Patience Or Snakes And Ladders

[Old Croc]

About 20 minutes ago I was sitting at the kitchen table watching the footy with one eye and playing a card game on the laptop, when I realised I was being watched through a window about 4 feet away.

Looking a bit like a glove puppet, an unblinking, staring head, was about six inches above the sill and swivelling around looking at what I was doing. The large, black eyes looking straight at me were reminiscent of an Animal Planet show. It bobbed down and up a couple of times while I went into panic mode, shouting at others to look at the window, while trying to remember where the camera was. (didn't find it in time)

The snake would have been sitting on an AC unit a couple of feet below the window to stretch up and look in. Fortunately the window was closed and the snake, perhaps just as spooked as me, headed across the patio and disappeared into a hole under a large retaining wall behind. As it stretched out behind some pot plants I was able to estimate the length at least 7 feet.

It certainly looked like a cobra, particularly when staring in, but I suppose it could have been a very large rat snake. I'm not going to fossic around in the hole to find out!

[ozzieovaseas]

Interesting, my only question is.. where are you situated? and why would this deadly serpent be interested in what you are up to ?

It surely must have been planted on the scene by some evil Thai person hellbent on seeing your short demise..but I will leave that sort of innuendo and the usual suggestions that you have been on the Lao whiskey to all the other punters

thats if there are any

[Old Croc]

Interesting, my only question is.. where are you situated? and why would this deadly serpent be interested in what you are up to ?

It surely must have been planted on the scene by some evil Thai person hellbent on seeing your short demise..but I will leave that sort of innuendo and the usual suggestions that you have been on the Lao whiskey to all the other punters

thats if there are any

Interesting, right back at you.

Your only question turned out to be at least two, and they were accompanied by some bizzare comments that don't seem to be very relevent.

Firstly, I'm in Patong, but on a hillside with a lot of jungle, and apparently wildlife, around.

I didn't get to ask the serpent it's intentions and, as I have never tried Lao whiskey (preferring more upmarket brands), I don't try to converse with serpents. Although, I did decide to have a beer or so following the visit from the snake which my GF is pretty sure was a cobra.

Your conspiricey theory, apparently to be put forward by others, doesn't make much sense.

Incidently Geelong beat Hawthorn in a close one.

[F1fanatic]

I suspect you're right - it was a rat snake.

Funnily enough I dropped a plant pot where I always leave them today, only to see a snake as shocked as I was!

The snake was also a good couple of metres long and I'm pretty sure that as it didn't 'rear up', but immediately shot off, it was a rat snake.

[IMA_FARANG]

Similar to what my Thai wfe claims happened to her about 20 years ago right nere in Bangkok in the very house I am now living in right now.

At that time the kitchen was partially open, with a small terrace outside where she hung her washing. The house has been remodled since that time.

M wife had two dogs in the house then. She had done a load of laundry and was hanging it out on the terrace to dry. One of the dogs started barking at something on the low wall next to that terrace. My wife yelled at the dog to be quiet, but he kept barking.

My wife looked over to see what the dog was barking at, and took a couple of steps toward him. At that very instant a head appeared rearing up from the wall. It was a Cobra. My wife screamed and ran back inside the house.

Her son was home and he poked his head outside to see what mom was running from. He says it was a Cobra that was 2 to 3 meters long.

The snake raised itself up to the top of that low wall, then apparently finding nothing of any value there, turned around and dropped back down to the ground. It slithered away toward a swampy/marshy area in the back of the house...which has also been filled in now...and another house built there.

My Thai wife still believes that dog...now gone to dog heaven...saved her life. She was only about a meter away from where the snake climbed up onto the wall.

Edited June 11, 2011 by IMA_FARANG

[Old Croc]

Coming from Australia, I've seen plenty of snakes, but I have never before had one pop up in a window and peer in like this.

It's head was bent forward at right angles from the neck as it looked around to see what was inside. When it spotted me it stared for a few seconds, then bobbed down and up a couple of times.

I don't think Rat snakes can bend their heads this way. I've been looking at pics of snakes heads since the incident and I'm even more convinced it's a cobra, which is worrying because it's holed up not far from my back door.

[Mrjlh]

Won't let me add a picture

Edited June 11, 2011 by Mrjlh

[ozzieovaseas]

Interesting, my only question is.. where are you situated? and why would this deadly serpent be interested in what you are up to ?

It surely must have been planted on the scene by some evil Thai person hellbent on seeing your short demise..but I will leave that sort of innuendo and the usual suggestions that you have been on the Lao whiskey to all the other punters

thats if there are any

Interesting, right back at you.

Your only question turned out to be at least two, and they were accompanied by some bizzare comments that don't seem to be very relevent.

Firstly, I'm in Patong, but on a hillside with a lot of jungle, and apparently wildlife, around.

I didn't get to ask the serpent it's intentions and, as I have never tried Lao whiskey (preferring more upmarket brands), I don't try to converse with serpents. Although, I did decide to have a beer or so following the visit from the snake which my GF is pretty sure was a cobra.

Your conspiricey theory, apparently to be put forward by others, doesn't make much sense.

Incidently Geelong beat Hawthorn in a close one.

Ahhh, thanks for the good news regarding the pussies and hawks..that news alone must be worthy of a few tinnies.

But, yes i can see how my mediocre attempts at geeing you up didnt make a real lot of sense and were not all that dapper. In all honesty i would have kakked my daks had i been visited by a Joe Blake having a squiz at me like that. So yes, i can see the seriousness of your predicament, we dont want this geezer on the ran tan terrorising any rug rats that might stumble into his path .

If i might offer something semi-coherant/usefull this time..maybe you could prepare some special Joe Blake tucker and hope he croaks it? Maybe a tad of the previously mentioned Lao whisky mixed with some grub? Maybe even spread some ratsack about, idea being that the rats will kark it, and along comes joey who chows down on the leftovers and winds up pushing up daisys hinself?

Failing that you could get the good missus to leave some of that dreadful poo plah rah stuff laying about, im sure that would kill a brown dog

[snamos]

Thatwazabluddygoodpoztmatey

Interesting, my only question is.. where are you situated? and why would this deadly serpent be interested in what you are up to ?

It surely must have been planted on the scene by some evil Thai person hellbent on seeing your short demise..but I will leave that sort of innuendo and the usual suggestions that you have been on the Lao whiskey to all the other punters

thats if there are any

Interesting, right back at you.

Your only question turned out to be at least two, and they were accompanied by some bizzare comments that don't seem to be very relevent.

Firstly, I'm in Patong, but on a hillside with a lot of jungle, and apparently wildlife, around.

I didn't get to ask the serpent it's intentions and, as I have never tried Lao whiskey (preferring more upmarket brands), I don't try to converse with serpents. Although, I did decide to have a beer or so following the visit from the snake which my GF is pretty sure was a cobra.

Your conspiricey theory, apparently to be put forward by others, doesn't make much sense.

Incidently Geelong beat Hawthorn in a close one.

Ahhh, thanks for the good news regarding the pussies and hawks..that news alone must be worthy of a few tinnies.

But, yes i can see how my mediocre attempts at geeing you up didnt make a real lot of sense and were not all that dapper. In all honesty i would have kakked my daks had i been visited by a Joe Blake having a squiz at me like that. So yes, i can see the seriousness of your predicament, we dont want this geezer on the ran tan terrorising any rug rats that might stumble into his path .

If i might offer something semi-coherant/usefull this time..maybe you could prepare some special Joe Blake tucker and hope he croaks it? Maybe a tad of the previously mentioned Lao whisky mixed with some grub? Maybe even spread some ratsack about, idea being that the rats will kark it, and along comes joey who chows down on the leftovers and winds up pushing up daisys hinself?

Failing that you could get the good missus to leave some of that dreadful poo plah rah stuff laying about, im sure that would kill a brown dog

[Old Croc]

Thanks Ozzie.

I thought there may have been a bit of sampling of the advertised product in your post so I laid off a bit in reply.

I think you may have lost a few poms and yanks with that response.

[petercallen]

Snakes are common all over Phuket even in the built up areas, you just do not see them very often

The bloke doing the lopping for me had one come out of a hole in the tree near his feet go up his leg

and head into the top of the tree, it gave him a real fright.

Checking the Internet it was a green tree snake, not deadly to people although it is mildly poisonous

There is a good chance what old croc saw was a cobra, they only flare there hood as a defensive measure

If you are worried about snakes stamp your feet when you walk, they feel the vibrations and will get out

of your way,

[keestha]

Every day people working in rice fields/rubber plantations are bitten by snakes.

But did anybody ever hear/read a report about a tourist/expat being bitten?

[Mrjlh]

Did the snake look like this?

[PhilHarries]

Thanks Ozzie.

I thought there may have been a bit of sampling of the advertised product in your post so I laid off a bit in reply.

I think you may have lost a few poms and yanks with that response.

Well I'm a pom and it all made perfect(ish) sense to me but then I've worked with a fair few Aussies.

I've not heard the term "Joe Blake" before, it's sounds like a derivative of Cockney rhyming slang, has Ozzie done time as a bartender in Lahndahn tahrn?

[snamos]

I saw a green tree snake come out of a drain on nanai road one morning whilst eating my breakfast, it caused a lot of excitement....an elderly woman manged to shoo the snake away with a broom

[Old Croc]

Joe Blake is a commonly used term in Oz.

I've seen many green tree snakes around, beautiful things, they go like a rocket when you shoo them away.

Had another long, slender little snake outside the back door a few months ago. Don't know what it was, it had brown and reddish colours down the length of it's body. Looked harmless, last saw it under the outside washing machine.

Things could have been interesting if this fellow had been still living on the wall:

He shot through after about a week.

The gardener just poked around in the hole under the wall where the snake disappeared, he says there are holes and crevases going everywhere. It could be anywhere.

Although, I'm probably in more danger from the wall collapsing!

[Old Croc]

Did the snake look like this?

Without the flared hood, it's head was very similar to your pic.

I noticed the staring eyes and large scales which is why I immediately thought cobra. And the fact it held it's gaze on me for a few seconds. It was a darker colour than the pic and I didn't notice any patterns on it's neck.

The GF, who has come face to face with King cobras in Loei, was fairly sure it was a cobra.

[petercallen]

Did the snake look like this?

Without the flared hood, it's head was very similar to your pic.

I noticed the staring eyes and large scales which is why I immediately thought cobra. And the fact it held it's gaze on me for a few seconds. It was a darker colour than the pic and I didn't notice any patterns on it's neck.

The GF, who has come face to face with King cobras in Loei, was fairly sure it was a cobra.

I know of one person who gave a king cobra the chop in Patong

I think it was in a apartment block very close to where you live

[ScubaBuddha]

It must be the season. I nearly ran over a 1.5m snake outside the house tonight. He had a firm grip on a large frog/toad. I couldn't make out what kind it was at first. Then the swallowed frog stretched the skin on the back of the snakes neck and the very visible monocle left no doubt what kind it was.

Afterwards, my Thai gf made perhaps the funniest joke of her life when she said, "They say when you see two snakes in one day it is good luck!" which will make sense when you read my other post this evening:

Edited June 14, 2011 by ScubaBuddha

[Jimi007]

Snakes come out more during the rainy season. There are cobras all over Phuket. I found found this site very useful in identifying every type of snake that I have seen over the years around my house. Link: Snakes common in Thailand It covers poisonous and non poisonous snakes as well as spiders and other insects and animals... A cobra will usually hiss to warn you. I have heard and seen them many times as my dog goes after them...

[ScubaBuddha]

Another pic.

[Peterocket]

Another pic.

Awsome pic

[MissChris]

Old Croc

Don't know about Thai snakes, but here in Oz the message is loud and clear...remembering that we have some of the most toxic snakes in the world...

People who get bitten by snakes are usually blokes with hoes in their hands trying to kill the snake. Overwhelming numbers of bites are not envenomated - the snake is telling you to bugger off. Children are rarely bitten. Probably because they are noisy when approaching the snake hangout.

If you have an adult snake near your house, chances are that it has been there for years. Snakes are territorial, having very little brain. It has probably gotten out of your way, although, without a calendar, they CAN make mistakes on weekends when people are home from work, change in routine, etc. If you kill the one there, you run the risk of a new, nervous, agitated replacement moving in which needs to learn to keep out of your way and you are likely to blunder into each other.

Keep elasticized bandages on hand to firmly wrap the bitten limb from fingers or toes up past the bite if the worst happens. Don't wash it first. Go to hospital.

Apparently Sri Lanka has a very high level of deaths due to cobras (according to Steve Irwin) because in the tea plantations the workers are barefoot, due to the bare slippery ground and they don't see the snakes under the bushes which are densely planted.

An earlier forum talked about people who come and take snakes away. Probably for lunch. But be warned about newcomers. My silly neighbour killed 23 brown snakes one summer. The most stupid move he made was killing the first one. In 17 years, I have seen only a few on our property which has abundant habitat for all sorts of snakes. The funniest was a little tree snake being chased by the cat. The geese were busy doing runway practice and one stepped on the poor thing without noticing! The cat got a good boot up the bum for his trouble.

Can't say why the cobra would have a 'moment' when he had to gaze through your window...moment of madness...female nearby...hole full of water...

I noticed in Villa a 5 litre container of snake repellent. Laughed at the time. It contains clove oil and other high aromatics. Apparently it works really well. Evidence based. Can't give you a citation. Sorry.

MissChris

[Peterocket]

Old Croc

People who get bitten by snakes are usually blokes with hoes in their hands

Same in Phuket

[Old Croc]

Thanks for the pics SB. That is the same species of snake that peeped in my window. The colour and shape of head was identical, but mine was a bit longer than 1.5 m.

I didn't realize before that you can't see the white markings on the hood unless it is flared (or streched out swallowing prey).