Cape Town - Be careful out there, there might really be a snake in the grass.
The Western Cape Snake Rescue volunteer team says with the end of the cold winter weather, snakes and other reptiles will soon be coming out of hibernation.
On Thursday Snake Rescue’s co-ordinator, Shaun MacLeod, urged Capetonians to contact the rescue team rather than attempt to capture snakes themselves. “Most people are bitten when trying to kill or handle a snake,” he said.
“As a general rule, snakes are just as frightened of you as you (may) be of them. Often they move as quickly as possible in the other direction. Snakes will only defend themselves if threatened and will not attack anyone who leaves them alone.”
MacLeod said should a snake be spotted, it should be left alone but “kept an eye on” until the rescue team arrived. The team would then relocate the snake into the wild and “away from scary humans”.
“There is no real way of keeping snakes off your property, but if you keep your grass cut short, trees well trimmed and clean up all your building rubble, just to mention a few, then there is less likelihood for snakes to reside on your property,” he said.
Call the Snake Rescue team at 082 532 5033.
Cape Times