Found a snake in your Melbourne home or yard? Stay calm - here is exactly what to do, what not to do, and how licensed snake removal works.
Snakes in Melbourne
Melbourne's outer suburbs, bayside areas, and properties near reserves, creeks, and bushland see snakes most often - particularly in the warmer months. Tiger snakes and brown snakes are the most common and are venomous, so a snake on your property should always be treated with caution and handled by a licensed professional.
What to Do If You See a Snake
- Keep calm and keep your distance - most bites happen when people try to catch or kill snakes.
- Move people and pets away from the area, indoors if possible.
- Watch it from a safe distance so you can tell the catcher where it is.
- Do not approach, corner, or attempt to handle it.
- Call a licensed snake catcher immediately.
What Not to Do
Never try to kill or catch a snake yourself. It is dangerous, and in Victoria snakes are protected - harming them is illegal. Most snakes will move on if left alone, but if one is inside or near where children and pets play, get a professional out fast.
How Professional Snake Removal Works
A licensed catcher safely captures and relocates the snake unharmed, then checks the property for entry points and conditions attracting snakes (rodents are a major drawcard). Reducing rodents and clearing harbourage is one of the best long-term ways to keep snakes away.
Prevent Snakes
- Keep grass short and remove woodpiles, debris, and clutter
- Control rodents - they are a snake's main food source
- Seal gaps under doors, sheds, and decking
Pest Eraze provides licensed, humane snake removal across Melbourne. Call 0416 528 547.
Cost of Professional Snake Removal
Professional snake removal in Melbourne starts from around $199, with licensed handlers able to attend urgently given the safety risk involved. Response time is usually fast, especially for snakes found near a home entrance, pool area, or where children or pets are present.
What Happens After a Snake Is Removed
Once safely captured, native snakes are relocated in accordance with Victorian wildlife regulations rather than harmed, since most Australian snake species are protected. A technician will also usually check the surrounding area - woodpiles, long grass, and gaps under sheds - for conditions that attracted the snake in the first place, to reduce the chance of another one turning up.
