With the recent heavy rainfall that New South Wales has experienced, the drastic change to sudden warmer weather has become the perfect environment for snakes and spiders to be out and about. Australia is home to some of the world\u2019s most venomous snakes. On average, there are 3,000 snake bites every year, with 300 victims requiring antivenom and around one or two bites proving to be fatal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the last month, the state has seen an increase in snake sightings so it\u2019s the right time to brush up on snake and spider safety and learn how you can maintain your home to ensure no slithery friends inhabit your space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With a warm summer ahead of us, we may start to see snakes venturing into our backyards throughout the Central Coast. To assist in deterring snakes from backyards, the Australian Reptile Park advises for all households to keep grass areas around houses mowed and well maintained and to also avoid piling up left over wood from winter or accumulating stick piles. Tin sheets or any household items like these that are piled up, can draw in heat providing a perfect man made habitat for snakes. If you come across a snake in or around your home, remain calm, do not approach it and call your local snake catcher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Head Reptile Keeper, Jake Meney says, \u201cIt\u2019s important that all Australians know our slithery friends do not go out of their way to harm humans. Snake bites mostly occur when people are trying to catch or kill the snake, so if you don\u2019t do either of those things you should be okay! However, it is important to know the correct first aid technique, so if the worst case scenario occurs, you are prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
First aid for snake bites includes keeping the bite victim calm and immobile, removing all jewellery\/watches, applying a pressure immobilisation bandage to the bite site, then continuing to bandage the entire limb, and seeking emergency medical assistance immediately by calling an ambulance or going directly to hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As we enter funnel\u2013web breeding season, it is possible that you might also come across a funnel\u2013web spider in your home or out in the garden, especially if you live near bushland. This species is known to be found in sheltered and shady spots, so it\u2019s common to find them in the garden under rocks, logs, pot plants and garden sheds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Funnel\u2013web spiders are also sometimes found in the home, in cool, dry areas such as shoes, bedding, clothing, and any other items close to the ground that provide them with shelter, so it\u2019s important to check any items before you pick them up or put them on. To provide first aid to a funnel\u2013web bite, simply use the same pressure\u2013immobilisation technique and head straight to the hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you come across a funnel\u2013web spider around your home and feel safe enough to collect it, the Australian Reptile Park accepts public donations of spiders for its lifesaving antivenom program. To safely collect a funnel\u2013web spider, take a long spoon and large jar and carefully guide the spider into the jar, always maintaining a safe distance between yourself and the spider. Then, add some damp soil, secure the lid and bring it into the Park or another spider drop\u2013off location around the Coast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To learn about our antivenom program, how to safely collect a funnel\u2013web spider or learn more about snake and spider first aid, head to www.reptilepark.com.au<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" With the recent heavy rainfall that New South Wales has experienced, the drastic change to sudden warmer weather has become the perfect environment for snakes and spiders to be out…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3881,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sync_status":"","episode_type":"audio","audio_file":"","castos_file_data":"","podmotor_file_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[116],"series":[170],"class_list":["post-3880","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health-wellbeing","tag-article","series-on-the-coast-families"],"episode_featured_image":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2022\/12\/red-bellied-black-snake.jpg","episode_player_image":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/wp-content\/plugins\/seriously-simple-podcasting\/assets\/images\/no-album-art.png","download_link":"","player_link":"","audio_player":false,"episode_data":{"playerMode":"dark","subscribeUrls":{"apple_podcasts":{"key":"apple_podcasts","url":"","label":"Apple Podcasts","class":"apple_podcasts","icon":"apple-podcasts.png"},"stitcher":{"key":"stitcher","url":"","label":"Stitcher","class":"stitcher","icon":"stitcher.png"},"google_podcasts":{"key":"google_podcasts","url":"","label":"Google Podcasts","class":"google_podcasts","icon":"google-podcasts.png"},"spotify":{"key":"spotify","url":"","label":"Spotify","class":"spotify","icon":"spotify.png"}},"rssFeedUrl":"https:\/\/onthecoastpublications.com.au\/onthecoastfamilies\/feed\/podcast\/on-the-coast-families","embedCode":"Central Coast Alert: Warmer Weather Increases Snake & Spider Sightings<\/a><\/blockquote>