I have this little fellow on my balcony. Should I run for help or can I finish my beer? Please help, many thanks.

Looks like a harmless Golden Tree Snake to me, but I'm no expert!

Personally, I'd finish my beer whilst keeping a close eye on him to make sure he goes away.

I agree and indeed harmless, got bitten by one a couple of weeks ago because I accidentally stepped on it

Thanks guys! Cheers

It's a cobra, but finish your beer. All snakes are cobras.

Looks like a harmless Golden Tree Snake to me, but I'm no expert!

Personally, I'd finish my beer whilst keeping a close eye on him to make sure he goes away.

We had 7 in our garden a couple of weeks back, they appeared in the morning over a 3 day period crawling around our pathway at the side of the house just after heavy overnight rain, I think they must have came from next doors garden as their garden full of trees and overgrown with plants and long grass, they all looked fairly similar to the one in the photo although the darker black/yellow on the head of the one in the photo continued all along the length of the body of our visitors, I assume they were the same, even though the markings were more distinct black with those yellow stripe across the body..

It's a cobra, but finish your beer. All snakes are cobras.

Agree and time for the kill as he may come back

Harmless. I think it's called a ngoo keeaow / green snake. Usually in trees or hanging on things, we had one on the washing rack not too long ago.

Golden tree snake, they are mildly venomous but timid and considered fairly harmless.

You are extremely lucky to have this particular snake in your immediate environment. It is totally harmless (unless you give it a reason to be defensive) and it feeds on (among other lesser critters) lizards, rodents and other snakes. It is quite beautifully colored and quite beneficial to have around the house. On a more important note, It is one of the few "flying" snakes in the world. Of course, it doesn't fly, but flattens out it body to glide from tree to tree. Do not be afraid of this snake, just enjoy it's company. I have had them around my house for the past 17 years and they come and go as they please with my total enjoyment. Cheers, dap

I agree with DickDastardly. I'm no snake expert but this one is very easy to identify. His small fangs are in the back of his mouth and he would have to chew on a finger to give you even a small dose of his mild venom.

Thanks again for all your replies. If I meet the little fellow again I will recognize it for sure. I just wish all snakes were that harmless!

Here's a pretty useful website, there are plenty you wouldn't want to come across on your balcony!

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

I agree with DickDastardly. I'm no snake expert but this one is very easy to identify. His small fangs are in the back of his mouth and he would have to chew on a finger to give you even a small dose of his mild venom.

The funny thing is that although they are pretty harmless they are also quite aggressive! I had one on my patio recently that was hanging around, so I used a broom to push him into the shrubs. Much to my suprise it fought back and actually reared up!

The aggression took me by suprise, but they are harmless to people and its always interesting to learn the behaviour of the local wildlife.

that's one pretty snake!