ALBERTON – Pet owners are being cautioned to be on high alert for snakes as their pets may fall victim to the reptiles.
According to the EMM spokesperson, Themba Gadebe, mid-August to late May is snake season and pet owners must be cautious.
A number of snakes are harmless to humans such as the the brown house snake, which may be found in back gardens searching for food after hibernation. The snakes may be a danger to pets like cats.
Snakes like the Aurora house snake, olive house snake and the red lipped snake are harmless and tend to be easily killed or captured as pets. This is an illegal and punishable act if one does not have a legal permit.
Snakes such as puff adders and rinkhals are extremely dangerous. Puff adders are instinctive, slow in pace and quick to sense danger.
The ring-necked cobra, or rinkhals, is a fast-moving snake which is good at faking death. It can be identified by the two white stripes across its neck when it spreads its hood.
If you should come across a snake:
*Give the snake the right of way
*You can scream and shout but do not move or jump
*Keep a distance of about 5m between you and the snake
*Try to remember the location of the snake to report it to an expert
*Do not attempt to kill the snake
*Call for help
If you are bitten or spat on with venom by a snake:
*Do not panic;
*Do not run or try to drive yourself;
*Get medical attention as soon as possible.
Should residents come across snakes in their residential areas, they are may contact Christopher Mthombeni on 011 999 3029 / 083 239 7774 or e-mail chris.mthobeni@ekurhuleni.gov.za for assistance.
