Demansia psammophis
VENOM: Mildly venomous; bites may require medical assistance.
SIZE: Growing to roughly 1.1m (Avg 70cm)
LOCAL DISTRIBUTION: Yellow Faced Whip Snakes are a commonly encountered species throughout the Gold Coast, Brisbane & Scenic Rim regions.
HABITAT: The Yellow Faced Whip Snake can be found in a diverse range of habitats including sclerophyll forests, rock outcrops, wetlands and suburbia. Around the home this species is routinely encountered under rocks, logs and debris, or actively foraging for lizards through leaf litter during warmer weather.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Yellow Faced Whip Snakes are olive to brown in colouration and have two copper-orange lines running parallel from the nape down the upper third of the snakes’dorsal surface.These stripes can be less apparent on individuals nearing shed; with the whole snake appearing a dull olive colour.The head and lower tail region can have a lighter orange or yellow tinge in particularly vibrant individuals. Another distinct characteristic of this species is a small, ‘coma’ like marking around each eye which extends downwards towards the corner of the mouth.
ADDITIONAL NOTES: This species is frequently documented to be communal; as a result, finding multiple individuals in the single area is certainly possible. After each breeding season females lay a clutch of between 3-9 eggs.
SIMILAR LOOKING SPECIES: EASTERN BROWN SNAKE
It’s important to realise that many species of snake can vary in colour, pattern and size. This often makes it very hard to make a positive identification of the snake. You should always assume that a snake is highly venomous, keep your family and pets at a safe distance and call a Gold Coast snake catcher.