Just last week Keely had a rather persistent adult dugite refuse to move off during some dog training in North Beach, making it somewhat hazardous for her as well as our canine and human clients. The excessive, dense ground cover and numerous mice running around make the place very attractive for snakes. Remember, a clear and tidy garden does not provide shelter or food for snakes and their prey. Snake Avoidance is a really important part of a dog's training, and the earlier the better, however as trainers we prefer to use our own safely "contained" snakes without local ones getting in on the act.

I’ve been lucky enough to meet and work with the great man on several occasions. When I was much younger he happened to live around the corner from the zoological supply company I worked for in Richmond, West London, and he would on occasions pop in to buy some crickets or other live foods for his pet salamanders. On another occasion I had to supply and assist with the hatching of a chicken egg in his hand. I always tell my son Jack he was blessed by Sir David, he asked to rub my wife Jenny’s tummy when he could see she was pregnant back in 1995. He approached us with a beaming smile and twinkling eyes obviously delighting in the new life forming in her belly.

Sir David Attenborough OM CH CVO CBE FRS FLS FZS FSA FRSGS

He was Head of Programming at the BBC and was responsible among other great series, for commissioning the Monty Pythons Flying Circus TV shows.

Let’s hope his latest series Our Planet due for broadcast in 2019 is as good as the recent Blue Planet II proved to be.

A few of the many species named after him:

• A small flowering tree Sirdavidia solannona - of Gabon West Africa.
• Pygmy grasshopper (extinct) Electrotettix attenboroughi – found in Dominican Republic amber.
• Attenborough's goblin spider - Prethopalpus attenboroughi – A tiny spider from Horn Island Queensland.

Animal Ark Snakebite Gaiters – only $99 inc GST and postage.
Choice of tan or camo.
Online use the discount code GAITER.
Click pick up from store but we will ship for free within Australia.

Also 15% off Solo Kit. Now $471.75 inc GST and postage.
Online use the discount code SOLO.
Click pick up from store but we will ship for free within Australia.

Offers run until the end of January 2019.

Buy online at shop.animalark.com.au or telephone your order 08 9243 3044.

If disturbed these reptiles may hiss and even rear up very snake like. They are however just a harmless lizard. Legless lizards in many forms can be found around the world but Burtons is an Australasian species found throughout most of mainland Australia and even occurs in New Guinea. It is really only absent from the southern most parts of the Australian continent. They may be found in nearly all habitats from rainforest to desert, grasslands and forest and do quite well in suburbia.

They are not uncommon around Perth; I have had one appear in our garage in Duncraig. They vary greatly in colour and markings, some have longitudinal stripes whilst others may be grey or even a whitish colour.

They can use their tails to both lure prey towards them and also to distract would be predators. They feed primarily on skinks but other reptiles such as geckos, dragons and even small snakes may feature in their diet.

Females are larger than males – and usually lay 2 sometimes 3 leathery eggs. Communal nests of up to 20 eggs have been discovered. These are placed under logs, rocks and other natural cover and occasionally inside sugar ant nests. Conservation wise they suffer the usual threats - predation by cats and loss of habitat by land clearing.