Snake Catcher Duffys Forest
Snake on your Duffys Forest property? Call 0418 633 474 If you've found a snake around your home, shed, stable or another part of the property where it's creating a problem, call Urban Reptile Removal on 0418 633 474. While we're coming, there's one thing that makes an enormous difference: keep watching the snake.
Stay well back and don't interfere with it. You don't need to identify it or get close enough for a photograph. If it moves away, watch where it goes. If it disappears into vegetation, under a building or behind stored materials, keep your eyes on that spot.
In a heavily vegetated suburb like Duffys Forest, a snake can disappear remarkably quickly. Knowing exactly where it went gives us a much better chance of finding it when we arrive.
Living beside the bush in Duffys Forest
Duffys Forest is one of those Sydney suburbs where native wildlife is very much part of everyday life. Large properties, horse paddocks, mature trees and substantial areas of native vegetation sit alongside extensive bushland. The suburb is surrounded by some of northern Sydney's best remaining natural habitat, including Ku-ring-gai Chase National Park and Garigal National Park. For reptiles, there isn't a meaningful boundary between the bush and your backyard. Snakes move through the landscape looking for food, shelter, mates and suitable temperatures. Occasionally that brings them into the areas around houses, sheds and other buildings. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with your property. In Duffys Forest, encountering reptiles occasionally simply comes with where you live.
What snakes do we encounter around Duffys Forest?
The mix of sandstone bushland, established vegetation, acreage and buildings creates habitat for several different species. Among the reptiles we encounter in the wider area are Diamond Pythons, Red-bellied Black Snakes, Golden-crowned Snakes, Brown Tree Snakes, Green Tree Snakes and Lace Monitors. They aren't all using the property for the same reason.
Diamond Pythons — very much at home here
Diamond Pythons are particularly well suited to the bushland environment around Duffys Forest. They're large, non-venomous snakes that climb extremely well and feed predominantly on warm-blooded prey such as rats, mice, birds and possums. Mature trees and bushland provide natural shelter, but buildings can be attractive too. A roof cavity can offer warmth and security. A shed with rodents provides both shelter and food. Rafters, pergolas and other elevated structures are easily accessible to a capable climbing snake. A Diamond Python isn't dangerous simply because it's living somewhere on your property. If it's passing through bushland at the back of an acreage, leave it alone. If it's inside the house or somewhere that creates a practical problem, call Urban Reptile Removal on 0418 633 474.
Golden-crowned Snakes — easy to overlook
Not every snake in Duffys Forest is large. Golden-crowned Snakes spend much of their lives hidden underneath rocks, fallen timber, bark and leaf litter. They're primarily nocturnal, and many encounters happen when someone gardening inadvertently exposes one of its daytime hiding places. Golden-crowned Snakes are venomous but aren't considered dangerous to humans. They're secretive animals and generally disappear quickly when given the opportunity.
Green Tree Snakes are completely non-venomous and harmless to people. They're active during the day, fast-moving and excellent climbers. Despite their common name, their colour varies considerably. Green and olive animals are familiar, but brown, grey and beautiful blue individuals also occur. A Green Tree Snake moving through vegetation around a Duffys Forest property usually requires no intervention whatsoever. Give it room and it'll generally disappear on its own.
Red-bellied Black Snakes use a different part of the landscape. They're strongly associated with frogs and damp habitat, so they're more likely around creek lines, drainage areas, dams and other places where water collects. They're venomous, but they're generally reluctant to confront people. A red-belly moving through vegetation isn't hunting you. It's usually trying to get somewhere or looking for prey. Give it space. Where problems arise is when people, dogs or other animals approach the snake and prevent it from escaping. If a Red-bellied Black Snake is somewhere around the house that requires removal, keep watching it from a safe distance and give us a call.
Brown Tree Snakes are another species that fits comfortably into the Duffys Forest environment. They're nocturnal and excellent climbers, with large eyes suited to hunting after dark. Birds, lizards and small mammals form part of their diet. They can turn up around sheds, trees and buildings as they follow prey. Brown Tree Snakes are mildly venomous but aren't regarded as dangerous to humans. They can nevertheless bite readily if somebody grabs or corners them. There's no good reason to test that. Leave the snake alone.
Then there are the Lace Monitors. These large goannas are perfectly suited to the forested country around Duffys Forest. They're powerful climbers and can move surprisingly quickly when they want to. A big adult crossing the lawn or climbing a tree can be intimidating, but Lace Monitors aren't roaming the suburb looking to attack people. Most should simply be left alone. Occasionally one gets trapped inside a building, enclosed yard or other confined space. That's when assistance may be necessary.
When should you actually remove a snake?
This is an important question in Duffys Forest. Not every snake needs a snake catcher. If you've got a Diamond Python moving through trees well away from the house, there's generally little reason to relocate it. Likewise, a harmless Green Tree Snake crossing the garden is usually best left to continue on its way.
Professional snake removal in Duffys Forest makes more sense when a snake is:
inside your house
trapped somewhere
inside a frequently used shed or stable
around an animal enclosure
beside a pool or entertaining area
repeatedly appearing immediately around the house
somewhere that creates an unavoidable conflict with people
We're not interested in removing wildlife unnecessarily. The aim is to solve genuine problems safely.
Bushland isn't necessarily the problem
People sometimes look at the bush behind their property and assume that's why a snake has appeared beside the house. But it's worth looking closer. What's around the house itself? A shed full of mice can be more attractive to a snake than several hectares of bushland. Chicken feed, horse feed and bird seed can support rodents. Timber stacked on the ground provides shelter. Sheets of building material create excellent hiding places. Dense vegetation against buildings makes movement easier. The snake may simply be responding to what's available.
Commercial snake repellents aren't.
We don't recommend ultrasonic devices, sprays, powders or other products claiming to create a snake-proof barrier around your property.
About Chris Williams
Chris Williams founded Urban Reptile Removal after more than three decades working professionally with Australian reptiles. His career has included working with reptiles at Taronga Zoo and the Australian Reptile Park, and he later founded Snake Ranch, which grew to become Australia's largest reptile breeding facility. Chris has written or co-authored eight books on Australian reptiles and amphibians, including Urban Reptiles and Reptiles of the Greater Sydney Region. He has served as President of the Australian Herpetological Society since 2014 and now works full-time catching and relocating snakes and other reptiles throughout Greater Sydney. Urban Reptile Removal — 0418 633 474
Create a cleaner zone around the house
You're never going to make a Duffys Forest property completely snake-free. Nor should that really be the objective. Instead, concentrate on creating a less attractive zone immediately around the house and the areas your family regularly uses. Keep grass and vegetation manageable. Raise stored timber and materials off the ground. Control rodents. Secure animal feed. Remove unnecessary clutter around sheds and buildings. Make it harder for prey animals to establish themselves and remove obvious hiding places. That's practical snake management.
Need a Snake Catcher in Duffys Forest?
If you've got a snake somewhere that genuinely requires removal, don't chase it and don't try to catch it yourself. Stay a safe distance away and maintain visual contact. Then call: Urban Reptile Removal — 0418 633 474 Professional snake catching and snake removal in Duffys Forest, seven days a week.