By Cameron Weston
A SNAKE recently bit an adventurous one-year old in Newport.
It was touch and go for a while, but she escaped the ordeal with a shaved leg and eight of her nine lives intact.
Mussy, a very lucky black cat, wandered into harm’s way in the the Newport Lakes area when the reptile, believed to be a tiger snake, struck.
Veterinarian Philippa Molnar, who treated Mussy at the Hobsons Bay Vet Clinic, said while cats tended to react slowly to snake venom, a similar bite could kill a dog within half-an-hour of being bitten.
Ms Molnar cautioned pet owners in the area to be aware of snakes and the danger they posed to family pets at this time of year.
Mussy’s near miss was also a timely warning to everyone, human and animal alike, that snakes are already out this year, with the early onset of spring.
Park Ranger Michelle Gooding said snakes were relatively common around Newport Lakes and Hobsons Bay, particularly in areas with dense vegetation.
“Because we are a coastal area, we have a lot of water and low creek lines, and they tend to live near water.”
Ms Gooding said tiger snakes were a common variety in the Hobsons Bay area.
“They are venomous but they don’t attack people. People will say that a snake chased them, but they don’t actually do that.
“It’s just a matter of being aware that they are out there and, if you see them, allow them to move away.
“Just allow the snake to move off into the under-brush and give it a wide berth.
“Cats around Newport Lakes need to be kept around the house, or in the backyard if possible. Dogs need to be kept on a lead.”
Ms Gooding also urged residents to keep grass cut short, and to remove junk from backyards because it makes a safe haven for snakes.
And she warns people to be aware that rats and mice around the house or yard are a food source for snakes and could draw them closer.
She said residents with a frog or duck pond should also be more aware of snakes. “Anything that collects water will attract them.”
Nearby hospitals with anti-venom are the Western Hospital, in Sunshine or Footscray, Werribee Mercy Hospital or Williamstown Hospital.
People finding a snake should call Hobsons Bay City Council on 9932 1000 or snake catcher Tom Vida on 0418 379 064.
