Xairu Snakes

16/08/2026

A Puff adder (Bitis arietans) finding its way through brush to freedom after a relocation.

14/08/2026

A resident in Suurbraak found a Puff Adder basking beside an outdoor deck and contacted us to have it safely relocated.
As the days become warmer, snakes are becoming increasingly active after the cooler winter months. Warmer temperatures allow them to spend more time moving and basking, while an increase in prey activity provides more opportunities for them to feed. This seasonal change is already reflected in the growing number of snake relocation calls we are receiving.
The Puff Adder was safely relocated and released in a natural area, away from homes, with plenty of vegetation and water nearby.
As snake activity increases, remember to give snakes plenty of space and avoid attempting to handle or catch them.

ID Puff Adder (Bitis arietans)
Diet: Lizards, frogs, toads, birds, rodents and other small mammals
Habitat: a wide distribution in Southern Africa except in thick forests, true desert and high mountain tops.
Venom: Haemotoxic and Cytotoxic

14/08/2026

Thank you to the Swellendam Conservancy for providing a wonderful platform for local writers—both experienced and amateur—to share articles about nature and the environment.
It’s a great opportunity to share knowledge, raise awareness and help our community learn more about the natural world around us.

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25/07/2026

Sometimes, releasing a rescued snake isn’t the end of the story.
This baby Boomslang was safely relocated after being discovered in a classroom at Bontebok School. The school staff showed great care and carefully contained the snake and called us to assist, helping ensure the children and the snake remained safe.
While preparing to release it, I noticed an injury on its side so I took it to the Hermitage Vet for an assessment. The team there went above and beyond, making time in their busy day to examine the snake. Thankfully, the injury was only superficial, and after treatment with a disinfectant spray, it was given the all-clear for release.
The young Boomslang went back where it belongs - safely released into suitable habitat away from town.
A heartfelt thank you to the staff at Bontebok School and the incredible team at Hermitage Vet. Your compassion gave this little snake a second chance to be wild and free.

ID: Boomslang (Dispholidus typus)
Behaviour: mainly active during the day, agile climbers with excellent vision, they are shy snakes and tend to avoid people.
Features: keeled scales, large eyes with round pupils, juveniles have emerald green eyes. They are usually 30 cm to 1 m in length and can reach 2.1 m
Diet: chameleons, lizards, birds and rodents.
Venom: Haemotoxic

16/07/2026

🎉 WORLD SNAKE DAY GIVEAWAY! 🐍

To celebrate World Snake Day, we're giving away TWO brand-new ASI Elite Snake Tongs to two lucky South African followers!

🏆 Prizes:
• 1 × ASI Elite 1m Snake Tong
• 1 × ASI Elite 1.5m Snake Tong

Entering couldn't be easier!
✅ Share this post.
✅ Leave a comment telling us which snake species you commonly come across in your area.

That's it – you're in the draw!
Whether it's a Puff Adder, Mole Snake, Brown House Snake, or something else entirely, we'd love to hear what you see where you live.

📍 Competition is open to South African residents only.
⏰ Entries close: Midnight on 16 July 2026.
🎉 Winners will be announced: Monday 20 July 2026.
Good luck, and Happy World Snake Day! 🐍

16/07/2026

Today is World Snake Day. Here’s an article about some of our local snake species and the story of how Xairu Snakes got started.

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02/06/2026

A message came through on our community WhatsApp group today from a resident requesting identification of a snake which he’d safely secured in a bucket. The snake was discovered by workers while clearing vegetation in the garden. I went over and transferred it into one of my buckets and released it in a safe place shortly afterwards.
Thank you to Ian for reaching out and arranging for the snake to be safely relocated.
Another great example of community working together to protect wildlife.
ID Herald Snake (Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia)
Other names: Red-lipped snake, White-lipped snake, Rooi lippie
Behaviour: Nocturnal
Size: averages 30-50cm and can reach 1m
Diet: Frogs and Toads
Venom: Mildy venomous but not dangerous to people or domestic animals.

29/05/2026

Brown water snake relocated from a house in Suurbraak yesterday.
Although temperatures are dropping, snakes are still active on warm days and this young harmless snake was found in the bathroom of a Suurbraak household by the domestic worker who showed great care for the snake by calling for it to be safely relocated.
Released in a stream near the wider Buffeljags river shortly after.
ID: Brown water snake (Lycodonomorphus rufulus)
Behaviour: Semi-aquatic and terrestrial
Diet: Small fish, frogs and toads
Identifying features: Scales are smooth, the eyes and nostrils are close to the top of the head and the belly is mother-of-pearl, yellow or pink in colour.
Non-venomous and harmless to people

18/05/2026

Common Night Adder safely relocated today.
Suurbraak resident Frido noticed a group of workers at the building site next to his restaurant, In Paradise, gathered together taking photos and suspected they may have found a snake. After going over and confirming it was a snake, he contacted me to assist with the relocation.
The prominent V-shaped marking extending from roughly between the eyes to the back of the head, together with the dark rhombic markings on the back and the tail, are key features that help identify this species.
I used the ASI 80cm Mini snake tongs, which are ideal for working with smaller venomous snakes. The Night Adder remained calm throughout the relocation and didn’t become defensive or agitated.
It seems that these adders are sighted more regularly at the start and end of the warmer months here in !Xairu.

ID Common Night adder (Causus rhombeatus)
Other names: Rhombic Night Adder, Gewone Nagadder,
Length: Adults average 30-60cm but can reach 1m.
Habitat: Favours damp localities
Diet: Mainly frogs and toads
Venom: Cytotoxic

14/05/2026

This morning there was a request for snake identification on our community WhatsApp group. Four of our snake catchers were active in the chat and identified the snake as a Boomslang, which surprised some of the nearby residents due to its small size and colouration.
Boomslang are roughly 20–40 cm in length when they hatch. Unlike the adults in the Western Cape - where females are typically brown and males are black above with white or yellow underneath - hatchlings look very different to the adults.
Young Boomslang are usually light grey to brown with irregular speckling along the body, bright yellow or orange colouration on the neck, and have striking emerald-green eyes. They are highly venomous from birth, so caution is still required when handling them.
None of the snake catchers were available to relocate the snake at the time, so I phoned and guided her through safely securing the snake herself using a bucket and a soft-bristled broom with a long handle. With the assistance of one of the workers on site, the snake was guided into the bucket and later released near a forest away from the houses.
Boomslang are completely independent from the time they hatch and only develop their adult coloration once they are close to a metre in length.
A big thank you to Iolanda for reaching out for help and safely releasing the snake, and to Rico for assisting with the capture.
This was a great example of residents and snake catchers working together through our WhatsApp group to protect our local snakes.
ID Boomslang (Dispholidus typus)
Other names: Tree snake
Behaviour: Active during the day and are excellent climbers, spending much of their time in trees though they can be found basking on the ground. They sometimes enter houses in !Xairu.
Diet: Birds, chameleons, lizards and frogs
Venom: Haemotoxic and highly venomous