Ranger Rob - Murray District Licenced Snake Catcher

18/09/2025

G’day Pinjarra and Murray Districts!

We’ve moved rapidly through the cold and wet of winter and suddenly, snake season is on us again and there are sightings already around town.

As usual, I’ll be around these next few months to help you out - text or call me on 0461 513 886 if you have a snake that needs removal.

Please remember, I do this as a volunteer outside my normal shift work roster so while I don’t charge, I’m also not always able to assist or answer - in this case I recommend checking out the Shire of Murray webpage for other snake catchers in the area if I’m taking longer than say, 15 minutes to get back to you.

To help me help you…

Please keep an eye on the snake, especially if it is outside. Many snakes are passing through and it’s not ideal for me to come out if you’ve lost sight of it in your grass as it’s unlikely I’ll be able to find it. If you know it has a usual hiding spot - like a wood pile - this is different and I’ll give it a crack.

If the snake is inside the house - close the door, keep children and pets well away. Block the bottom of the door with a towel - I’ll handle it when I arrive.

Please don’t try to catch the snake yourself. I have extensive experience, training and the right equipment for safe handling and I treat all snakes as venomous - it’s not worth the risk of you being bitten.

If you can, remember to keep your grass short and garden well kept. Keep on top of rodents - snakes will come where there is an easy feed. Block up gaps in your floors to prevent them getting in.

If you see a snake in the wild, stay calm, still and let it pass. Remember, they see you as a threat - you’re much bigger and taller. If you stay calm and don’t make any sudden movements, the snake will continue on its way and leave you alone. They bite in defence - don’t threaten them and they won’t threaten you.

There have been rare occasions of a tiger snake “chasing” someone - if they have young nearby or they’ve been seriously provoked. This is very unlikely, and in our area, dugites are more common and they’re likely to shy away from you.

I hope you won’t need me, but if you do, be in touch and I’ll do my best to help.

Stay safe!

Cheers,

Rob

18/09/2025

Hi folks, I just want to apologise to a couple of people who’ve reached out to me for assistance in the past week - I’ve been having technical problems with my business phone line (this number) so haven’t been able to get back to you in a timely manner.

This is all sorted now and I appreciate your patience.

16/04/2025

Some excellent advice from over east on handling a snake encounter.

Remember! They’re more scared of you than you are of them - so if you’re in the open, let them move on safely - you’re much larger so they want to escape.

DRSABCD…basic first aid. Let’s follow:

D: danger. Make sure it’s safe for you and a patient.
R:response. Are they awake?
S: send for help - call 000.
A: airway - make sure their mouth and nose aren’t blocked and they can breathe.
B: breathing….are they breathing? Look, listen and feel their chest for ten seconds.
C: CPR. If they’re not awake and not breathing, this is the lifesaving essential. While a course is best to learn it, 000 operators will talk you through too. Hand on the centre of the chest, other hand on top. Lean over the patient, keep your arms straight and use your body weight to push down their chest to about a third of the chest depth.

Don’t worry about breaking ribs - it’s not pleasant but it’s the least of their worries right now.

Push for 30 compressions then deliver 2 rescue breaths if you are willing - if not willing to undertake the breathing, just keep pumping at a rate of 100 compressions a minute. Get bystanders involved - you’ll tire out fast.
D: defibrillator. Grab an AED if one is handy - preferably send someone for it. 000 may be able to tell you where the nearest one is.

Keep going. CPR & defibrillation are the best bet if someone’s not breathing.

Stay safe!

07/02/2025

You’d be justified in having a bit of shock finding all these fellas in your yard!!!

Fortunately I’ve only ever had to wrangle one snake at once.

Red belly black snakes are an eastern states speciality, none locally, but they are venomous. Pretty timid snake though.

Apologies to those couple of calls I’ve had in the past two weeks that I didn’t get to - I’ve had a hectic run at work lately and was asleep at the time, but as always, I’ll do my best to help so keep my number handy - or refer to the Murray Shire website if you can’t raise me/I don’t respond in ten minutes.

Stay safe and snake wise!

More than 100 venomous snakes have been captured in a backyard in Sydney's west in what snake catchers said was their biggest find ever.

13/12/2024

Hi folks, my apologies to those I’ve missed lately, I’ve had a lot on at work and just haven’t had the time for this side gig of mine (which, as always, is free).

Letting you know though I’ll be around over the holidays including Christmas Day and Boxing Day, though I’ll be out of town for lunch on Christmas so don’t hesitate to call.

I sure hope you don’t need me but I’m here. 0461 513 886 is the magic number!

Stay safe and remember to brush up on your snake first aid, I have a post about it below.

Thankyou for your support during 2024 and Merry Christmas!

01/11/2024

There’s been a sudden spike in demand for my help in the past 24-48 hours, I suspect because of the onset of sudden hot weather & snakes being active.

I want to apologise to those whose calls I have not been able to return - I have done my best to attend to those I could in order of call & my time is limited as a volunteer.

If you do not get hold of me or get a fast answer from me, please refer to the Shire of Murray webpage for other snake catchers or search for Mandurah, Peel & other key terms.

Thankyou for your understanding. 😊

01/11/2024

I understand there was a concern raised about my handling of the dugite I relocated on Wednesday - that I was “too rough” and “using the snake for a photo opportunity”.

Several points.

I am always open to feedback. No one is perfect. But before becoming sarcastic or abusive towards me, please bear in mind this is a VOLUNTEER service I provide out of my own free time and wishes to support my local community. Criticism for the sake of being clever and not actually providing FEEDBACK is unhelpful. If you are going to snipe at me, tells what I’ve done wrong. This is NOT MY FULL TIME JOB. I have no doubt there are more skilled snake catchers than me out there. If you wish to educate me, feel free. Don’t just have a go.

Secondly, I do not use animals for “photo opportunities”. Previously, Parks & Wildlife/DCBA WA required a licence (which I held) and reporting/identification of snakes removed.

This is, granted, no longer a requirement but I still inform my local parks office of what I have caught and where, where it has been taken and a photo to confirm ID, in case I am wrong about breed. Again, while I am informed, I am no expert.

I also like to use these photos to educate the community on what certain snakes will look like, etc.

Once again. I do not charge a cent for my services. I trained as a remote mines snake catcher in 2011 and have continued ad-hoc since, and decided to set up this service for my local community. I re-train every three years with different providers to get feedback and practice. All out of my own pocket.

I do the best I believe I can and I do this out of a wish to help both my town and the animal. I actively fight for snake welfare and awareness so they are not destroyed or harmed, nor do I seek to do this myself.

Again, constructive feedback is always welcome. I can always learn. But please don’t come in here being obnoxious for the sake of looking clever.

30/10/2024

Successful day out in North Pinjarra today!

I had a call in the early afternoon for a snake in a side yard that had made itself known to the resident when her pups were outside (they are safe and well). A good probe around revealed it had left the yard - most likely spooked.

That’s the trick, they move on fast.

But I had barely got halfway home when I got a call from the literal house across the road for a snake in the BEDROOM, not what anyone wants!

Shot back over and I was able to capture this “teenage” dugite, feisty little fella behind the recliner, much to my caller’s relief.

Whether he was the same one as my first call or not isn’t sure but it shows they are around and getting active now.

Remember, I’m around, a volunteer service and (depending on my work) I’ll do my best to attend - so give me a call. (If I don’t answer, I’ll be at work, asleep or out of town - otherwise I’ll call back in minutes.)

Especially if they’re in your house!!