Snakes alive: weather brings out reptiles

Experts are warning that warm weather combined with the recent rain across large parts of Australia has increased the prevalence of snake sightings and attacks.

Two people have sustained dangerous snake bites in New South Wales in the past 24 hours, while six people in Queensland were taken to hospital today after being bitten.

A woman in her 40s is in a serious condition in hospital after being bitten on the foot by a snake in the Blue Mountains, making her the eighth victim in six days in NSW.

She was taken by ambulance from her house in Winmalee to Nepean Hospital.

Among those treated in Queensland was a 15-month-old boy who was taken to Bundaberg Hospital with puncture wounds to his stomach.

Meanwhile a 26-year-old man was taken to Ipswich Hospital with a suspected brown snake bite.

Last night a snake handler was bitten twice on the face by a deadly eastern brown snake at his home at Aberdeen in the Upper Hunter Valley.

The 38-year-old snake handler was given antivenom and is recovering in hospital in a stable condition.

Dr Jane Melville, a herpetologist from Museum Victoria, says the face is a strange place to be bitten and a snake handler is an unlikely victim.

"Often professional snake handlers are careful and take precautions in what they're doing," she said.

"There are situations where people need to handle snakes with their hands of course, but I would say it is unusual to have a snake near your face."

The usual precautions include the use of heavy canvas bags and snake sticks that allow handlers to keep snakes a safe distance from their body most of the time.

Dr Melville says the eastern brown is not especially inclined to attack people.

"I wouldn't say it's an aggressive snake looking to bite people," she said.

"It's usually a situation it's put in that leads it to try to bite people."


Feeling the heat

A spokesman for Sydney's Taronga Zoo says the warm weather and rain has brought the snakes out.

"The warm weather means it's peak snake season, and the bit of rain we've had brings out other animals which the snakes eat," the spokesman said.

"Our advice is to give them a wide berth where possible."

An ambulance spokesman advises snake bite victims to remain still to prevent venom being pumped through the lymphatic system and to apply a pressure bandage to the affected area and dial triple 0.

Warwick Dyer from the Australian Reptile Park says if someone is bitten too many times, the antivenom can make them sick.

"There's a thing called serum sickness. Basically it's a foreign object going into your body attacking the venom and your body doesn't like that, so naturally it's going to react to it," he said.

- ABC/AAP