Can You Identify This Snake?

[PMK]

Hi,

If there is a better forum for this, please let me know what it is.

Can anyone indentify this kind of snake and tell me if it is poisonous. I don't want to kill them in future if not.

Thanks,

Peter

[sbk]

Is the red color blood or the snake coloring? What color was its tail?

[JonnieB]

Can anyone indentify this kind of snake and tell me if it is poisonous. I don't want to kill them in future if not.

Bodyless Green Snake...in Thai, it's known as Ngoo Kiow Mai Mee Tua

[Jareddiving]

Why kill it?

[patsfangr]

He saved it from dying of lung cancer. That cigarette it was smoking would have killed it sooner or later.

[easternspark]

This snake is a Red necked Keelback which can be found throughout Thailand. Generally not aggressive but should be considered dangerous with human bite victims having suffered severe symptoms.

[easternspark]

[sweetchariot]

I know it...... its a RunawayandgetaThaimantokillit snake!

[monty]

This snake does not have venom injecting fangs, but instead introduces venom in it's victim by method of a long sustained bite (over 1 minute) allowing venom in it's saliva to enter the victim through little grooves in it's fangs...

If this is the case the symptoms can be quite severe, mainly high levels of internal bleeding of the victim...

[patsfangr]

This snake does not have venom injecting fangs, but instead introduces venom in it's victim by method of a long sustained bite (over 1 minute) allowing venom in it's saliva to enter the victim through little grooves in it's fangs...

If this is the case the symptoms can be quite severe, mainly high levels of internal bleeding of the victim...

So, Monty, it's OK to let him have a bite; just don't let him stay for dessert, right?

On a serious note, does anyone know where I could purchase a tool that could be used to safely capture a snake? I'm thinking of the type that allows you to squeeze at your end, and close a clamp around the neck of the snake on his end.

I've only had 3 show up inside my property in the year and a half that I've lived here. One left on his own, and, unfortunately, some Thai workers who were here at the time killed the other two. All 3 were, I believe, the non-poisonous green tree snakes.

I really don't want to kill any animal that isn't directly and immediately threatening me. (Motorbike drivers, for example, are fair game!)

Given the chance to do so without exposing myself to danger, I will make every effort to capture a snake, and release it in some unpopulated wooded area. I don't mind driving a bit to do so. I'm no snake expert, so my policy is to treat them all as though they're poisonous. However, as I said, that does NOT mean killing them. It just means that I will take every precaution during a capture attempt. A "grasping device" would be the best way to do that.

[Gary A]

Get yourself a fairly long piece of PVC plastic pipe and pass a rope with a loop on the end through the pipe. If you can get the loop over the snake, pull on the rope and it is an easy matter to move him wherever you want to move him.

[monty]

On a serious note, does anyone know where I could purchase a tool that could be used to safely capture a snake? I'm thinking of the type that allows you to squeeze at your end, and close a clamp around the neck of the snake on his end.

Easy to make yourself!

Check out following site:

http://www.siam-info.de/english/snake_catcher.html

Same site also has lots of info on snakes frequently encountered in Thailand...

[PhilHarries]

Get yourself a fairly long piece of PVC plastic pipe and pass a rope with a loop on the end through the pipe. If you can get the loop over the snake, pull on the rope and it is an easy matter to move him wherever you want to move him.

OK if the snake is fairly lethargic and/or cooperative. The only one I tried to catch made off like greased lightning, I pooped myself!

[naka]

Those Tong things work fine ... Grab with the Tongs then whack with the shovel.

Naka.

[DonTron]

PMK you are lucky that you find sweet colorful snakes like that, all I get are loads of Ngo Ga Pa (Malayan pit vipers)

These snakes are real fast not to mention deadly, fortunately we have gotten pretty good at killing them.

[JohnC]

This a common variety normally found on country roads and is known as a Dead Snake, usually after the passing fo a motorbike but can be found in gardens where they meet with shovels or some similar heavy implement and again can be recognised by the bruising, loss of blood, seperation of body etc.

[PMK]

This snake does not have venom injecting fangs, but instead introduces venom in it's victim by method of a long sustained bite (over 1 minute) allowing venom in it's saliva to enter the victim through little grooves in it's fangs...

If this is the case the symptoms can be quite severe, mainly high levels of internal bleeding of the victim...

Monty and Easternspark, Thanks a lot. Unfortunately we seem to have quite a few of these around - the dogs find them and flush them out - fortunately none of them have been bitten, or if so not long enough to do any serious damage to them. Of course I worry about them, but my main concern is the kid and other family members.

Peter

[patsfangr]

This snake does not have venom injecting fangs, but instead introduces venom in it's victim by method of a long sustained bite (over 1 minute) allowing venom in it's saliva to enter the victim through little grooves in it's fangs...

If this is the case the symptoms can be quite severe, mainly high levels of internal bleeding of the victim...

Monty and Easternspark, Thanks a lot. Unfortunately we seem to have quite a few of these around - the dogs find them and flush them out - fortunately none of them have been bitten, or if so not long enough to do any serious damage to them. Of course I worry about them, but my main concern is the kid and other family members.

Peter

Peter, may I ask what general area you live in? Just wondering how close these guys are to my neighborhood.

[PMK]

Peter, may I ask what general area you live in? Just wondering how close these guys are to my neighborhood.

Sure can, and I will even answer. ;-). I live in Sattahip, - Plutaluang to be precise. I think I recall seeing just one of these when we lived in Soi Siam Golf Club in Pattaya - had more trouble with cobras and pit vipers there. Been here about six months and mostly come across these guys plus a cobra or two.

Peter

[robinandsueuk]

I looked at the homemade snake catcher link. There appears to be a problem with this design,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,after the snake has been caught, how do you release the loop ?,,,,,,My own method is the tried and tested forked stick,,,,,,one metre long with a short Y at the business end. If you carry a cotton sack with a drawcord opening, after pinning the snake by the back of the head, grasp him firmly immediately behind the Y and lower him tail first into the sack,,,,,when he is inside the sack, drop the snake into the bag and close the opening, wrapping the cord around the top of the sack,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,the snake is then ready to be transferred to his new location

[phukethovercraft]

The snake is a dead one. A good snake is a dead snake. F---ing snakes, i hate em.

Anyway you can always do the "funky chicken dance".

It works for me!

[wilko]

If you start killing all your local snakes you will quite soon upset a "natural" balance......and in some cases this will result in a proliferation of the animals the dead snakes were eating...e.g. rats and other vermin.

Edited January 3, 2008 by wilko

[patsfangr]

If you start killing all your local snakes you will quite soon upset a "natural" balance......and in some cases this will result in a proliferation of the animals the dead snakes were eating...e.g. rats and other vermin.

Right you are, Wilko!

Snakes, for the most part, won't bother you, if you don't bother them. (Unlike mosquitoes!) Kill mosquitoes, not snakes!

Remember, we are not prey for snakes. The vast majority of them will go out of their way to avoid humans, and will strike only if surprised, in what their instincts tell them is self-defense.

I support making every effort to safely capture them, and release them in a remote area. Both humans and snakes will be much happier if they live well apart from each other.

[DonTron]

Right you are, Wilko!

Snakes, for the most part, won't bother you, if you don't bother them. (Unlike mosquitoes!) Kill mosquitoes, not snakes!

Remember, we are not prey for snakes. The vast majority of them will go out of their way to avoid humans, and will strike only if surprised, in what their instincts tell them is self-defense.

I support making every effort to safely capture them, and release them in a remote area. Both humans and snakes will be much happier if they live well apart from each other.

Actually snakes would run away most of the time (except a few aggressive species) so the chicken dance should be effective here

Still, the chance of getting a poisons snake bite is very very small. Most snakes biting in self defense deliver so called "dry bites" where there are no poison in the fangs, this covers 80% of all snake bites. You should still see a doctor thou, the fangs can infect the wound quite badly. The times where a snake deliver a poisons bite is mostly the time just before, during and just after the snake has been hunting prey. If you should get bitten then relax, drive to the hospital and you will be fine. They got all the anti dotes for all types of snakes living in Thailand.