RED BELLY BLACK SNAKE

From Queensland to Victoria, Australia’s Eastern Coast,
To Red Belly Black Snakes does play host.
A long, thin, black and red snake,
Who enjoys the sun and there does bake.
They live near waterways, lakes or creeks,
And into the garden he sometimes sneaks.

Red Belly Black Snakes eggs do not lay,
Instead the young are born a different way.
The young are born in a thin membrane,
They wiggle around their freedom to attain.

They grow between 1.5 to 2.5 meters long,
And live off many small things that come along.
His favourite food is definitely frog,
He awakens and emerges from behind the log.

If cornered this snake will do a hissing display,
Not usually aggressive – they’d rather run away.
Still venomous enough to make you sick,
You need to seek treatment fairly quick.
It’s best to watch from far away,
And teach your children with these not to play.

Poem by Sourcherry
Photographs from Pixabay