Can Anyone Help Me Identify This Snake?

[MattCinderey]

I found it outside the house the other day eating a frog. Does anyone know what kind it is?

Matt.

[bridge]

I would be interested to know what kind of frog that is as well.

Edited September 13, 2009 by bridge

[MattCinderey]

Let's keep this thread on subject... This is about the snake not the frog...

That's the Mexican Staring Frog of Southern Sri Lanka

[grandpa-m]

type in snakes of thailand in the web search and see for yourself

[Bpraim1]

http://www.siam-info.com/english/snakes_homalopsinae.html

Maybe??? Looks the closest of the bunch

[Gatorade]

I found it outside the house the other day eating a frog. Does anyone know what kind it is?

Matt.

My bet is that it's a rat snake. Fairly harmless.

[MattCinderey]

Not for the frog in the picture...

[TPI]

I found it outside the house the other day eating a frog. Does anyone know what kind it is?

Matt.

Matt, according to my book on snakes in Thailand it would appear to be a "common rat snake" Ptyas mucosus up to 320cm in length, the head is distinct with large eyes and round pupils...black transverse stripes towards the rear...seems to be harmless, unless you're a frog that is!

[MattCinderey]

Excellent. Thanks for the info everyone.

I just wanted to check. We get a lot of snakes in the grass outside the house where I walk the dog. Worried my dog might try and pick one up and get bitten.

I was talking to the snake guy not so long ago here. He said even the most dangerous snakes never really bite and inject venom, it's normally a dry bite (like a warning)

They're amazing creatures. I hate it when you see the Thai's killing them with sticks. They were here long before us!

Matt.

[bridge]

Excellent. Thanks for the info everyone.

I just wanted to check. We get a lot of snakes in the grass outside the house where I walk the dog. Worried my dog might try and pick one up and get bitten.

I was talking to the snake guy not so long ago here. He said even the most dangerous snakes never really bite and inject venom, it's normally a dry bite (like a warning)

They're amazing creatures. I hate it when you see the Thai's killing them with sticks. They were here long before us!

Matt.

I agree with you on that one Matt. Had one of the little critters in my garden just yesterday (see pic). I am sure he/she is pretty harmless though.

[Mark Wolfe]

Twiggy has killed two of those around the house. She's like a religious fanatic when it comes to hunting these things.

By the way, that's not a frog; it's a toad.

I have one that stays in the house. I put it out (how it got up five steps and then into the house, I don't know), and the next day it had somehow found its way back in. He must like the tunes....

I once saw the body of one curled up in a rock crevasse up the Tan Sadet River in Koh Phangan (I was with a Thai biologist, by the way), and it was HUGE. I'd say it was as big as my calf.

He said even the most dangerous snakes never really bite and inject venom, it's normally a dry bite (like a warning)

From Wiki:

Dry bites can occur from all snakes, but their frequency varies from species to species. For example, brown snakes can inflict dry bites 80% of the time while Australian taipans only inflict it 5% of the time.

He said they, "Never really bite and inject venom," huh? Even without researching that, it sounds like good 'ol barroom wisdom. Oh, and don't eat durian and drink beer; you'll die.

Edited September 14, 2009 by Mark Wolfe

[baabaabobo]

Could be a checkered keelback... and that is a toad not a frog

[crusty]

Could be a checkered keelback... and that is a toad not a frog

Nowhere is safe, you are in the tropics ! Today a five foot sea snake came to frolic with the swimmers on Chaweng Beach off Tradewinds. Screaming Thai girls running from the sea soon drew a crowd but istead of the usual dead floating body, here was real live sea snake, head out of the water heading, South just 5 m. from the beach. Last seen swimming strongly towards Poppies. Aaaaaggggghhhhh

[animatic]

I found this guy in my studio about 3 meters from my chair.

The dog alerted me, but I thought it was a mouse in a raised trap,

which I looked up to while walking over... my the dog IS making odd noises...

when I looked down from 1 meter and small change.. I saw...and my brain stopped.

On restart I backed away VERY slowly.

Thank god for the dog, which was an equal worry for the snake.

Monacled Cobra quite dangerous,

and I was NOT going to let it go an hide in the unfinished nooks and crannies,

and continue to hunt tokays and mice like it apparently had been for awhile...

Called the wife she looked ad said: " What's that! I don't like it... KILL IT!"

While I and the rotwieller kept it from turning to go, she found me a weapon: a garden hoe...

Long handled at least....

I am still here, the cobra is not.

[hmj]

"...eating a frog." The frog is a toad, the skin gives that away. Its English name is "House Toad or Asiatic Toad". Scientific name is Bufo melanosticus. It can grow up to 9 cm.

You can identify local amphibians from the excellent book "Amphibians of Thailand" written by Group Captain Wirot Nutphund, ISBN 974-7751-70-4, published by Amarin Printing...

My guess is that the snake belongs to the genus Boiga, which are rear-fanged snakes. The common name for snakes in this genus is "Cat Snake". Your photo does not give enough detail but the snout looks rounded.

[Gatorade]

I found this guy in my studio about 3 meters from my chair.

The dog alerted me, but I thought it was a mouse in a raised trap,

which I looked up to while walking over... my the dog IS making odd noises...

when I looked down from 1 meter and small change.. I saw...and my brain stopped.

On restart I backed away VERY slowly.

Thank god for the dog, which was an equal worry for the snake.

Monacled Cobra quite dangerous,

and I was NOT going to let it go an hide in the unfinished nooks and crannies,

and continue to hunt tokays and mice like it apparently had been for awhile...

Called the wife she looked ad said: " What's that! I don't like it... KILL IT!"

While I and the rotwieller kept it from turning to go, she found me a weapon: a garden hoe...

Long handled at least....

I am still here, the cobra is not.

/quote]

Beautiful snake and a good photo so you must have been able to get fairly close. Why did you find it so necessary to kill it?

There are people here who would gladly come and take it away and release it. Only a phone call away.

[Rooo]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Samui-Snake-...ue-t299711.html

Now pinned for easy reference.

[Mark Wolfe]

So why is it so important to have a "snake rescue?"

Why isn't there a songbird rescue? Ever look at the birds in cages here? They are all the same kind. Seems cruel to me to cage an animal that is used to flying. How can we sensitive people stand by and allow the locals to capture and cage birds that clearly wish to fly free!

Perhaps someone will start the "Samui Mosquito and Cockroach Rescue Foundation." They are God's creatures and harm no one. Oh sure, mossies have a little bite, big deal. Some diseases, well, that's life. Wouldn't it be easier to capture mosquitoes and release them in some other place where they can live free and have a good mosquito life? Killing mosquitoes is senseless.

And what about the poor, misunderstood cockroach. Never hurt anyone and here we go killing it on sight. Learn more about the mosquito and the cockroach and you will marvel at the amazing architecture of God's design. Killing a cockroach is just as morally indefensible as killing a deadly snake.

[limbos]

Mark, good to see you got plenty time at hand to start all these exciting groups. Guess we won't see you as much at the forum anymore than.

[Gatorade]

So why is it so important to have a "snake rescue?"

Why isn't there a songbird rescue? Ever look at the birds in cages here? They are all the same kind. Seems cruel to me to cage an animal that is used to flying. How can we sensitive people stand by and allow the locals to capture and cage birds that clearly wish to fly free!

Perhaps someone will start the "Samui Mosquito and Cockroach Rescue Foundation." They are God's creatures and harm no one. Oh sure, mossies have a little bite, big deal. Some diseases, well, that's life. Wouldn't it be easier to capture mosquitoes and release them in some other place where they can live free and have a good mosquito life? Killing mosquitoes is senseless.

And what about the poor, misunderstood cockroach. Never hurt anyone and here we go killing it on sight. Learn more about the mosquito and the cockroach and you will marvel at the amazing architecture of God's design. Killing a cockroach is just as morally indefensible as killing a deadly snake.

Great stuff Mark. As the new found saviour of unwanted cockroaches and Mossies. Can we deliver them to your place?

[snakerescue]

I found it outside the house the other day eating a frog. Does anyone know what kind it is?

this is a brown kukri or oligodon purpuracens for latin lovers and it's eating a toad not a frog a commonsite for me here in samui.

Matt.

[limbos]

Would this one also be known as nguu sokoplop?

[Mark Wolfe]

Not great images from my phone, but you get the gist. About 1.5 to 2 meters in length, girth about the size of a small banana. Distinctive feature being the abrupt color change at the tail.

[Rooo]

So why is it so important to have a "snake rescue?"

Why isn't there a songbird rescue? Ever look at the birds in cages here? They are all the same kind. Seems cruel to me to cage an animal that is used to flying. How can we sensitive people stand by and allow the locals to capture and cage birds that clearly wish to fly free!

Perhaps someone will start the "Samui Mosquito and Cockroach Rescue Foundation." They are God's creatures and harm no one. Oh sure, mossies have a little bite, big deal. Some diseases, well, that's life. Wouldn't it be easier to capture mosquitoes and release them in some other place where they can live free and have a good mosquito life? Killing mosquitoes is senseless.

And what about the poor, misunderstood cockroach. Never hurt anyone and here we go killing it on sight. Learn more about the mosquito and the cockroach and you will marvel at the amazing architecture of God's design. Killing a cockroach is just as morally indefensible as killing a deadly snake.

Mark as a member , I would say get a life. As a moderator I would say stop your trolling.Have a beautiful day.

[Mark Wolfe]

Tell me of your life and I will attempt to get one like yours, Rooo.

I was being factitious, not trolling. I could have just said that I think the snake rescue dealie is silly (which is my opinion, not a troll). But I do have the right to be creative with my posts, do I not?

[Rooo]

Tell me of your life and I will attempt to get one like yours, Rooo.

I was being factitious, not trolling. I could have just said that I think the snake rescue dealie is silly (which is my opinion, not a troll). But I do have the right to be creative with my posts, do I not?

Sure you do Mark.But to get a life like mine? Well Mark don't wish it on anyone.Snake rescue to me or to a lot of members can be very beneficial. Unlike yourself , I do not wish to go & killing everything I don't understand or have the capacity to deal with, nor do I wish to let my dogs do the deed for me.

You can exercise your wit at any time,your prerogative. Just don't try & make a fool out of other members or community oriented persons.

Now if you wish to enter in a further personal debate, I propose you do so VIA pm.

[sandyfromoz]

Not great images from my phone, but you get the gist. About 1.5 to 2 meters in length, girth about the size of a small banana. Distinctive feature being the abrupt color change at the tail.

That snake is a Green Tree Racer-grows to 120 cms. As for the colour of the tail-it is not characteristic of the species. It is probably the result of a near fatal attempt to kill it, which has somehow healed. A snake cannot regrow its tail, nor does it shed it as a gecko or a skink does, to evade capture. However, when these lizards do regrow their new tails, they are often a different colour, and texture in the case of geckos,to that of the original.

As for the other twits that find it neccessary to needlessly massacre a wild animal, think about this: 80% of all snakebites occur when attempting to kill the snake!

[carmine]

Tell me of your life and I will attempt to get one like yours, Rooo.

I was being factitious, not trolling. I could have just said that I think the snake rescue dealie is silly (which is my opinion, not a troll). But I do have the right to be creative with my posts, do I not?

Sure you do Mark.But to get a life like mine? Well Mark don't wish it on anyone.Snake rescue to me or to a lot of members can be very beneficial. Unlike yourself , I do not wish to go & killing everything I don't understand or have the capacity to deal with, nor do I wish to let my dogs do the deed for me.

You can exercise your wit at any time,your prerogative. Just don't try & make a fool out of other members or community oriented persons.

Now if you wish to enter in a further personal debate, I propose you do so VIA pm.

This thread seems to have moved on a bit, but perhaps someone, maybe Roo can answer me one question. I can't be bothered to go through the whole thread so if the question has already been answered forgive me.

I am "very" scared of snakes but have no wish to harm them. If a snake gets into my bungalow is the best thing for me and the snake to call Snake Rescue or Phil (think thats his name). I ask the question because i'm sure many snakes and people get bitten/killed due to panicking in a situation they do not understand how to deal with

[Rooo]

This thread seems to have moved on a bit, but perhaps someone, maybe Roo can answer me one question. I can't be bothered to go through the whole thread so if the question has already been answered forgive me.

I am "very" scared of snakes but have no wish to harm them. If a snake gets into my bungalow is the best thing for me and the snake to call Snake Rescue or Phil (think thats his name). I ask the question because i'm sure many snakes and people get bitten/killed due to panicking in a situation they do not understand how to deal with

The paramount objective is your safety.I would definitely recommend Phil to come & get the snake.

[Mark Wolfe]

No, it's not a green tree racer, but thanks for getting close. It's a red tailed racer. Here is a pic and it is an exact match to what I saw:

Red tailed racer

The Red-tailed Racer inhabits primary and mature secondary forest. It is mainly arboreal and is a renowned raider of birds nests: as a consequence it is often mobbed by birds when searching amongst trees for active nests. It also feeds on bats, rodents and lizards.

The body is thick-set, and the head wider than the body. The snout is long. Its scales are generally smooth, but sometimes may be vaguely keeled. The tongue is blue. Dorsally it is a striking green colour, which is paler ventrally. The top of the head is darker green, and there is a vague dark stripe running through the eye. The tail is orange-red. Other less common colour forms occur, including variants which are blue-green, grey, orange or yellow-coloured throughout.

The Red-tailed Racer is wide ranging, and occurs from Burma and adjacent island groups through Thailand and Indochina to Peninsular Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Sumatra, Borneo, Java and Lombok.

Family : COLUBRIDAE

Species : Gonyosoma oxycephalum

Maximum Size : 2.4 metres

Red tailed racer...

AKA: Red-tailed Green Ratsnake

Wiki entry click here

They are non-poisonous, but of course they do bite....