A very close encounter of the slithering kind!!!

[Strika]

I had a very close encounter with this today. Astro was sniffing at something in the grass, moving back and forth towards it. SO I knew it wasn't a bird as it would normally fly away. So I went over to check out what it was thinking it was a dead rabbit, or a dead bird. I walked over and stood right next to Astro and looked down to find a fat Red Bellied Black snake!!!!

Astro's little nose was no more than 6 inches from it's mid body and my toe was no more than 6 inches from it's ugly black head. It had flattened out at the head a little, so i knew it was a touch distressed and called the dogs back. (Boy, was I thankful for all the training I have put into these dogs in the last year. They also must have sensed my fear and came immediately with me.)

Once I had them far enough away, I told them to sit and stay, then walked back up cautiously and snapped a pic for you all to enjoy.... or not..... depending on your thoughts on snakes. Personally, If I had a shovel or a shotty, it would be hanging on the fence now for the Ravens and Magpies to eat. Regardless of the law, I feckin hate the slithering buggers. It's probably my only real fear in life.

[loubre]

+1 for the shottie treatment!

[h.b.bear]

Brave man i would'nt have hung around long enough to take happy snaps

[kawa 06]

nothing like a 410 shottie won't fix

[fireyrob]

Looks tasty

[un_majstk]

wow what a fat bastard.

...pass the satay sauce and skewers please.

[timmyrocks]

Damn, good dogs man!!! Very lucky it didn't get one of them, or even yourself when ya went for a looksi

[MAXUMIS]

The red belly black is a very plaside snake,99.9% of the time it will run away.The best thing about having a RB around is they are a preditor of the brown snake,now the brown is one narsty animal that will be out to kill!

[bonester]

I'm with you. Snakes are the thing that scare me most in life. Always on the lookout when dirtbiking in the bush......

[Possum]

The red belly black is a very plaside snake,99.9% of the time it will run away.The best thing about having a RB around is they are a preditor of the brown snake,now the brown is one narsty animal that will be out to kill!

Agree

Your dogs are gorgeous Marty. Did you end up getting a snake bite kit for them?

[Strika]

Maxumis, you're spot on mate and there is no way I would have walked back up to it had it been a KB or a Tiger!!! Man, those are two wrigglers I have had encounters with and don't want again. I had a KB keep up with me till I hit 3rd or 4th on the ag bike when living on the farm. I came back with the 410 later and hung it on the fence!! Fucker! But, I have also had a lot of experience with RBB's and don't believe all you hear. They can become very aggressive, especially if you are close to a nest!

Possum, I spoke to a vet about a snake bite kit. He said, pick your dog up, bring it to him or closest vet and tell the what snake and they are usually ok. Dogs are not as effected by snake bite as we humans are apparently.

But, I have taught the dogs that ANY reptile is not to be fucked with, since I had them. Even a little Blue Tongue I have trained them to leave, that way they just associate the reptile smell and leave them alone.

[oldman]

I love snakes. That was one pretty motherfucker. I've got to move to Australia. Cheers!

[Chitchats]

The red belly black is a very plaside snake,99.9% of the time it will run away.The best thing about having a RB around is they are a preditor of the brown snake,now the brown is one narsty animal that will be out to kill!

Agreed, the only good brown is a dead one.

We have got a regular RB that hangs near the chook shed, although rarely seen it seems like a placid thing, great vermon control.

[Bogan]

Shovel. I still remember my Pa lopping the head off one with a spade out at Maianbar, we took it down and laid it across the road, it reached almost all the way across the tar.

[MAXUMIS]

Maxumis, you're spot on mate and there is no way I would have walked back up to it had it been a KB or a Tiger!!! Man, those are two wrigglers I have had encounters with and don't want again. I had a KB keep up with me till I hit 3rd or 4th on the ag bike when living on the farm. I came back with the 410 later and hung it on the fence!! Fucker! But, I have also had a lot of experience with RBB's and don't believe all you hear. They can become very aggressive, especially if you are close to a nest!

Possum, I spoke to a vet about a snake bite kit. He said, pick your dog up, bring it to him or closest vet and tell the what snake and they are usually ok. Dogs are not as effected by snake bite as we humans are apparently.

But, I have taught the dogs that ANY reptile is not to be fucked with, since I had them. Even a little Blue Tongue I have trained them to leave, that way they just associate the reptile smell and leave them alone.

Mate ive been chased buy two browns in my lifetime when my granddad had his farm at mudgee,one time i was trying to catch it (it was living under the house)it inithaly started bolting from me (didn't have to much heat in it thank fuck) and i had a V style stick and was trying to wedge behind its head but it suddenly turned the other way around,it chased me until my granddad nailed it! The next time i was riding the bigblock CT110 down the dirt roads when i herd this godawfull scream,a brown had nailed a baby rabit,got off the bike found a good length stick and gave it a belt then ran as it turned on me.The smarted thing i could have done was just sit there and watch a rare bit of nature,i will allways remember that scream fuck it was narsty.