Snakes alive!
 

We're planning to spend about a week in the Cairns area during early July. Our itinerary would include Daintree rainforest etc. My daughter is TERRIFIED of snakes. Avoiding organised reptile shows is pretty easy but are the chances of 'bumping' into one unwittingly? Should we rather look to spend our time on the beaches?

I spend loads of time in Aussie bush and what I fear most is leeches!!. Far more plentiful than snakes. Snakes generally avoid human and will be gone before you even know they are there after they hear you coming. Some though wrap themselvesa round a tree branch for a nap and can be above your head but they are too lazy to be bothered with you. I don't think any go out of their way to attack. Hardly ever hear of a fatal snake bite.

So don't tell your daughter about the leeches and all should be fine!! If you keep moving leeches shouldn't be a worry either. If you sleep in the bush then....... (turn on twilight zone music)

I would not worry about snakes, way better chance of being killed by a motor vehicle and they don't seem to scare anyone except me.

But I saw this beetle in the grounds of my property in Cairns and it was the biggest, ancient looking. most ferocious looking and scariest beetle I ever saw ! Just as well it was dead !!

No worries. I have rarely heard of snake bite death even if we do have the most deadliest. They are just not into us.

Thanks for your reply Tassietwister. The problem is that as far as she's concerned there is no difference between a poisonous and non-poisonous snake. Essentially, what I'm trying to find out is: What is the probability of seeing snakes if we go on regular tourist-type walks (no camping or discovery-type trips)?

Not likely to see snakes if on a traditional tour. I've been around the world, and to many places that are known to have snakes. Have seen only one and it was dead in the middle of the road. Just tell your daughter that there are no snakes in the area and don't bring up the subject again.

Thanks Sandi - will take your advice!

I got caught out with that lie, once!

English tourist, terrified of most things, asked about snakes in a nationl park. Nah, says margo, out of season, hibernating, haven't seen one in years. Wandering through the NP - in March, and a huge brown snake is stretched across the path. It moved, but my cred was sure lost. I hadn't mentioned that, as I was living on the edge of the bush, on the outskirts of Sydney at the time, it was much more likely that there'd be snakes in the back yard. There are things you just don't mention.

And don't get me started about the fisherman, north of Sydney, who told my mate that sharks would come out of the water and up the beach to get you if they liked the smell of you. That was the end of him and the beach, as well!

Back to original poster - I'be never seen snakes when travelling as a tourist, except in appropriate places, which you can avoid. I'm not that fond of the critters, either. July is midwinter - any respectable snake should be having a nap!

Hi, johnstein,
I too am terrified of snakes but in all our trips to Aussie (and that is quite a few) we have never seen a snake in the wild. We've had redbacks in the swimming pool with us (we got out pretty quickly when we saw them!), lace monitor lizards watching us eat lunch, but no snakes. All our trips have involved lots of outdoor/in the bush-type activities.
I would suggest you have a quiet chat with your guides about your daughter's fear before you venture out.
Good luck. Cairns is a lovely place to visit, and there is so much to see and do in the area.

margo_oz -

Of course, there's always the possibility of getting caught and I had to chuckle reading your "gotcha ya" but, hey, go for it, and cross your fingers when saying it. I too hate snakes, so have just gotten to "not thinking about it", but still in the back of my mind am "aware."

Johnstein, I understand your daughters fear. And I can assure everyone...it makes absolutely no difference to me if they are poisonous or not. The fear of seeing one is absolutely terrifying to me.
Please do not tell her that she won't see one. She has to be aware that Australia has more than their fair share of snakes.
She's better to be prepared....and I hope she doesn't see one. As far as not seeing one...with me, it's a Murphy's Law. They DO come out when I'm around!

It's for this reason , I won't even visit Australia, no matter how irrational it is.
I chose New Zealand for my worry free vacation and what a joy it was to walk through rain forests with out having to worry.
Good luck to your daughter.

johnstein, I live 8kms out of Cairns, in a rainforesty suburb, and yes, from time to time we do see snakes. Mostly squashed on the road, and I often rescue the smaller ones, as well as birds from the jaws of the cat next door. But this cat spends hours sneaking around a searching them out. Snakes are protected animals here, if one becomes a nuisance around the house National Parks and Wildlife will remove it to a safer place (for the snake). In zoos and wildlife parks, they are obviously kept enclosed, there is almost zero chance of seeing one on a guided rainforest tour - they are sensitive to ground vibrations and take off when hear footsteps. As Margo says, July is in the winter and that's when snakes hibernate, even in the tropics.

tassietwister, that'd be a rhinoceros beetle, have often wondered why they're either dead or half dead when you find them staggering around the verandah - do you know? Not in Cairns, but much further south in northern NSW I did once see one in a confrontation with a huge cockroach - the rhino beetle won the battle. But this particular NSW beetle was well and truly alive.

Dear OP,

Look there can be no guarantee that you won't see a snake. But it is unlikely. My question to you is - why not do something about your daughter's phobia instead of allowing it to take over?

Seems God is in fashion these days - so why not tell her that they are God's creatures just like us.

Because they are - and, hey I don't think we need a "God" to think that.

John, I would second Dotty's advice about chatting with the guide before setting out. A good guide will take your daughter's fear into consideration when planning where to go and make sure you have a good day.

Pat, you used "New South Wales" and "cockroach" in the same sentence ;)