Photo: C & D Frith
Australian Tropical
Reptiles & Frogs |
Eastern Brown Snake (Pseudonaja
texilis)
- The Eastern Brown snake is found along the entire length of the east coast of
Australia, ranging from the tip of Cape York, along the coasts and inland areas of New
South Wales, Victoria and South Australia across the Eyre Peninsula and reaches as far as
half way across the west cost of South Australia.
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| Colour:
As its habitat ranges, so too does the colouring of this snake, it may be any
shade of brown. Ranging in colour from pale to dark brown, russet, orange to nearly black.
Juvenile snakes have different colouring, a blackish head and banding on the
nape. The body may be uniformly banded with dark cross-bands or may be irregularly
reticulated by dark tipped scales.
Habitats:
- This snake is fast alert and sunloving, but may become active on hotter nights.
- It occupies a range of habitats from wet dry sclerophyll and heaths of coastel
areas and ranges through savannah woodlands to inland grasslands and arid scrublands.
Diet:
- This snake is very dangerous and venomous.
- It kills its prey by venom and constriction. This method of killing may be a
means to killing tjhe prey quickly or to prevent the prey from striking the snake while
the venom takes effect.
- The snake feeds mainly on reptiles and small mammals.
Size:
- The average length of this snake is 1.5 meters but it can reach lengths of up to
2.25 meters.
- It lays clutches of between 10 and 35 eggs.
Viewing Opportunities:
- It is extremely unlikely that you will ever see an Eastern Brown Snake in the
rainforest or on any of the walking tracks.
- The only sighting opportunities are in the cleared dairy pastures or farmlands
outside of the rainforest.
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