This guy was on the road in front of my house this morning, and I haven't seen his like here before. When I stamped behind him, he turned and reacted defensively by taking a "pose." Didn't take any chances, so took the pix and then used a stick to chase him off the road into the bush. Didn't want him to get run over.

Before I spend time searching through my book, any idea what he is? Grayish body with distinctly yellow head and neck. He was approximately 18 inches (45 centimetres) from tip to tip.

Looks like a Keelback to me. They are harmless but might bite if handled. They are common around Chiang Mai and if you leave them alone they'll take care of rodents for you.

Looks like a Keelback to me. They are harmless but might bite if handled. They are common around Chiang Mai and if you leave them alone they'll take care of rodents for you.

Don`t know what breed of snake this is, but thank you for having the common sense to just chase it off and not harming this snake.

Looks like a Keelback to me. They are harmless but might bite if handled. They are common around Chiang Mai and if you leave them alone they'll take care of rodents for you.

Don`t know what breed of snake this is, but thank you for having the common sense to just chase it off and not harming this snake.

agree..... they shouldn't be killed...

lovely one....

Got out my book and looked it up under keelback.

Yup, I think that's what it is. But, it seems to be a juvenile version of the Rednecked Keelback. Getting older, their necks turn a distinctive red, but the photo I have indicates the yellow on the juvenile.

Glad I simply chased it off, but apparently the Rednecked Keelback has a bite which, although not necessarily fatal, is painful enough that one might almost wish for it to be. I have encountered them before, up near Nong Khai and my dog was very adept at grabbing and swinging them to break their backs. Couldn't teach him to leave 'em alone.

But I did just chase this one off. Sure glad no Thai landscape workers around at the time - they'd have killed it for sure, as they did to a lovely bronzeback a while ago.

Got out my book and looked it up under keelback.

Yup, I think that's what it is. But, it seems to be a juvenile version of the Rednecked Keelback. Getting older, their necks turn a distinctive red, but the photo I have indicates the yellow on the juvenile.

Glad I simply chased it off, but apparently the Rednecked Keelback has a bite which, although not necessarily fatal, is painful enough that one might almost wish for it to be. I have encountered them before, up near Nong Khai and my dog was very adept at grabbing and swinging them to break their backs. Couldn't teach him to leave 'em alone.

But I did just chase this one off. Sure glad no Thai landscape workers around at the time - they'd have killed it for sure, as they did to a lovely bronzeback a while ago.

I htink they call it the rat snake becusae it eats rodents.

Thai people tend to kill most snakes as they say it can hurt babys, So the Wife says

Edited May 29, 201115 yr by Thongkorn

she's a beaut!

Looks like a Keelback to me. They are harmless but might bite if handled. They are common around Chiang Mai and if you leave them alone they'll take care of rodents for you.

How much do they eat or how much snakes are there in the bush to act actually as something like a rodent control?

Edited May 30, 201115 yr by samurai

Looks like a Keelback to me. They are harmless but might bite if handled. They are common around Chiang Mai and if you leave them alone they'll take care of rodents for you.

How much do they eat or how much snakes are there in the bush to act actually as something like a rodent control?

Rat eating snakes search out rat nests. They can eat all the babies in one sitting.

Looks like a Keelback to me. They are harmless but might bite if handled. They are common around Chiang Mai and if you leave them alone they'll take care of rodents for you.

How much do they eat or how much snakes are there in the bush to act actually as something like a rodent control?

You only get rats if you don't take care of the surrounding area where you live, throw food around you will get rats, Snakes will follow , There are many types of Snakes if you know where to look for them < if you don't want to confront them Walk heavy , like stamping your feet , that way they know you are coming and will naturally go away from you ,Just be carefully you don't stamp on them in long grass.But probably the leaches have got you by then .Snakes don't bother me but leaches do .you cannot see them most of the time unless its raining then they walk to wards you.The big ones are the problem they can take about a third of a pint of blood from you , 3/4 of them and your in trouble from blood loss.So snakes are not all that bad, are they.

Edited June 2, 201115 yr by Thongkorn

You only get rats if you don't take care of the surrounding area where you live, throw food around you will get rats, Snakes will follow , There are many types of Snakes if you know where to look for them < if you don't want to confront them Walk heavy , like stamping your feet , that way they know you are coming and will naturally go away from you ,Just be carefully you don't stamp on them in long grass.But probably the leaches have got you by then .Snakes don't bother me but leaches do .you cannot see them most of the time unless its raining then they walk to wards you.The big ones are the problem they can take about a third of a pint of blood from you , 3/4 of them and your in trouble from blood loss.So snakes are not all that bad, are they.

Just a side note, leeches are quite easy and safe to remove if you do it the right way. See this

.

Then clean the wound and let it bleed for a minute or two to clean from inside before bandaging.

Never try to pull, dry, burn or do funny stuff with leeches while they are feeding on you. Just do as they show in the clip above.

You're supposed to just leave leeches until they fall off.

Piss them off and you might end up with a nasty infection.

You're supposed to just leave leeches until they fall off.

Piss them off and you might end up with a nasty infection.

Actually one way to deter them from getting on you, is to piss on your legs , thats when you know you have friends , when they piss on you,

Some of the leaches i have seen are as big as a cucumber and can suck a third of a pint of blood , Have you ever torched a leach . they stick to you , you have to use a plant leaf or rub tobacco on them .to remove them.

Edited June 2, 201115 yr by Thongkorn