MACARTHUR CHRONICLE (Campbelltown, Australia) 14 October 13 Frog fix drives snakes up the wall (Evin Priest)
Red-Bellied black snakes have an insatiable appetite for frogs and will even scale fences to get their fix.
This photogenic red-bellied black has been snapped using a fence as a lookout for a tasty snack, most likely because snakes can smell better at heights.
John Russell and wife Kerri photographed the snake "posing" on top of the fence for about 15 minutes.
"My wife said 'there's a snake' and I jumped in reaction, but I saw it sitting on the fence," Mr Russell said.
"It was looking at us and we were staring back."
"It was a beautiful snake; well coloured and staring out over the street for about 15 minutes before dashing down the pole and off into the bush.
"I'd guess he was about five feet long and had marvellous agility once he decided to get out of there."
Sydney Wildlife volunteer reptile handler Neville Plumb said red-bellied black snakes "would do anything" to eat frogs and he had even rescued them from soft drink cans.
"I'm not surprised it climbed a fence and that would probably be because they can smell better at heights," he said.
"They love frogs, whereas brown snakes eat mice. I've rescued a heap of red-bellied blacks stuck in drink cans because they're after the frogs that are eating the sugar."
Mr Plumb said red-bellied black snakes are often found close to water and urged residents to use caution in summer.
"They're very common on the east coast, but they're a fairly placid snake if you leave them alone," he said.
"Their venom isn't all that strong and won't do you too much harm, unless you've got a medical condition.
"If you've been bitten, you should still apply a compressed bandage and phone 000 or move to the hospital fairly quickly."
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