Central West lawn mowing business shares snake tips to stay safe

Mick Wright started the Wright Way Lawn Service in 2021 after more than a decade working as an arborist.

He'd just moved to Orange with his twin boys Sam and Charlie when he and his partner Fee Evans decided to go out on their own.

Since then, they've had their fair share of snake encounters around the city.

"From time to time, we certainly do," he said of seeing the slithery serpents.

In fact, he saw one just the other week while at a client's house.

So what does he do to prepare for when he does come across one?

"Snakes could be anywhere at anytime so I keep an eye out for anything that moves or looks out of the ordinary," Mr Wright said.

"Always double check. It could even be down to your hose. You might think it's out there and it could be a snake, especially if the grass is a little bit longer."

So how long is too long?

Well, in Mr Wright's experience, grass more than 10cm long provides snakes with the "ideal" spot to hunt.

Anything less than that, and you're more likely to see one sunbathing.

"If you keep your grass down, you can easily spot them," he added.

"If you see 'em then there's a good chance they'll just be passing through."

As for what someone can do to keep their yard snake-free, Mr Wright also had a few answers.

"I do some yards where they've still got bricks, metals and rocks piled up from when they were building houses that nobody has ever cleaned up," he said.

"Snakes love tall grass, weeds and the rock areas and like to travel along fence lines, so keep the amount of rubbish in your yard down."

When Mr Wright takes on a job, he also comes prepared.

As well as a first aid kit and some bandages, the businessman also wears knee-high boots so if he does happen upon a snake, he's protected as much as possible.

Although he's got some experience in spotting them, Mr Wright still makes sure to call the appropriate people to come deal with any snakes.

"I stay away from them for one, make sure nobody else is around and try to clear the area," he said.

"Always keep an eye on him and ring your local snake guy or ring the council who will put you in contact with someone who will catch the snake."

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