What to do if a snake is in your yard
Stop what you are doing, give the snake space and keep people and pets away. An outdoor sighting is not an instruction to catch, chase or kill the animal.
Give it room to move away
Most snakes will retreat when given the opportunity. Watch only from a safe position and do not corner the animal, block its path or try to direct it with a tool or hose.
If it heads away into bushland or open land, leave it undisturbed. If it remains in an area you cannot safely avoid or disappears into a shed or beneath a vehicle, ask a local snake catcher for advice.
Guidance: Logan City Council: snake safety
Keep pets and children separate
Bring children and pets away from the sighting if you can do so without approaching the snake. Keep them clear of the area while you arrange assistance. Do not let a dog investigate, chase or guard it.
If you suspect an animal has been bitten, contact a veterinarian urgently. The human first-aid page is not a substitute for veterinary advice. If a person may have been bitten, call 000 immediately.
Record the last sighting, not a risky close-up
Tell the catcher your address, where the snake was seen and the direction it moved. A clear description of the location is useful even if you do not know the species.
Do not follow it into long grass, lift sheets of metal or reach into a woodpile to locate it. If the snake disappears, the safe response is to report that change, not conduct a hands-on search.
Plan prevention after the encounter
Once the area is safe, consider lawn maintenance, tidy storage, secure feed and repairs to building entry points. These steps reduce attractants and hiding places; they do not guarantee that a snake will never enter a yard.
Use the regional guide for general learning, not as proof that a particular animal is harmless. Colour and location alone should never be used as permission to handle a snake.
Guidance: Logan City Council: snake safety
Call 1800 4 SNAKE (1800 476 253)
If someone has been bitten, call 000. Never approach or handle a snake to identify it.