Types of brown snakes

Pseudonaja is a genus of venomous snakes in the family Elapidae, the same family as cobras, mambas, and sea snakes. Our database lists 9 species, and all 9 are venomous. Despite being called brown snakes, they are not closely related to the various unrelated snakes called brown snakes in other parts of the world. The name describes their typical color, not a shared lineage, so the common name can be misleading outside Australia.

These are slim, agile, alert snakes built for speed. Color is highly variable, ranging from pale tan through reddish and grey to nearly black, sometimes with bands or speckling, which is one reason the common name is an unreliable guide. When defensive they often raise the forebody well off the ground into a distinctive S-shape. These general traits help describe the group, but they are not enough to identify a snake with confidence. Reliable identification of any wild snake should be left to a qualified expert, and you should never approach a snake to get a closer look.

The genus is best known for a serious public-health reason. The eastern brown snake, Pseudonaja textilis, is responsible for the most snakebite deaths in Australia and carries one of the most potent venoms of any land snake in the world. The venom can cause failure of normal blood clotting and, in serious cases, sudden collapse. Adding to the danger, the amount of venom delivered in a bite is often small and the bite itself can be nearly painless, which means a dangerous envenomation can be easy to underestimate.

Brown snakes range across much of mainland Australia and occupy many habitat types. They do particularly well in farmland and around the edges of towns, where introduced mice are abundant. That food supply draws the snakes into the same places people live and work, which is the main reason human encounters are common. They are fast-moving, day-active hunters that feed largely on mice and lizards, and they reproduce by laying eggs.

Brown snakes would generally rather flee than fight, but they can become defensive if cornered or threatened, and a bite from any species in this genus must be treated as a medical emergency. Australia has an endorsed first-aid method for venomous snakebite, and the standard guidance is to call for emergency help immediately on 000. Do not attempt to handle, capture, or kill any wild venomous snake under any circumstances. If a bite occurs, keep the person calm and still and rely on emergency medical professionals and current official first-aid guidance rather than improvised treatment.