This was found in the dog's pen today. Is it dangerous?

Dead!

 

Why did you kill it?

Yep, that's a snake alright.

 

Looks like a chequered keelback.

I'm one of those people not educated in snake ID. I try not to kill anything, really, but these things creep me out. The dog was freaking out as well. The wife actually wacked it to death with a long bamboo pole. Everytime she went to pick it up with the pole to move it the snake came alive, about 4 times. Still not sure if it's dead so she just flung it out into the field. Can you tell me if it's dangerous?

here's another picture......

It's certainly not dangerous in dead mode...

If it is a chequered keelback it's not dangerous, there's loads of snakes that hang around our garden that are not poisonous and they do a good job of getting rid of frogs and bugs, tree snakes in particular. Don't kill any more and don't let your wife either, it's not necessary.

I would go with a Keelback too...

ignorance kills another snake

10 minutes ago, HooHaa said:

ignorance kills another snake

I hope you haven't stepped on any ants today!

8 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

I hope you haven't stepped on any ants today!

why would i?

i know what they are.

If i have however it was accidental. 
 

OK, thank you everyone, and yes I carry some guilt over this. How do I recognize the good ones from the bad ones though? I appreciate your education.

There is some few good fb groups you can join where you almost dayly will get pics from other members for id snakes, and learn day by day. Try to find one close to your hometown. 

 

Here is one

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1749132628662306/?fref=ts

Thanks, Hummin

 

Here is some more groups 

 

Snakes of Bangkok - https://www.facebook.com/groups/2004459626509147/

Snakes of Chiang Mai - https://www.facebook.com/groups/121136308469728/

Snakes of Pattaya - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1690357437927914/

Snakes of Phuket - https://www.facebook.com/groups/124703794775304/

1 hour ago, streetlite said:

his was found in the dog's pen today. Is it dangerous?

No

It is dead

don't worry

There really is no need to kill any snake... Most will try to avoid you anyway. 

I understand peoples concern, where kids and cobras come into close proximity, but otherwise, leave them alone..

51 minutes ago, simoh1490 said:

If it is a chequered keelback it's not dangerous, there's loads of snakes that hang around our garden that are not poisonous and they do a good job of getting rid of frogs and bugs, tree snakes in particular. Don't kill any more and don't let your wife either, it's not necessary.

 

What is good about getting rid of frogs?

9 minutes ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

What is good about getting rid of frogs?

...because they attract snakes 

Most incidents happens because untrained people try to kill or remove the snakes that is dangerous, while the mor harmless snakes gets killed by people, cats and dogs. Just leave them alone, and find your local snakes guy who can replace them. 

I agree that it was a chequered keelback.

From my snake book: "This active snake bites fiercely but harmlessly."

55 minutes ago, streetlite said:

OK, thank you everyone, and yes I carry some guilt over this. How do I recognize the good ones from the bad ones though? I appreciate your education.

Training your  Wife not to  kill them will be way harder, Thai mindset = "any snake dangerous"  when a  good  80%+ arent. Heres a  beauty I had tuther  week I love to see them

1 hour ago, streetlite said:

here's another picture......

Not, if it is dead. I guess it is a keelback, dangerous for rats and mouses.

That one looks pretty small but we've had some huge suckers in the trees in front of our house.  Once, a big snake suddenly dropped out of a tree and landed on the ground a few meters away from me.  The dogs all took an interest and I had to hold them back while the snake hastily made its way back up into the trees.

 

I would be worried about the safety of my cats.  They're all indoor cats but occasionally one manages to get outside.

10 minutes ago, attrayant said:

 

 

I would be worried about the safety of my cats.  They're all indoor cats but occasionally one manages to get outside.

Most cats is a bigger problem to snakes, than snakes are to cats. 

Malayan pit viper  -deadliest snake in Thailand...

1 hour ago, Hummin said:

Most incidents happens because untrained people try to kill or remove the snakes that is dangerous, while the mor harmless snakes gets killed by people, cats and dogs. Just leave them alone, and find your local snakes guy who can replace them. 

I have cobras inside my home every now and then. I have found that getting them out is a good exercise as heart rate tends to get pretty high during these events :)

One way to push a cobra from a corner is to throw hot water on it's tail. The snake escapes as fast as it can.

1 minute ago, oilinki said:

I have cobras inside my home every now and then. I have found that getting them out is a good exercise as heart rate tends to get pretty high during these events :)

One way to push a cobra from a corner is to throw hot water on it's tail. The snake escapes as fast as it can.

Or you can get proper help, and it might get them out of your house for a longer period. Maybee starts looking for why the snakes comes so often to your house is also a good idea. 

 

As long the hot water do not harm them, it should be ok, but a ketchup bottle is a good and precise weapon in this case. Also a bottle trap is also a good thing. Google it and you will find many good ideas. 

47 minutes ago, streetlite said:

OK, thank you everyone, and yes I carry some guilt over this. How do I recognize the good ones from the bad ones though? I appreciate your education.

I wonder..... if you HAD known it was harmless or only mildly venomous, would your wife have smashed it to bits anyway?   

 

Go on the internet (as you've done) and find out what kind of snake this is.   Read about it, look at photos/videos, which helps imprint it on your memory.  Check out Vern's Thailand Snake site and e-book, and others, to become familiar with the common snakes in your area of Thailand.  You don't need to become a Jungle Jim, but a basic understanding of snakes you might encounter is useful here.
 

That's what I've done and over time, able to ID the common snakes on sight. Having said that, I've never handled a wild snake here, even if I know what it is.  I just move them along, or catch and re-locate to a nearby field/klong area.