Growing Number Of Fat Snakes Traced To Mice Plague, No Cause For Alarm

It is snake season, something that normally starts in September and lasts until March. For those who are understandably afraid of these reptiles, this recent update is likely to get you worried.

According to Australian snake catcher Sean Cade, the snakes spotted right now are a bit odd. They are fatter and venomous, something that is uncommon.

Proof of that is Cade removing an extra-large six-foot eastern brown snake from a western Sydney home at the beginning of this month. The body of the reptile was reportedly as thick as a beer bottle.

However, that was not the only brown snake that the snake catcher came across. He alleged that he removed more than a dozen five-foot of them. That is aside from red bellies that, according to him, are bigger.

Despite revealing the number of large snakes he has come across, Cade explains that bigger ones are indeed coming out. However, it does not follow that snakes are coming out in more than usual numbers. They are only healthier.

Cade has yet to reveal why this is happening. But a mouse expert may provide some clarity.

There was that mouse plague the hit western North-South Wales at the start of the year and Steve Henry feels that the rodents may be the reason why a lot of fatter snakes are being reported.

"The mice are providing great food for snakes," Henry said. "(But) while there are plenty of mice, there are also plenty of frogs due to the wet weather.”

Like Cade, Henry believes that a lot of healthy snakes may be seen but not more than normal. In short, there is no reason to believe that there will be a plague of snakes to worry about.

As for the mouse plague, he adds that it is still too early to tell if a second wave is coming. Winter and wet weather have slowed the rate of breeding.