Gwarder/ Western Brown snake

The Gwarder is an elapid snake, has fixed front fangs. It has large venom glands.

This snake was photographed at the Armadale Reptile Centre where they have observed it scooping sand out from under objects. And they have seen this snake trying to eat another Gwarder snake.

This snake is in the Brown snake group.

This species has many different colour variations making it difficult to identify in the bush, some are banded and not banded in the same clutch. It looks like this species is going to become many several species with chromosome testing. (See below for a website about this). Some are patterned some aren't. In the southern areas this snake may also go darker in winter to absorb more heat.

It is found throughout the whole of Western Australia except for the lower south-west as it prefers the drier parts of the state.

It is approx 1.8m long in total length although there are 'stories' of 3m snakes have been seen in Northern Australia.

It shelters in unused mammal burrows at the base of a tree, under fallen timber, inside small holes and under flat rocks.

What does it eat?

Lizards such as geckos and skinks form a big part of its diet and the introduced European mice now are also taken along with the occasional small bird and mammals.

It has been observed in captivity eating mice backwards i.e. tail first.

This is the Gwarder/ Western Brown snakes skin.

The scale under the tail is divided. Except for the blacksnakes all snakes that have the divided scale are egg-layers.

This is a fast-moving alert snake mostly diurnal but occasionally nocturnal.

The inside of the mouth is black (not that you want to get that close to have a look).

It is one of Australia's most abundant snakes due to its ability to adapt to its hot environment.

This snake is reluctant to bite but if cornered this snake will repeatedly bite.

Go here to see a completely different looking Gwarder/Western Brown snake.
http://www.kingsnake.com/oz/snakes/elapids/pnuchalis.htm
Go here for those of you who want more info on the break-up of this species into separate species.
www.liasis.net/ebooks/pseudonaja.pdf

Text;
CD Rom "Australian Reptiles and Frogs" by Herald Ehnann and Micheal Tyler.
"Revised Edition Dangerous Snakes of Australia An Illustrated Guide to Australia's Most Venomous Snakes" by Peter Mirtschin/ Richard Davis.
"Australian Snakes A Natural History" by Rick Shine