Few people have actually seen a tiger snake, though most have heard of them.
They’re one of the top 10 deadliest snakes on the LD50 SC scale, so they definitely have the potential to kill you with a single bite.
Their ability to kill, and their aggression level are separate things however. Will they bite without provocation? Will they chase you? Are they mean?
I will answer these questions and more as I explain the aggressiveness of this snake.
Tiger snakes are responsible for one in six snake bites in Australia. There, they have the second highest number of snakebite related deaths behind the brown snake. They’re fairly widespread throughout the coastal areas of southern and southwestern Australia, and are renowned for their aggressive disposition.
In this article we will explore the overall aggressiveness of the tiger snake.
General Information And Behavior Of The Tiger Snake
Even though it gets its name from the alternate black and yellow banding across its body, not all tiger snakes have easily recognizable stripes. Sometimes you will find mostly dark tiger snakes with little to no stripes.
They can be found in both southwestern and southeastern Australia, but those areas don’t join and you won’t find them in between.
The tiger snake is fairly common in the areas where it’s located.
Unfortunately many of the areas where they are found are highly populated including places like Sydney, Melbourne and Perth, increasing the likelihood of encounters with this snake.
These snakes prefer areas close to water as fish and frogs are two main sources of their diet.
They aren’t limited to water however, and can even climb trees. Birds, bats, mammals, lizards and even carrion are on the menu for this voracious eater.
It is a nervous snake, very likely to bite when threatened or cornered, and it is very easy to make this snake feel that way. This is why the number of reported bites is so high.
Will A Tiger Snake Chase You?
No they will not.
This is a myth that many people believe, but it isn’t true. Some people might have even heard stories about tiger snakes, or any snake really, chasing after someone.
What a tiger snake really wants to do is get away from you.
They would rather not be anywhere near you if possible.
Unfortunately in their attempt to flee, they may go the same way you’re trying to go which may make it seem like they are chasing you.
Maybe they seek safety behind the spot where you are standing.
Let’s say the snake only wants to get into its burrow, but you’re blocking the way without knowing it. The snake might make a mad dash for its home, and you’ll see it as the snake coming after you.
If you were to run a short distance from a tiger snake and turn around to look, you would see that the snake is probably already gone. Tiger snakes may take a stand in a defensive posture to warn you, but they will not chase you.
How Likely Is It That A Tiger Snake Will Bite?
As I said earlier, these snakes are fairly nervous.
They are also ravenous eaters that will strike out at almost anything that moves in hopes that it’s food.
If given enough space, the snake is unlikely to bite.
Tiger snakes grow to an average of around five feet, and their strike range covers a little over a third of their overall length.
A five foot long tiger snake typically has a strike range of around two feet.
Staying at least the snakes full body length away is a fairly safe distance, though you still have a chance of receiving a bite. Your best bet is to stay as far away as possible.
At the very least you should maintain a minimum distance of three times the snakes full length. For a five foot long snake this would be 15 feet.
It’s pretty hard to tell a snakes length when it’s coiled up though, so just stay away!
How Can You Tell When A Tiger Snake Is About To Strike?
When threatened, the tiger snake puts on a pretty impressive, often aggressive display.
The snake will inflate and deflate its body repeatedly, and hiss loudly as a warning.
There is no mistaking its threatening body posture. It keeps its head pointed directly at the the perpetrator, ready to deliver an accurate and potentially lethal bite.
The front part of its body is usually raised slightly off the ground, and the front third of its body is tensely held in a loose curve, poised and ready to strike.
Facing an aggressive tiger snake that is ready to bite leaves no doubt in your mind as to its intent.
This threat is no bluff. It plans to bite, and is preparing itself.
When Are Tiger Snakes Most Aggressive?
Besides the obvious situations, such as when they feel threatened, there are other times when you can expect a tiger snake to be aggressive.
These snakes are diurnal, which means they are most active during the day. They might also be active into the evening on particularly hot days. You should be most wary of them during daylight hours.
Breeding season is another time these snakes could become more aggressive.
Breeding season for tiger snakes takes place in the spring.
Males compete with one another through a wrestling combat where each tries to hold down the head of the other. In this way they win the right to mate with a female.
During this time, these snakes can be easily agitated and more aggressive than normal.
Are Babies More Aggressive Than Adults?
Baby snakes tend to be more nervous and skittish than their adult counterparts.
They are typically more willing to bite, as they feel threatened more easily and feel a greater need to defend themselves. In this way you could say that babies are more aggressive than adults.
Summary
Are tiger snakes aggressive?
I think that we have shown in this article, that these snakes are definitely aggressive.
They won’t purposely go out of their way to find you and bite you, but they won’t hesitate to deliver a potentially lethal strike if you are too close.
These snakes live in areas that are often heavily populated, increasing the risk to humans. Like all snakes though, the tiger snake prefers to just be left alone, and will retreat to safety if given the opportunity to do so.
Check out this article I wrote about Australian snakes if you want to learn more!