Snakes

[utapaortnab]

On the ONLY trip I made to Australia (a 30 day vacation while working in Saudi Arabia, I heard from a native Sydneyite I hung out with that the women in Sydney are also much more venomous than the ladies from all outlaying areas....lol

Australia is STILL my 3rd favorite country to visit after my onw (U.S.) and Thailand.

Ken Bower

68 yr. old

Veteran Human Being

[john b good]

"Im not the guy responsible for <deleted> up the environment here"

Right, you're not, but neither have I noticed any 'whiners' posting here.

You're right Stroll, as apart from the poster who referred to the "whiners" I don't think I have seen one in the entire thread either before he posted of after.

It's obvious that he hasn't spent much time in Australia as he would then know what whiners really are. Mostly imported I might add.

On the subject of "the snakes" it is the general rule (as many have written) that snakes are not usually confrontational and more often than not will retreat rather than attack if they do not feel threatened.

There is however possibly no creature that instills more fear than on those who come across a snake close up.

[plachon]

As for killing snakes, the wife and I have discussed it and never kill them except when unavoidable such as when on the motorcycle. If one were to brake, by the time one stopped, he would be on top of the snake and in a delicate situation.

Its true, the snakes are great at rodent control. Also true, snakes will avoid people and mind thier own business. They will also bite if stepped on and they dont care if it was intentional or not.

Fact is always a bit stranger than fiction!

I once stepped barefoot on a ugly big (5') snake lying on the top step of our house at first light one morning, as I sleepily went down stairs to make coffee. Jeez! That thing woke me up faster than ten cups of coffee!!!!!!!!!! I freaked and started half falling, half sprinting down the stairs as fast as I could. Trouble was the snake was equally freaked out at being stepped on and was doing the exact same thing! I applied the brakes half way down while the snake continued to the bottom. Only then did it get its act together and rear up hissing.

I was in no mood to go down and check if it was poisonous or not, so went back up to find a weapon. Found a broom and went downstairs, by which time the snake had disappeared. With the help of my wife we found it curled up at the back of our shoe rack and while she prodded it with a long stick, I waited to bash it. It made it's move and was heading pretty fast for our kitchen before I managed to get in a few killer blows. It was a light brown colour and according to the neighbours was a poisonous variety, so just as well it didn't do what snakes are supposed to do on being stepped on!

The large variety of snake that quite a few posters have seen in their gardens I suspect is the lion snake (ngu singh). I saw one in the garden the other day about 6' long but let it be. Usually dark brown or blackish, they move like shit off a shovel, and taste pretty good if eaten pad pet style. Oh yes, they're also excellent swimmers, but are non-poisonous fortunately.

[pnustedt]

Apparently, seeing a snake is a good omen. The largest snake I have seen was on a plot of land we own - so now we've got to build our house on the exact spot that I saw the snake, despite it being a swamp with no access or services!

I once parked a car on a cobra's nest. Had a car full of kids plus wife - they jumped back into the car and was screaming at me, I was blissfully unaware till I looked down and saw about a dozen of the little darlings around my ankles - apparently the small ones have the same punch as the larger ones.

[Padkapow Guy]

Apparently, seeing a snake is a good omen. The largest snake I have seen was on a plot of land we own - so now we've got to build our house on the exact spot that I saw the snake, despite it being a swamp with no access or services!

I once parked a car on a cobra's nest. Had a car full of kids plus wife - they jumped back into the car and was screaming at me, I was blissfully unaware till I looked down and saw about a dozen of the little darlings around my ankles - apparently the small ones have the same punch as the larger ones.

I would have left skid marks in my underware.

[Bluecat]

The large variety of snake that quite a few posters have seen in their gardens I suspect is the lion snake (ngu singh). I saw one in the garden the other day about 6' long but let it be. Usually dark brown or blackish, they move like shit off a shovel, and taste pretty good if eaten pad pet style. Oh yes, they're also excellent swimmers, but are non-poisonous fortunately.

Too bad they do not give me their "name" before the whole neighbourhood gets involved.

And when they get involved, they just do not listen to the snake anymore.

Guilty.

Not such thing as innocent until proven guilty.

And the death sentence is usually given.

Conclusion?

[naja]

How come you people see so many snakes , lizards,and frogs in Thailand? I have spent a total of 6 months in 4 visits in Northern Thailand and have only seen 1 live rear fanged freshwater snake,a number of the same species as road kills, a few of 1 agamid lizard species, 1 scincid species,1 tree frog species,1 microhylid frog and 1 toad species. On occasions I have purposefully looked for lizards and frogs ,but not snakes,as ,I ,like most people are a little afraid of them even though I have caught a few tiger snakes,copperheads,king browns and death adders in Australia in years gone by when I was more involved in field work.

Perhaps when I move to Thailand on a more permenant basis ,I can request people to preserve ,or freeze,any snake species they kill around the house.Examination of preserved or frozen specimens can provide invaluable information on aspects of the natural history of the species[eg.reproduction,food,size at sexual maturity ,etc]. Herpetologists,of which I am one,often cry in their beers when they hear of people throwing dead snakes away.

[eyespan]

How come you people see so many snakes , lizards,and frogs in Thailand?

Question is where are you based in Thailand. Some of the guys hail from Chaing rai and isaan or even the deep south.

[Bangkok Barry]

I live in Bang Na (eastern edge of BKK) and we had a long thin bright green snake (maybe 6') that climbed into the air conditioning unit and was clonked to death by the fan. And this week a very dark green snake that my wife took two days to finally shoo away. (I'm not home. I don't mind snakes, she hates them. I hate spiders, she doesn't mind them. Good team!)

I believe the bright green one was harmless (especially dead!), but I don't know about the dark green one. Best thing to do is treat them all as life-threatening.

We have a friendly frog that likes to come in under the door most evenings and sometimes climbs into the dogs water bowl. Dog just wags and leaves it alone. My wife tells me that some are dangerous to touch, but I'm not sure which. Have to try and find a book on snakes and frogs/toads and sort it out - we're planning to move to the country in the not too distant future and it's best to be prepared.

[stroll]

Perhaps when I move to Thailand on a more permenant basis ,I can request people to preserve ,or freeze,any snake species they kill around the house.

I believe trapping them in the feezer would not kill them?

A related strange story, I caught and froze a baby scorpion, later got it out and left it on the table (I am an artist and wanted to use it as a model). After I returned later, it had gone!

I found it under the kitchensink minding its business later...

[eyespan]

A related strange story, I caught and froze a baby scorpion, later got it out and left it on the table (I am an artist and wanted to use it as a model). After I returned later, it had gone!

I read in readers' digest a few years ago that scorpions apparently frozen in blocks of ice just scurry away once thawed!!! Yup... a fact. But snakes..... anybody tried freezing a live snake?

[udon]

Been here 4 yrs and never seen a snake, just his green suit left after shedding under the outside stairs..

medicinebox, I know a guy who sells gekko (sp?) traps, very small and cheap.

PM me if interested.... thanks to all for making me laugh

[eyespan]

Just go down to the local "Snake Soup Restaurant" and see if they wanna sell you any of their snakes alive. The one in Hatyai has about 5 different varieties. Donno about Bangkok though.

[royar2002]

My old landlady planted lemon grass ariound our houses when I found a king cobra in the bathroom one time ingesting a gecko. Not sure how effective it is but we never saw another one . Anyone else heard of lemongrass being an effective cobra repellent???

The best way to keep the snake away is a dog. I am more afraid a centipede. A snake will seldom attack you, but a centipede is f#### aggresive and the most paintfull creature in Thailand. Keep a few chicken in your garden and they clean your garden for centipede, scorpion, spiders and other unwanted crawling animal. The chicken love it!

[NedKelly]

In a previous job i spent many days week in week out trekking through the forets of Northern and North WesternThailand inall seasons and conditions. I saw one snake. But when I trekked in the Southof Thailand it was like snake heaven......they were all there. I was once swimming in a large rock pool half way up Khao Luang mountain near Nakon Sri Thamarat........I had a group of about 8 tourists with me.........anyway I spot something in the water that looks suspiciously like a snake and a very very big one atthat......so I get a piece of bamboo and go and check it out..........then suddenly this bloody 6 metre python explodes out of the water and starts towards the group........I saw 8 Jesus's running across water that day !! And I tell the truth it was 6 metres long because as it slithered up the rock face we could see that it's head and tail were at either end of the rockface whichwas about that length when we measured it later.

And then theres the story about the Spiders in Laos........geesus.......I shat my pants this time.......a girl in my group complained that there was a spider in her cabin.......so I go to take a look and scare it away........it runs into the cupboard.......I open the cupboard ........theres bloody fifty of the mothers in there........I hit the cupboard and they all run out onto the floor of the cabin........their feet sounded like robots with metal shoes .....pic pic pic pic pic pic......across the floor. Geesus and they were huge ! I think a nuclear bomb would not worry those buggers.

[eyespan]

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Wish I could tell a story like that!

[Dutchy2]

In a previous job i spent many days week in week out trekking through the forets of Northern and North WesternThailand inall seasons and conditions. I saw one snake. But when I trekked in the Southof Thailand it was like snake heaven......they were all there. I was once swimming in a large rock pool half way up Khao Luang mountain near Nakon Sri Thamarat........I had a group of about 8 tourists with me.........anyway I spot something in the water that looks suspiciously like a snake and a very very big one atthat......so I get a piece of bamboo and go and check it out..........then suddenly this bloody 6 metre python explodes out of the water and starts towards the group........I saw 8 Jesus's running across water that day !! And I tell the truth it was 6 metres long because as it slithered up the rock face we could see that it's head and tail were at either end of the rockface whichwas about that length when we measured it later.

And then theres the story about the Spiders in Laos........geesus.......I shat my pants this time.......a girl in my group complained that there was a spider in her cabin.......so I go to take a look and scare it away........it runs into the cupboard.......I open the cupboard ........theres bloody fifty of the mothers in there........I hit the cupboard and they all run out onto the floor of the cabin........their feet sounded like robots with metal shoes .....pic pic pic pic pic pic......across the floor. Geesus and they were huge ! I think a nuclear bomb would not worry those buggers.

This is the story of the day, wow! he he, time for a new category here, the story of the day!

Dutchy

[penzman]

How many of you have looked under the pc table while reading this thread?

Snakes can usually be spotted easily. What worries me is the smaller critters like scorpions, centipedes and spiders that can hide easily. I always kick my shoes around in the morning when I've left them outside the previous evening. Then I still do take a look inside, just in case.So far, nothing but clouds of mosquitos that have spent the night in there.

I did get to poke at a dark green scorpion last year in Chayapomh with a stick, no intention to hurt it, just curious to see it's behaviour, 1st time I saw a live one.Pointing his claws at me and tail curled up, I guess it was pi55ed at me.

Father in law said he was once bitten by a centipede, his leg the size of an elephant's and the pain is apparently excruciating.

[peteypie]

The wife's sister was bitten by a king cobra a couple of months ago. She was in hospital for five days. She lives in the center of Bangkok, in a second floor apartment. The bugger was sleeping behind the toilet when she went for her morning constitutional. Hope this doesn't put you off going for a dump in the morning. It's the truth! No sh*t!

[Bluecat]

The bugger was sleeping behind the toilet when she went for her morning constitutional.

Must have been a Peeping Snake.

Very common in Thailand.

[Stocky]

... It's the truth! No sh*t! 

Well you wouldn't if you'd just been bit in the arse by a cobra

[Mai Krap]

I went to a friends restraunt and he was all shook up so I knew not to ask at the time and waited til he decided to tell me what happened... It turns out that he had opened the door of his bedroom and turned on the light when of those green vipers "very deadly" fell out of the roof and onto his bed,,, he was going to take a nap at the time... all this was bad enough but then the katoey tao who has the misfortune of being very ugly began talking to some of the other staff members... As it turns out the snake had been in the katoey taos bedroom for sevral days as in his beliefs it was good luck and he would soon be getting a new lover for his trouble... My friend who has a temper on occasion had lost it and screamed at him and then fired him and told him he would be getting a new lover and would also be getting a new place to live and a new job... Bad katoey tao,,, no new panties...