A few days ago I thought I would clean my mud encrusted shoes early in the morning, while walking round to the back of the house I banged them together hard to break off some of the mud then dropped them down while getting a bucket of water and a brush. It was only when putting my hand inside to start cleaning that I found I had a guest. I had a big grasshopper type thing take up abode in my shoes once in an upcountry hotel. I should be more careful, I found a scopion in the garden last week.

Yes, or make sure I don;t have to check them - learned it in Oz!

A frog is the most harmless - have a scorpion or a centipede (Tak:ab) in there...

In Oz Redback, Funnelweb... name 'em, a couple of very nasty beast's!

When my son was leaving Thailand a few years ago, he threw his shoes into his bag and departed.

Upon arrival home in the UK, he found a big toad in his shoe - very much alive.

A few days ago I thought I would clean my mud encrusted shoes early in the morning, while walking round to the back of the house I banged them together hard to break off some of the mud then dropped them down while getting a bucket of water and a brush. It was only when putting my hand inside to start cleaning that I found I had a guest. I had a big grasshopper type thing take up abode in my shoes once in an upcountry hotel. I should be more careful, I found a scopion in the garden last week.

Its a given especially if you leave shoes outside.Had the same thing happen to me,toad/frog love to sleep in warm dark places.............dont seem to mind the smell either

Yes I have learned my lesson living here in Texas. Usually when I'm putting my work shoes on,I've not long woken up. I'm 6'4 and 220lbs and I still manage to jump out of my skin when I see the smallest of things crawling out. Sh!t house!!!!!!

Having, in a previous life, spent years in the African bush I always shake out my shoes before putting them on.

Trying to get my Thai family into the same habit but as is the Thai way they won't take it seriously till one of them gets bitten or stung.

You can teach some of the people some of the time but not in LOS

Having, in a previous life, spent years in the African bush

Same here: grew up in Kenya and never shook the habit of shaking my shoes, even if I am on the 24th floor of a 4-star hotel in Europe

Happened to me the first year in Thailand - it was a scorpion and I got stung - no big problem.

Next time , a couple of years later I saw a snake disappear into my rubber,boot - it probably got scared when I was coming. It appeared to be a black cobra, about 1 meter long. After that I am always very cautious before sticking hands or feet into something Im not sure about. BTW the cobra was killed with a snakecatcher.

A few days ago I thought I would clean my mud encrusted shoes early in the morning, while walking round to the back of the house I banged them together hard to break off some of the mud then dropped them down while getting a bucket of water and a brush. It was only when putting my hand inside to start cleaning that I found I had a guest. I had a big grasshopper type thing take up abode in my shoes once in an upcountry hotel. I should be more careful, I found a scopion in the garden last week.

Excuse, me Cuban, but I must say this is not only a risk in rural Thailand, on a recent visit to a Friend in Phuket I found a little fellow just like this one lurking in my shoe in the morning, even at our home with is locate down in a central well keep area my brother-in-law(BIL) was greet with a shock on the first morning of his visit with us by one of these little creature, poor bil wet his pant, in addition to darn near having a heart attack. you can bet your bottom baht he did as I do, check the shoe before you stick you foot in.

I used to live in Arizona and found a scorpion in my Boot. I did not check first and felt something tickle my foot when i first put my foot in. I pulled the boot back off and found a scorpion. Now I always check my shoes and pants since nasty critters can climb into them also.

I used to have a toad like that crawl in my shoes night-in, night-out, when I used to live in Surin. It was where the toad slept and it was no problem for me to shake him out of a morning before going to work. He was always well house trained and never left any calling cards, so I was happy to give him free board and lodging for the night in return for some insect control. In other places I've evicted ung-angs and big black scorpions from my shoes, but never harm them in any way. Live and let live is the secret to up-country life in Thailand.

Happened to me the first year in Thailand - it was a scorpion and I got stung - no big problem.

Next time , a couple of years later I saw a snake disappear into my rubber,boot - it probably got scared when I was coming. It appeared to be a black cobra, about 1 meter long. After that I am always very cautious before sticking hands or feet into something Im not sure about. BTW the cobra was killed with a 94101.

asshol_e !!!!!

Having, in a previous life, spent years in the African bush

Same here: grew up in Kenya and never shook the habit of shaking my shoes, even if I am on the 24th floor of a 4-star hotel in Europe

in Nigeria we once found a green mamba behind the bidet in the master-bathroom. it took me months using the bathroom without checking even when in our home in Germany

Had to laugh at that as I had the same thing happen to me a couple of months ago.

Same thing, I cleaned my shoes the night before and left them on the porch. the wife says I was lucky it was just a frog.

I did not look before I stuck foot in the shoe.

At the moment we are getting little frogs that sleep on and in the clothes on the washing line. Quite harmless but give you a bit of a scare when they start to wriggle in your hand as you take the washing in.

Yes I'm a modern hubby

Hi Marcus,

I only kill cobras, centripedes and scorpions within the premises , and that's to protect me, the wife,the family and children.

You maybe can extend your simple one worded objection.....

What shoes?

Hi Marcus,

I only kill cobras, centripedes and scorpions within the premises , and that's to protect me, the wife,the family and children.

You maybe can extend your simple one worded objection.....

You can easily catch a snake alive (google for it). If you don't feel secure (what can happen with a cobra), just ask someone with more experience. Centipedes are another story however...

Yes I have learned my lesson living here in Texas. Usually when I'm putting my work shoes on,I've not long woken up. I'm 6'4 and 220lbs and I still manage to jump out of my skin when I see the smallest of things crawling out. Sh!t house!!!!!!

LMAO!! You call this place Texas too? I love it!

Happened to me the first year in Thailand - it was a scorpion and I got stung - no big problem.

Next time , a couple of years later I saw a snake disappear into my rubber,boot - it probably got scared when I was coming. It appeared to be a black cobra, about 1 meter long. After that I am always very cautious before sticking hands or feet into something Im not sure about. BTW the cobra was killed with a snakecatcher.

A ...Cobra...1mt.long?!?What is your shoes number?I don't use shoes in los,too dangerous

Don't forget to shake out underwear & trousers before putting them on as well. One early AM I put on gym shorts on my way to the hong nam. All of the sudden I felt a hot needle being jabbed into my butt. By the time I could shed the shorts, the scorpion hit me 14 times all the way down my leg. Shoes are a given.

Thai scorpions are mild poisenous. They don't kill you unless you have an allergy. The centipedes are dangerous. Tods are not. Those animals I catch and I feed the chickens with them..... The tiny yellow-head garden snakes are not dangerous. My cats play with them and usually the snakes do not survive that play. Big chicken eat them too.