Snake catcher Tania Corby said the most important thing to remember when coming across a snake is to stay calm.
“You surprise the snake as much as they surprise you, but as hard as it is, assess the situation and take a deep breath,” Ms Corby said.
“Ask yourself, if the snake is on the move — where is it going? Stop, let it assess you, and once it’s decided you’re not a threat it will move on and you can slowly move away.”
Ms Corby said preparing yourself for an encounter with a snake can prevent panicking in a real event.
“It’s going to happen really fast but the snake's intentions aren’t to interact with you, it’s got a job to do, whether that be finding food or a mate, so give it a way out,” she said.
She said snakes are on the move because it is coming into breeding season.
“Females will let off pheromones, so where there is one snake there could be more and because it has been a late winter, breeding season could extend into the December months,” Ms Corby said.
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning regional manager environmental compliance Nathan Stamkos said often when a snake is found in a backyard it is because it is moving through the area to other habitat.
“We would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that snakes play an important role in our ecosystem and are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975,” he said.
"It is illegal to capture, harm or kill them. Reports of people wilfully destroying protected wildlife will be investigated accordingly."
For assistance with snakes phone Ms Corby on 0409 575 164 or Craig Bergman on 0428 300 210.
If you live in an area with snakes, please remember:
● When left alone, snakes present little or no danger to people.
● If you see a snake, keep calm and move yourself and anyone with you (including pets) away from the area.
● Do not attempt to capture or harm snakes. Instead call DELWP on 136 186 for further advice, or call a licensed snake catcher.
● Maintain lawns and clean up around your house, as snakes are attracted to shelter such as piles of rocks and timber, sheets of metal, and building materials.
● Undertake first aid training and ensure your first aid kit contains several compression bandages. If someone is bitten, call 000 immediately.