Anyone Know About Snakes?

[chuckygobyebye]

I live in Dusit which isn't acclaimed for it's wildlife but I've just evicted the second snake from my place in as many months. What's more suprising is that I live two stories up in an apartment, God knows how they manage the stairs.

Luckily they're little buggers, about as long as your hand and skinny. Black with brilliant yellow rings and a diamond-shaped head. I'm assuming this is the mature form as other people have seen them about.

Can anybody tell me what they're called?

[Farma]

You didn't include a photo.

From your description it could be a one of these snakes.

Banded Krait (very poisonous) or a Laotian Wolf Snake (poisonous)

[chuckygobyebye]

You didn't include a photo.

From your description it could be a one of these snakes.

Banded Krait (very poisonous) or a Laotian Wolf Snake (poisonous)

You know, when I posted this, I knew the first question would be 'where's the photo?' I do actually work as a photographer, but neglected to get a photo while I was chasing the scaly little worm around the apartment to the shrieks of my wife and daughter. Consider it a dereliction of duty.

I did a bit of internet research beforehand and discounted the Banded Krait as that species is too big. I think it probably is a Laotian Wolf Snake as the size and stripes seem right, but in the very few photos on the web the head doesn't look right, on my snake it seemed wider and more diamond-shaped.

[johnh101]

Most snakes with a Diamond shaped head are not venomous...............or is it the other way round...............

[jdinasia]

a krait? .. in Dusit?

[colino]

So how do are you feeling , if you think it was poisonous go to hospital better safe than dead

[chuckygobyebye]

Didn't bite me, he was probably too little anyway. I got him in a dustpan and flung him into the garden below for someone's kid to find.

[colino]

Soz thought you gota bite , it wasnt me

(hanging from my finger...)

[chuckygobyebye]

I'm not silly, I'd be off to get a pennicillin shot at the very least. So why do these goddam snakes keep coming into my apartment? I'm two floors up for God's sake.

[Momo8]

They want to make friends but that snake sounds POISONOUS! Anything black and yellow with a diamond head is poisonous lol.Buy a ferret and find out how they are getting in. Would make a nice purse...

Edited May 25, 2007 by Momo8

[nonthaburial]

Snakes in high rise apartments are certainly not new. Try checking through the back editions of the Straits Times, Singapore seems to have a real problem with this. Cobras as well as Pythons have been captured on very high floors. Theory is they come up through the drains. Be careful next time you use the thunder box, you never know whats lurking directly under the family jewels - ouch !

[khun_j]

...hating to tell you, but baby snakes are poisonous, too :o/

so no matter how wormish they seem - make sure they are not poisonous first.

wish you a snake-free future!

[Ijustwannateach]

^Yes, and sometimes they are more dangerous as they do not even know how to control the amount of venom they deliver (adult snakes will usually not waste all their venom on an animal obviously too large to be prey, but deliver a memorable warning dose).

[soundman]

^Yes, and sometimes they are more dangerous as they do not even know how to control the amount of venom they deliver (adult snakes will usually not waste all their venom on an animal obviously too large to be prey, but deliver a memorable warning dose).

I hope I never have a memorable encounter with a cobra!!!

Cheers,

Soundman.

[chuckygobyebye]

Christ! Another one, in the bath this time. Same kind of snake, I caught it and put it in a pot this time. I'll try to get a photo I'm over the shakes.

[Tim207]

Christ! Another one, in the bath this time. Same kind of snake, I caught it and put it in a pot this time. I'll try to get a photo I'm over the shakes.

Sounds to me like maybe only one snake crawled into your condo, but she left some presents behind to hatch later.

[oohlalanev]

If it looked like this

you should get an exterminator. I found two babies in my house today and was told that they are very poisonous.

[quiksilva]

The old rhyme goes "red and black danger lack, but black and yellow kills a fellow" and if I remember rightly vipers have diamond shaped heads, so it sounds poisonous.

[steverino]

The old rhyme goes "red and black danger lack, but black and yellow kills a fellow" and if I remember rightly vipers have diamond shaped heads, so it sounds poisonous.

Absolutely correct...Diamond shaped head is normally a species of Viper, and they are VERY venomous. Deadly in fact. I think you should try leaving the plugs in the sinks unless you're draining water...they probably come up the drain pipes. Check your beds every evening too, and the curtains. I would also recommend you get a pest company in, Rentokil or the like, or ask the Landlord to arrange it.

[dr_Pat_Pong]

If it looked like this

you should get an exterminator. I found two babies in my house today and was told that they are very poisonous.

If something like that was in my house I'd be drinking bulk rum

[Farma]

The old rhyme goes "red and black danger lack, but black and yellow kills a fellow" and if I remember rightly vipers have diamond shaped heads, so it sounds poisonous.

This is a good little rhyme but not entirely true about red and black lacking danger.

The Banded Malaysian Coral snake found in southern Thailand has a banded red and black tail. It has powerful venom.

Australia has a Red Bellied Black Snake that’s venomous too.

[leisurely]

If you caught it, take it to the Red Cross, they'll ID it for you and either keep it to milk or feed it to the others. Win win.

[wilko]

Young snakes can be a radically different color from the adults.

They are still poisonous if the adults are, though.

[geriatrickid]

That looks like a Bungarus fasciatus (Banded Krait) and I can't believe it. The snake is nocturnal, docile and somewhat of a rarity. They avoid sunlight and usually live in close proximity to water and obviously prey. This suggests that there has to be some water source near your unit and something to eat. (birds, rodents, lizards, frogs, fish and other snakes). Although venomous, my compendium of emergency medicine says that they usually run away from man and to be sure to collect the snake if it bites you to facilitate treatment (umm, who writes these texts?) (See photos 1 & 3)

At first I thought it was a Boiga dendrophila (Gold ringed cat snake - photos 2&4 )but then I realized the ring layout was not right. But, it would seem more likely as the snake is more common and more could be found in an apartment. It eats small birds and lizards and although venomous, should not kill you. It too is nocturnal and docile.

Is there a chance that there are tree branches that allow access to the premises? This is how they may be getting in. If so, you may wish to trim those branches. As well, you should look for any drainage system that faciliates travel such as rain gutters that may come in close proximity to a tree.

Edited June 23, 2007 by geriatrickid