Fauna, OM-1, Photography

Deadly return

It’s been a while, let’s recap …
You might remember this toilet door from my last post about two months or so ago. Well, a lot and not much had happened since then.

My house now has a new family living in it. I’m currently rich and homeless but being well taken care of by very kind neighbours while I search for a new home.

I caught a flu one week after settlement that absolutely floored me which I’m still recovering from three weeks later – so no fun or celebrations for me yet, though I did go to see a band – “The Whitlams”, just before I crashed!

Anyway, I’ve been resting and recovering with plenty of time for quiet contemplation, and waiting for something exciting to post about, other than the fantastic meals I’ve been making and photographing with my phone. (boring right?)

So, what better way to kick off, than one of the worlds most venomous snakes?

So why the toilet door first? This Tasmanian Tiger Snake (also called a Red Bellied Black Snake) has taken up residence about a meter (3 foot) away from the toilet door! I first saw it this morning, flattened out warming up in the sun, but my lovely hosts have watched it for a week while I’ve been house and dog sitting for another neighbour.

It’s probably under my feet right now while I type this, it has a hole that it disappears into under my “loungeroom” floor. I hope there isn’t a hole to inside!!

Most peoples reaction would be “KILL IT!!!!”, but it is absolutely beautiful! I am way more scared of tiny spiders than I am of a deadly Tiger Snake. It now knows I’m about and we have been watching each other, both with our own caution, the snake so far scurrying away before I do.

I make a bit of noise if I need to use the loo, so it knows I’m coming. Luckily it was cold and raining this morning, so I was up and about before it got active.

It seems to me that it may have hibernated there over winter with me completely unaware. I have been popping out every 20 mins or so today and it is always there, lying near it’s hole.

It could quite possibly be a nesting female – though it’s a bit early for that yet. Tiger Snakes don’t tend to breed until mid- late summer, around February. They are known to get aggressive and will chase you!!

For now, I guess we will both nervously co-exist. This is Australia after all, I live in the bush, it’s the snake’s home too. As long as it leaves me alone, I will leave it alone. Though I haven’t seen many snakes over the years, maybe six in thirty odd years, they are likely about and we are just oblivious.

My hosts have called “Reptile Rescue”, in the hope that it can be politely relocated. They don’t seem great at returning calls. In the meantime, I get to admire and photograph this magnificent creature with caution.


Olympus OM-1, Olympus 75-300 f4.8-6.7 II ED MSC.
I updated my camera’s firmware a few weeks ago, the eye tracking and head focus has improved – even on snakes!

Thanks for visiting, stay safe! 😀

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TasView (Tone)

Tone Bacon - Tasmanian photographer. tasview.com

18 thoughts on “Deadly return”

  1. Wow, Tone, you live a dangerous life! There’s no way I would be near that snake. 💀 Welcome back, I was wondering where you went. I hope the snake is politely relocated very soon! I have walked the desert floor outside of Las Vegas many times and have never seen one snake or a Desert Tortoise…

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  2. Tasmanian Tiger Snakes are beautiful snakes. Fantastic photos. Snakes usually don’t want to mess with people and try to escape them.

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      1. Best way to get deadly snake photos. Snakes will strike at lenses. I’ve heard of people being bitten trying to photograph snakes because they didn’t realize they were in the snake’s striking range.

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    1. Thank you 😀 It’s been a challenge the last few week as I like to be active but have been forced to rest. The Universe telling me to slow down perhaps. Even any modest excursion comes back to bight me, which is frustrating. I sure am learning a lesson in patience! Good health is so important.

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      1. you are right! it is very hard to ignore the pleas of a suffering body! this certainly motivates maintaining wellness as much as possible, & patience & acceptance for the not- currently-possible🙏🏼👍🏼🌹

        great snake pix!!👍🏼❤️

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