By Jenel Hunt
Tegan Thacker used to be scared of snakes.
Now she is a licensed snake catcher who does callouts on the Granite Belt when people, usually in a bit of a panic, phone and say, “Help! There’s a snake here!“
How does such a huge transition occur?
Gradually, Tegan admits.
She was a part of a wildlife group in Redcliffe fuelling her passion for animals, but then started doing a couple of reptile courses with the group.
“The more I learned about snakes, the more I realised they’re not so scary. I think they’re quite misunderstood,” she said.
With just the tools of the trade – a snake bag and a hook – she can calmly get them in the bag for release at a place that isn’t so worrisome for people.
The job comes with considerable training.
“People who are licensed in dealing with venomous snakes train you. It’s not something you just go out and do,” she said.
She has a permit that allows her to deal with venomous snakes.
“It’s important to know how snakes work and to be able to read their body language. A snake in the sun will act more quickly than one in a cool spot. You have to realise that it could strike out quite quickly because of its ability to function and move quicker. When it’s cold a snake is more docile, slower to act.”
Tegan said people should understand that it was important not to corner a snake.
“A lot will lunge out if they feel it’s the last resort. And sometimes people will think a snake is chasing them. It’s not, it’s just trying to find a way out and to its own safety net.
“It’s a common myth that brown snakes will chase you. But their defence mechanism is to rise up and go into the S-shape, and they can come forward towards people. In reality they’re scared for their lives – they see people as predators – and they make themselves look as big as possible to scare us so they can get away.
“That mostly happens when people have cornered them and are trying to kill them. Generally they’ll only bite as last resort.”
Of course she has been bitten, but ‘only by little snakes so far’.
Tegan admitted it was bizarre that she could have gone from being scared to loving snakes so much she now has them as pets.
“But that’s something I now want to share with people. I think as your understanding grows, you stop being as scared of them.”
The thought of sharing her knowledge and love not just of snakes but also other wildlife is moving her slowly but surely towards having her own wildlife park on the Granite Belt. But that’s a story for another day. If you have a snake that needs catching and want to contact Tegan, her phone number is 0402 688 122.
