What Snake Is This?

[g00dgirl]

What type of snake is this? I tried looking at pictures online, but I am still not really sure and looking for more qualified opinions.

There are several snakes of this type living in a small cave under my house. They come out anytime during the day and also swim in water.

The ones I have seen have been between 2 meters and 1.3 meters long.

When provoked the head comes up straight and I am pretty sure it has widened, too.

Finally, any tip on catching them or finding someone in Phuket who will come to catch them?

[adjan jb]

Cobras?

[Sir Burr]

Head comes up? Neck flattens to form a hood?

It's a cobra.

Lots of them arround at the start of the rainy season as their holes have been flooded out.

[MSingh]

I have to agree with the other Posters, it certainly looks like a Cobra. Wer have a Snake Guy on Samui called Phil who comes & gets them from people's Houses etc, i will ask him if he knows of anyone in Phuket who does a similar thing, if that is you don't want to get a 4 Iron out ??

Noi seriously, i wouldn't advise you to go anywhere near them, just in case they are Cobra's which i think you'll find they are..

[keddy]

I have to agree with the other Posters, it certainly looks like a Cobra. Wer have a Snake Guy on Samui called Phil who comes & gets them from people's Houses etc, i will ask him if he knows of anyone in Phuket who does a similar thing, if that is you don't want to get a 4 Iron out ??

Noi seriously, i wouldn't advise you to go anywhere near them, just in case they are Cobra's which i think you'll find they are..

Don't kill it as this act would displease the great Naga who would put a curse on our club next season. You could, of course, put it in the garden of a Tottenham/Chelsea or Millwall expat -if you know any.

[baabaabobo]

Looks like a cobra but could be a rat snake.

There is a charity called the "Phuket Raum Jai Rescue Foundation"

which specializes in catching snakes (and other dangerous critters) FOR FREE !!!.

They then let them go/sell to a cobra show.

I used them once and they were very good.

Contact Khun Sayan Tammapant at 076-283346 / 076-355175

I believe he does not speak much English so get a Thai to call for you.

[Thaddeus]

When provoked the head comes up straight and I am pretty sure it has widened, too.

Most snakes do that, but there is a big difference between a widening of the head and a hood.

From the colouring it looks like a rat snake, cobras are usually much more vibrant in appearance, for good reason.

[featography]

What type of snake is this? I tried looking at pictures online, but I am still not really sure and looking for more qualified opinions.

There are several snakes of this type living in a small cave under my house. They come out anytime during the day and also swim in water.

The ones I have seen have been between 2 meters and 1.3 meters long.

When provoked the head comes up straight and I am pretty sure it has widened, too.

Finally, any tip on catching them or finding someone in Phuket who will come to catch them?

[featography]

I have never seen a Thai cobra, so I won't venture that guess. I would urge rapid identification of them, though, and eliminate the possibility of it being a New Guinea Brown Snake. Those have found their way to many countries worldwide, inadvertently via cargo ships and aircraft. Non poisonous, but very aggressive eaters. They have wiped out many bird and animal species in New Guinea, and are considered top priority to remove by all countries. They have no sense as to size of prey, and will attempt to swallow things that wont fit down past their mouths. There is documentation of them attempting to swallow human babies, although anatomically impossible, and are excellent climbers, i.e. walls, trees etc. Good luck.

[colino]

I agree with Thaddeus

from the photo it seems to be to dark for a cobra and the shape of its head is wrong

no pun intended but looks like a rat snake or water snake i still would not chance going too close to it

without a 100% ID

WATCH FROM AFAR

colino

[TBWG]

I agree with Thaddeus

from the photo it seems to be to dark for a cobra and the shape of its head is wrong

no pun intended but looks like a rat snake or water snake i still would not chance going too close to it

without a 100% ID

WATCH FROM AFAR

colino

Hi

Put me down for the rat snake option as well. Harmless and as the name implies quite useful.

TBWG

[AlexLah]

This snake is called: Ngoe Wai Naam

Snake go swim.

Is antaraaai (dangerous)

But taste good on Barbeque.

[g00dgirl]

When provoked the head comes up straight and I am pretty sure it has widened, too.

Most snakes do that, but there is a big difference between a widening of the head and a hood.

From the colouring it looks like a rat snake, cobras are usually much more vibrant in appearance, for good reason.

Yes that is what confused me, too. When it's just in a normal unprovoked state, I can't see a hood or anything wide.

This snake is called: Ngoe Wai Naam

Snake go swim.

Is antaraaai (dangerous)

But taste good on Barbeque.

Interesting, yes they seem to have no problems swimming.

I can't really stay far away from them, cause they are just in front of my front door, so everytime one is outside, I come close to tripping over it

So far both times I met one, they jumped into the water feature, swam around for a bit and went back into their cave.

Next time I see it, the guy will try to come out.

[MSingh]

I have to agree with the other Posters, it certainly looks like a Cobra. Wer have a Snake Guy on Samui called Phil who comes & gets them from people's Houses etc, i will ask him if he knows of anyone in Phuket who does a similar thing, if that is you don't want to get a 4 Iron out ??

Noi seriously, i wouldn't advise you to go anywhere near them, just in case they are Cobra's which i think you'll find they are..

Don't kill it as this act would displease the great Naga who would put a curse on our club next season. You could, of course, put it in the garden of a Tottenham/Chelsea or Millwall expat -if you know any.

I'd only do that if it was a Cobra & if it was still alive Keddy..

Or if i knew a Reading Fan...

[Crossy]

No idea what it is (don't think it's a cobra), but I'll bet it eats rats and other vermin so it's your friend. In your encounters with it seems it's not been agressive so live and let live.

Even if it turns out to be venomous I'd be tempted to leave alone UNLESS you have small children/pets.

[Rimmer]

Looks like Mr. Monocellate Cobra to me, same head pattern as one of the pictures in my book.

Says it occurs all throughout Thailand, not a spitting Cobra but it's bite is venomous and potentially fatal.

[Mosha]

We have those small cobras around here in Ranong. In about 3 colour patterns. Certainly would not agree with cobras being vibrant coloured. I saw a massive KC a few years back below our house. 25 feet away, is as near as I wanted to be. Something had it mad as it's hood was out, and I was wrestling 4 cats who wanted a close look. I certainly would not want apotential killer under my house, and the locals around here kill any snake on sight.

[Sir Burr]

Cobras are excellent swimmers.

[himachal]

Cobras are excellent swimmers.

I believe 'all' snakes can swim.

They're by your front door? Sooner or later you're gonna step on one and then if it's poisonous you may die and it will probably die from being stepped on. Get them removed, quick!

In the meantime, do you have a back door you can use???

Tread safely

[burman]

From the shape of the head and colouration under the throat of the snake I would hazard a guess that it's a water snake of some type.

Another couple of pics would make it easily identifiable so if you can post some more up do so.

[Goshawk]

i don't think it's a rat snake.. it is too long for my liking..

the tiles in the pool give a good scale and if they are around 6 inches wide then i would make that snake to be around 6 foot long..

I'm in the cobra 'camp' with this id attempt.. the colouring matches the very varied King Cobra.. more pix needed to know for sure (particulary of the head, eyes and young snakes if any)

don't get too close, just in case !!

[cmsally]

I would say Cobra of some sort. Have seen them much darker than that. I don't think colour alone is a good indicator.

We had a cobra up north that was black when compared to that one.

Haven't had much experience of rat snakes but the head looks a little small compared to the ones I've seen and the body doesn't look fat enough.

[Mosha]

The book I have says both the King and Monoculated Cobras live near water. Hard to tell from the pic how many marks on the head. If 1 it is the former and about full size. If it is the latter it is very young and along long way to grow. They go to about 18 or 19 feet. King Cobras are terrotorial, so if you kill a big one you just create room for another big one. KCs also eat other snakes.

[cmsally]

Husband has seen a lot of snakes and I just showed him the picture and in about 0.01 of a second he answered cobra. So I guess votes go with the cobra!

[pumpuiman]

King Cobras like living in light woods and in open grass lands. However, they can also be found on agricultural land and even in the middle of Bangkok. They often live near water. They can swim and climb well. They can also move forwards very quickly with an upright body. They are active at night and during the day. The young King Cobras have contrasting black and yellow stripes. In literature, the King Cobra was always reported to be extremely aggressive. New literature and studies show that the animal is actually shy, does not enjoy attacking and quickly flees.

[g00dgirl]

Thanks for the opinions, I couldn't get any better pictures of the head yet. I have to wait for the next time I see one of them outside again until I can call Khun Sayan to come and take a look.

[angiud]

King Cobras like living in light woods and in open grass lands. However, they can also be found on agricultural land and even in the middle of Bangkok. They often live near water. They can swim and climb well. They can also move forwards very quickly with an upright body. They are active at night and during the day. The young King Cobras have contrasting black and yellow stripes. In literature, the King Cobra was always reported to be extremely aggressive. New literature and studies show that the animal is actually shy, does not enjoy attacking and quickly flees.

Looks like a Cobra. I've seen may in Koh Phangan. I'm not a zoologist but looks like a King Cobra, very dangerous

[Macclad]

Funny all this talk of snakes.......

By co-incidence I was out jogging yesterday,turned a corner and there was this snake slithering in front of me !

I dont know who was taken more aback but the snake slithered into the long grass at a fair rate of knots and I discovered a turn of pace that I thought had left me for ever in my twenties !

I've done some checking on the internet and reckon mine was a Copperhead Rat Snake which is quite common throughout Thailand and non poisonous.

The picture of yours looks similar although trying to gauge the size,yours looks a fair bit bigger.