ANOTHER snake-related call-out saw ET Rapid Response trek out to a St Winifreds residence in an attempt to identify and safely remove a small green snake in the complainant’s home.

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Response officer, Brenton du Plessis, who patrols the area, is familiar with snakes and after chatting with the owner, who initially thought it was a Spotted Bush Snake, looked around for the serpent.

ET’s Tony Lokker said, “The snake was located hiding inside the back of the resident’s refrigerator and was identified as a juvenile green mamba. Brenton managed to catch the little one, which was around 40cm long, and the snake was thereafter released safely away from the area.”

He said that as of late, post-floods, there have been quite a few call-outs about snake sightings. To get in touch with ET Rapid Response, contact 0861 031 111.

About juvenile green mambas:

Juvenile green mambas hatch at around 30-40cm and grow rapidly. While green mambas are a bright green snake, juveniles are often darker turquoise with green heads and light olive-green eyes.

They are docile snakes and not nearly as unpredictable as the infamous black mamba. It seldom gapes the mouth in threat display and prefers to move off into thick vegetation if disturbed, only venturing to the ground to move between trees.

At night, they may sleep curled up on branches or in the hollows of dead tree stumps. They prey mostly on birds and small rodents.

The venom is potentially lethal and in the event of a bite, the victim should be taken to the hospital immediately. However, as green mambas are docile, it is unlikely the average person would get bitten and they are best left alone. If one does end up in your house or garden, contact a nearby snake remover to get the snake relocated to a safe area.

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