pets entering the area; do not try to herd the animal, block it in or create a makeshift enclosure.

Call the right local help

For a live snake in a backyard without a suspected bite, contact an appropriately licensed local snake catcher, your state or territory wildlife authority, or a recognised local wildlife rescue service for advice. Use an official state or territory directory where one is available. For example, NSW publishes a list of licensed reptile handlers; its licensed handlers are authorised to catch and release reptiles from residential homes and backyards. [2]

When arranging help, give only information you can provide without re-approaching: your address, whether people or pets have had contact, whether the snake is in a place people must use, and the last safe place it was seen. Ask the business or service to confirm that it is authorised for the jurisdiction where you live. Do not rely on a social-media identification or an unverified advertisement as a substitute for local authority advice.

If the snake moves out of sight, do not search through vegetation, timber, pots, sheds or gaps with hands, feet or tools. Keep children and pets out of the last-known area and ask the handler or wildlife service what to do next. A snake that has left the property should not be followed or pursued. WIRES notes that snakes sighted in yards will often move on within a few hours, but that is not a promise for any individual sighting. [3]

What NOT to do—firmly

The following actions turn a manageable sighting into the highest-risk part of the encounter:

Do not touch, pick up, pin, grab, bag, cage, sweep at or otherwise try to move the snake. Do not attempt to contain it yourself. [3]
Do not kill, injure or harass it. Queensland states that snakes are protected under its Nature Conservation Act 1992 and that killing, injuring or taking them from the wild is an offence; Healthdirect also warns that many Australian snakes are protected. [1] [6]
Do not send children, pets or another untrained person to watch it. Keep them away, even if the snake looks still, small or familiar. [2] [3]
Do not get closer for a photograph or an app-based identification. You do not need a species name to make the safe decision, and identification must never delay an emergency call after a possible bite. [4] [6]
Do not try home remedies, chemicals, smoke, water, noise or objects to force it from cover. Leave intervention to the authorised responder you have contacted.
Do not start yard work near the sighting. Leave mowing, pruning, moving timber or clearing debris until the snake is gone and the area is safe to use.

This is not about being alarmist. It is about avoiding the actions most likely to cause close contact. Queensland specifically links a high proportion of bites with attempts to handle, interfere with or kill snakes. [1]

If a person may have been bitten

Treat a possible bite as a medical emergency, even if the person feels well, the mark is small or there was no clear bite. Call 000 immediately and follow the operator’s instructions rather than waiting for a snake identification. Healthdirect says all snake bites must be treated as potentially life-threatening. [6]

If it is safe to do so, move the person away from the snake, then keep them still, reassured and under constant observation while waiting for the ambulance. Australian Resuscitation Council guidance recommends pressure bandaging with immobilisation for suspected Australian snake bite; use the official guidance or the directions of a trained first aider and emergency dispatcher. Start CPR if the person is unresponsive and not breathing normally. [4]

Do not wash the bite, cut or suck it, use a tourniquet, or attempt to catch or kill the snake. Those actions can harm the person, create another exposure and interfere with clinical assessment. [4] [6]

If a pet may have been bitten

A dog or cat that has been close to a snake, yelps, collapses, becomes weak or unsteady, vomits, has enlarged pupils or trouble breathing needs urgent veterinary attention. These signs can vary, and they may not appear immediately. The Australian Veterinary Association advises contacting a local veterinarian immediately if there is any concern that a pet has been bitten; treatment is time-critical. [5]

Keep the pet as calm and still as you safely can and call the nearest available vet or emergency veterinary hospital while arranging transport. Do not wait for signs to develop, try to identify the snake, or return to the snake. Tell the clinic that snakebite is suspected so it can prepare. [5]

Make the yard less attractive next time

Prevention is about reducing places to hide and food sources, not promising a snake-proof yard. Queensland guidance recommends keeping lawns maintained and low, placing garden beds away from the house, stacking timber neatly, and keeping food scraps in closed compost bins so rodents are not attracted. [1]

After the current snake is gone, build these habits into ordinary yard maintenance:

Keep grass, leaf litter and loose debris under control, especially around the home, shed and children’s play areas. [1] [3]
Store timber and similar materials in neat, stable stacks rather than scattered piles that provide shelter. [1]
Use closed composting and secure bird feed or other animal food against rodents; Queensland notes that rodents and birds can attract snakes. [1]
Screen doors and windows, and block potential home-entry points as part of routine maintenance. [1]
Use a torch when walking outside at night, including in the garden. [6]

These measures reduce the features that can shelter snakes or the animals they eat. They do not replace supervision of children and pets, nor do they justify approaching a snake that is already present. [1] [3]

Frequently asked questions

Should I call 000 for a snake in the yard?

Call 000 immediately if a person has been bitten or may have been bitten. For a healthy snake in a backyard with no suspected bite, keep people and pets away and contact an appropriately licensed local catcher, wildlife authority or wildlife rescue service instead. [2] [4] [6]

Should I take a photo so someone can identify it?

No photo is worth getting closer. Species identification is not needed to keep people safe or to begin emergency care. If you already have a safe image from a distance, pass it to the professional only if requested; never re-approach to obtain one. [4]

What if the snake disappears under the shed or into the garden?

Do not investigate the hiding place or put hands, feet, tools or pets near it. Keep the area clear and obtain advice from the local handler or wildlife service you contacted. WIRES advises monitoring only from a safe distance and seeking licensed assistance if concerned. [3]

Are snakes only a warm-weather problem?

Activity depends on location and conditions. The Australian Veterinary Association says snakes can be present year-round in some geographical locations, though they are frequently more active in warmer months. Keep the same distance-and-help response whenever one is seen. [5]

References

Last reviewed: 17 October 2026. This is general information, not a substitute for medical care.