I am thinking to move to Australia but i am worried about all the poisonous creatures. ?

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The Mouse II

the most important question here is "Do you know how likely it is to get bitten by these poisonous things"
and the answer is VERY LITTLE.

Venomous creatures....(not "poisonous") exists everywhere in the world. The chance of you getting bitten by one of them is probably about the same as where you are now. As long as you don't poke your fingers or hands into places you shouldn't (like.. wooden logs, dark dusty corner of an old shed) you will be fine.

It's not like we have to step over spiders and snakes everywhere we walk in Australia. Yes, they do exist but you will hardly ever see them. And if you leave them alone - they will leave you alone.

VERY VERY few venomous animals are bad enough to kill - take proper precaution and exercise common sense - say, wear appropriate shoes in the thick scrub or wild outdoors and you will be fine.

Cheers from Australia

cc_of_0z

Steve Irwin has a lot to answer for. This is why Australians got so cranky with him. Yes we have some of the most poisonous wildlife on the planet. Even so in 40 years of living here I have yet to meet even a small fraction of them all.

Australia is a big place. Think of an area the size of the continental United states, except with the population of Los Angeles to fill it with.
Australia also has a huge range of climates and habitats. Most of the nasty animals you hear about are specific to only certain areas of the country. Tasmanians for instance will never likely in their lifetime see a jelly fish. Queenslanders will never see a Tasmanian Devil in their state either.

I have lived on both coasts of Australia, in both the tropics and the cooler south. Jellyfish (specially the small stinger variety) only really occur in north Queensland, and even then only at certain times of the year. If you are out swimming, check with the life guards or the local information or shire office for when they spawn. Cane toads are only in Queensland and parts of the Northern Territory, and they don't hurt humans. I have never seen one personally. Though I am told they are pretty ugly creatures. Greater Sydney is where Funnel Web Spiders love to live. I have seen a few up close and personal when I first moved here 10 years ago. I haven't seen any since. They only come out following a wet downpour after a hot dry spell when their nests get washed out. If you find a nest you can get the wildlife people to remove them for you. Yes they are aggressive, if you see one leave it alone.

Most snakes are more scared of you than you are of them. I lived in the outback for 15 years and never saw one, ever. That was where they lived apparently. If you go out to an old country farmhouse, you might see the odd redback spider near the toilet seat. Pretty common all over Australia. Those are related to the Black Widow spider of the USA. Redbacks will leave you alone if you leave them alone. Note that Australia has had no deaths from Funnel Webs or any other pet nasty in the last decade that I can recall.

You have more chance of being hit by a car in the street than ever getting killed by our wildlife. I would be more scared of going to America, where there is the chance of being mauled by wild cats, bears and rattle snakes than I would anything in Australia. If you think that's just being silly, well that's the same chance you have of having the same happen here. 20 million people live in Australia, most of them die from their own stupidity than ever die from mother nature.

The best rule to live by in Australia - if it moves, leave it the heck alone. That goes for cuddly looking Koalas, Wombats, Platypus, Tasmanian Devils, Kangaroos and Emus too.

rustupd

i see your problem i was thinking of going to the USA but am very worried about the grizzlies bears & rattle snakes that are all over the place LIKE THEY SHOW ON TV
looks like a terrible place

stop watching tv 7 you will be better off

Thomas G

I've got 2 kids as well, so I can see why you're worried. I've got a biology degree so I'm familiar with Australias reputation for poisonous creatures though I haven't been there.

But I have lived for years in Tennessee, Colorado and currently Arizona. Homes to some fine critters like Black Widow Spiders (I caught some in our house), and various pit vipers like rattlesnakes, cottonmouths and copperheads. My co-worker in AZ has told me about the scorpion infestation at his house a few years ago, and I've slowed down my car for a good look at tarantulas crossing the road twice now.

For more information I've linked a couple of articles on snake venom below. One is old, but because it looks at worldwide snake bite the ratio of what countries have have more snakebites should be in the ballpark. Keep in mind that that because it's an old article the mortality (number of deaths) should be far lower today because of advances in medicine. The more recent article is more up to date and points out some ways to avoid snakebite. That sort of advice should help with other venomous creatures too. If you want more information you can google search what you want.

Note that toads are poisonous to eat, their bite is not poisonous. Keep toads out of your kids mouths and they'll be fine.

The further into the wild you go, the more wild animals there'll be. If you live in the city or suburbs there shouldn't be much problem.

While I haven't been envenomed by anything bigger than a wasp, it isn't from lack of trying (or so my mom would say). As a kid in Tennessee, I'd go looking for snakes. I lifted squares of sheet metal that had loads of snakes under them. It looked like hundreds when I was 10, but was probably no more than 20 snakes under the metal. And the shocker is, that after hearing Mom tell me for years how those snakes were killers who'd probably eat me alive, none of them even TRIED to bite me. Not one. They just ran away. I've even stepped over snakes I didn't see and looked down to see them slithering away right underneath me.

In college, I learned that venomous animals try to run away. Not only is there a risk that some predator could kill it before it's venom kills the predator, but if it wastes poison on some kid, it might run out if it needs some later. Some animals are more aggressive than others, but on the whole they prefer to run away.

My advice would be to use common sense, keep your eyes open and watch your kids. Get a dog (over there to avoid traveling hassles) to patrol the yard and bark at the critters to warn you. Don't let fear of critters keep you out.

Keep things in perspective. Even in Australia, deaths by venomous creatures or shark attacks aren't as common as deaths by other causes, like auto accidents.

If you're still afraid of moving to Australia, please provide a link to your job search website and I'LL go.

Cilantro

Hello :)

I have personally never been to Australia but I have 2 childhood friends and another friend that now live there...or rather, are there for Uni etc and they're fine. I also know quite a few others that live there but they're more like people that are friends with friends of mine.

I think some areas are probably more vulnerable than others as far as immediate danger with the wildlife over there so I wouldn't hold off moving to a place you really want because of fear of the species indigenous to that specific area. All places and continents have their dangerous habitats really.

If you want to move, move, although I guess I understand your concern. There is nothing to fear but fear itself though. :)

Goodluck! --I LOVE to travel too!..and especially want to visit Melbourne and Sydney one day :D

Ciao! :)

C.C

I understand your misconception. My sister married a man from England and he was almost too afraid to get off the plane. We do have allot of venomous creatures here. (Poisonous means they will poison you if you eat them) The fact is though that they generally keep to them selves. We are a big country and we have plenty of room for them and us to live together quite nicely. Basically if you don't go looking for them, they are not going to come looking for you. You may see a snake in an inner city garden or a red back spider on your shed, but just leave them alone. Jelly fish get blown on to our coastlines in the north in the summer months mainly, and if you look on the sand before you swim you can tell if they are in the water or not. And there are signs up on patroled beaches when there are stingers. Its not every day.Cane Toads are a problem mainly in Queensland but have been in the Northern territory for quite a while now and are now in top end of Western Australia. They are not native. They do not bite you and are more a threat to our unique wildlife them to humans but they are very ugly. Scorpions live in rock crevases and are nocturnal, so unless your poking around where you should not be then your not going to see one let alone get stung. Just check your shoes before you put them on if you leave them outside in arid areas. Your kids are going to be fine. Aussie kids are taught at school all about or native bities and appreciate they are a part of our wildlife and learn to appreciate them being there.

Carol

I have lived in Sydney all my life, and only come across the deadlies a couple of times. My area of Sydney (south) gets redbacks and the occasional funnelweb. Redbacks are really nonaggressive - leave them alone and they'll get the heck out of your way. You'll sometimes see a bluering octopus or two on the beach, but they're pretty obvious (and they really are blueish!). Do a little research on your area, maybe attend first aid courses out here if you're worried, but I'd second what someone else said - if it moves, leave it alone. Your kids are at a great age for teaching about this kinda stuff - just tell them to get you if they see anything. You do see them, but they're not something you come across every day. I have seen three redbacks in 38 years, and only one funnelweb. You get a sense for where they'll turn up, and any first aid course out here will tell you how to treat them. Australia is a great place for kids - they'll love the weather, and the outdoor culture here is fantastic. Good luck!

Live_For_Today

Stop stressing and relax as you don't see these poisonous creatures every day and if you live in the city, then you are unlikely to see them at all. No I haven't been bitten by any of them because the golden rule of nature is "You leave it alone and it will leave you alone", and this is true because it is just afraid of you, as what you are of it. We wouldn't have any surviving children and grand children if it was that bad here, so come on over. Cheers

dwetzlerbed

Most Australian animals are shy of humans. We rarely see any. If you leave them alone then they tend to leave you alone. But it is always helpful and useful to be cautious. Such as checking shoes before you put them on... particularly if left outside, be careful arond wet towels on the floor... as funnel webs like wetter environments and often will take shelter in towels. when in the garden just take care. teach your children what to do, and they will be fine. I have grown up in Australia and have never had any problems, my parents would tell us to stay out of bushes etc..

Just be cautious, wear gloves, and just take care.

Shadow hunter

I live in North Queensland. Jellyfish season is generally between October to April here. We have stinger enclosures in the ocean between these times for protection. There giant nets that keep the jellies out. The chances of a sting being life-threatening if you follow precautions and and swim in designated areas are fairly low. I have been stung by one before when swimming in an enclosure and honestly have never met anyone else who has been stung.

We see toads but mostly in our Wet Season (approx Dec-March). Toads are poisonous but only to other animals that eat them.

If you live in a town/city you would probably never see a snake let alone have one bite you.

People do get bitten and stung by these animals but chances are that you will never encounter them if visiting or living here. And most would make an effort to get out of your way first and only bite if threatened.

saltboxlane

If you are thinking of your children's safety, presuming you are from America, Australia would be far more safer without a doubt!

For starters we don't have a country full of people who feel it is their right to bear arms, in fact guns are banned here. If you want one, you have to have a damn good reason to get it. Our crime rate is nothing like the US, and our children have higher IQ's thanks to our education system. If you want to start talking health, it isn't expensive to die like it is in the US, we have free healthcare for all citizens.

So I guess there isn't really much to think about when you compare! I'm sure you can put up with a few bugs for a better future for your children!!

kismet

Don't panic! Come on down, you will be safe and your children will truly love it.
As with the above answers, the chances of you coming into contact with dangerous creatures is minimal if you are planning on living in suburbia (as do most of the population here).
I have met city folk who have never seen any of the creatures you mentioned, and will scream and run at the sight of a "hideous" beetle.
I hope you do get to see some creatures in their natural habitat, life is too short to remain in suburbia. Live a little!

Dominic B

well i assume your going to be in one of the major cities, so you have nothing to worry about, you did realize how australia is portrayed in movies is nothing like what its like? sort of like thinking america is a cowboy town place

(:elcie;

welll
i've lived in aus for all my life,
and i've never been (or know anyone) bitten or realy hurt by a creepie crawly.

they're not a problem unless you go looking for them.

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