Bella Vista Snake Catcher
If you need a Snake Catcher Bella Vista residents or businesses can rely on, call Urban Reptile Removal on 0418 633 474. We provide professional snake removal services throughout Bella Vista seven days a week and regularly attend homes, apartment complexes, business parks, commercial properties, schools and public reserves across the suburb.
Bella Vista is often associated with modern residential estates, corporate campuses and well-maintained parklands, but it also contains an extensive network of waterways, drainage corridors, retention basins and bushland reserves that support a surprising amount of reptile activity. The suburb sits within a broader wildlife corridor linking the Hills District with neighbouring green spaces, allowing reptiles to move throughout the area despite ongoing urban development.
Red-bellied Black Snakes are commonly encountered around waterways and drainage systems, while Eastern Brown Snakes occasionally appear in open grassed areas, reserves and undeveloped land. Many callouts occur around landscaped gardens, retaining walls, detention basins, walking tracks and properties bordering reserve land. As Bella Vista continues to grow, snake sightings remain a regular occurrence wherever suitable habitat and food sources persist.
The species we see most often
Red-bellied black snake. Common in Bella Vista near the lake, creeks, drainage lines, frog-friendly gardens, and shaded properties. Glossy black with a red or pink underside. They feed on frogs, skinks, fish, and small snakes, and bask on warm surfaces in the morning before retreating to shade. Venomous, but shy. They flee if given space. Should only be handled by a professional.
Golden-crowned snake. Small, slender, and active mostly at night. Pale yellow marking across the head, pink or reddish underside. Venomous, but bites usually produce only mild local symptoms. Often mistaken for baby brown snakes because of their size. They hide under garden edging, rocks, mulch, and in damp shaded corners. Most active after rain, frequently seen crossing pathways and driveways.
Diamond python. Large, non-venomous, calm by nature. Black scales with yellow or cream rosette patterns. Common across Bella Vista because the suburb has what they need — rats and possums to hunt, plus the warm rooflines, rafters, retaining walls, and trees that suit them. They feed on rodents, which makes them beneficial. We encourage residents to leave them alone where it's safe to do so. When relocation is needed, their size and strength means it should be done by a trained handler.
Green tree snake. Slim, fast, harmless. Bright green, olive, grey, or almost black, with a yellow underside. They move quickly through hedges, fences, pool areas, garages, and roof edges. When startled, they flatten their bodies and show flashes of pale blue between the scales — alarming but not dangerous. Not venomous. Still need a trained catcher to safely relocate from a home.
Blue-tongued lizard. Not a snake, but the most common reason Bella Vista residents call us thinking they've seen one. Heavy-bodied skinks that rustle loudly through vegetation, hiss, and display a bright blue tongue when threatened. They hide under pot plants, garden equipment, decks, and warm corners. They eat snails, insects, fruit, and pet food, and are excellent for the garden. We'd rather come out for a blue-tongue than not come out and find out it wasn't.
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Where snakes hide in Bella Vista properties
The places we find snakes most often:
Behind hot water systems and air conditioners
Under pot plants and raised tubs
In garages behind storage
Beneath retaining walls and sandstone blocks
In roof cavities and wall gaps
In sheds behind tools or equipment
Under timber, tiles, or leftover materials
In thick shrubs, bushes, and bamboo
Around pool pumps and shaded mechanical areas
In compost heaps and mulch piles
Behind water features, statues, and rockeries
Along fence lines and narrow side passages
Under outdoor furniture and covers
Beneath decks, stairs, and raised garden structures
When you call us, you don't need to follow the snake. We use species behaviour, temperature, time of day, and property layout to work out where it's likely gone and locate it from there.
After we leave
We'll explain what brought the snake in and what can be done to reduce future visits. Chemical repellents, powders, and ultrasonic devices don't work — there's no evidence for any of them despite the marketing. What does work is removing the conditions: control rodents (the biggest single factor on most Bella Vista properties), keep grass and edges trimmed, lift stored items off the ground, clear leaf litter, organise sheds and garages, store timber off the soil, secure outdoor pet food, seal small gaps, and trim vegetation back from walls and fences.
A few things people often ask
Did I do something wrong? No. Snakes move through every suburb in The Hills Shire. Your property isn't the reason — it's just on the route.
Does one snake mean there's a nest? No. Snakes don't form nests in suburban yards, don't live in groups, and don't travel in pairs. One sighting almost always means one snake.
What attracted it? Almost always rodents or frogs. Bella Vista's mix of landscaped gardens and water features supports both, so prey activity is fairly steady year-round. The food drives the predator.
If a snake is inside the house
A snake indoors is an emergency. They get in through open sliding doors, garage gaps, gaps near pipes, ventilation openings, and damaged seals. Leave the room, close the door behind you, and call 0418 633 474.
Harmless Green Tree Snakes are still common in Bella Vista https://urbanreptileremoval.com.au/sydney-reptile-advice/faq-after-encountering-a-green-or-common-tree-snake-dendrelaphis-punctulatus
About Chris Williams
Chris Williams has spent more than 35 years working with reptiles and amphibians throughout Australia and is widely recognised as one of the country's leading herpetologists. Since 2014, he has served as President of the Australian Herpetological Society, helping to promote reptile education, research and conservation nationwide.
His professional background includes roles with the Australian Reptile Park and Taronga Zoo, as well as extensive field experience working with reptiles across New South Wales. Chris is also the founder of Snake Ranch, which grew to become Australia's largest reptile breeding facility.
In addition to his field and zoo work, Chris has authored seven books on Australian reptiles, amphibians and wildlife. He is regularly interviewed regarding reptile interactions. Through Urban Reptile Removal, he continues to train and mentor snake catchers throughout New South Wales, ensuring the highest standards of safety, professionalism and reptile expertise are maintained across the network.
