Range

Australia is the native home of the red-bellied black snake. Here they can be found down the east coast from Queensland through New South Wales and Victoria and across to South Australia. They stick to the coastline with the range not extending far inland.

Habitat

They can make their home in a wide-range of habitats provided they are close to a water source such as a stream, swamp or lagoon. Red-bellied black snakes have also been reported in rainforests, eucalypt forests and heath.

With the expansion of human habitations they may be found in backyards.

Red-bellied black snakes will shelter within logs, mammal burrows and under rocks.

Reproduction

Mating takes place in spring and mid-summer. During mating season males are highly mobile as they search for their mate. While looking for females they may engage in combat with other males to obtain mating rights. This combat sees the two snakes raise up their forebodies and then attempt to push the opponents body to the ground.

During mating the male will hold the female down using his head and wrap around her.

Prior to giving birth females in some areas gather in small groups. These females share a burrow and bask together. The reason these groups form are not known but it may be to provide protection against predators.

Following a successful mating the female will give birth to an average of five to nineteen young from October to March. In exceptional circumstances they may have up to 40 young. The young are born live. During the birth they are wrapped in a thin, transparent membrane which they wriggle out of to free themselves.

It is believed that the females develop the young internally rather than laying eggs to provide greater control over the temperature at which incubation takes place in cooler climates.

At birth the young measure 22cm (8.7in) long.

Sexual maturity occurs between 2 and 3 years old.

Behavior

Red-bellied black snakes are active by day. If it is warm they will be active in to the evening. They will emerge by day to bask in the sun which is used to regulate their body temperature. Basking occurs on rocks and timber.

During winter they enter a period of inactivity.

Predators and Threats

Natural predators of adult red-bellied black snakes are limited to humans. Invasive species such as the feral cat will prey on red-bellied black snakes.

Juvenile snakes are preyed upon by birds of prey, larger snakes, frogs and invertebrates such as spiders.

When threatened the red-bellied black snake will carry out a bluffing display in which they flatten their neck and create a number of deep, hissing noises.

They are equipped with a potent venom which is used for their defense.

The largest threat to their survival is invasive cane toads in their environment. They can become entirely absent from areas where this species is present.

Quick facts

They are also known as the common black snake.