Monacled Cobra To Kill Or Not To Kill

[Rooo]

Ok back on topic, the OP has the choice. Some posters advocate killing the snake, some advocate removal if possible. They both make a point,

I respect the cultural aspect , but I'm also one of these people that don't advocate senseless killing.

[smokie36]

Ok back on topic, the OP has the choice. Some posters advocate killing the snake, some advocate removal if possible. They both make a point,

I respect the cultural aspect , but I'm also one of these people that don't advocate senseless killing.

I'd say best to call the snake guy. Then pop out for some fried chicken...best of both worlds.

[sbk]

p that snake is only a threat if you aren't tending to your local area and watching over things. he's most likely not going to enter a yard where a few kids are playing noisily, he's not going to seek you out for his next meal. he'll follow a snake though so keep your grass cut and don't leave small objects/hiding places lying around and you'll all be just fine. relocate him please.

In my extensive experience with snakes, and cobras specifically, I have to tell you this has not been my experience in the many many years I have lived here. I have had cobras enter my home (doors are open all day) and curl up outside my bedroom door, and we have a fairly active place with 3 dogs. I have had cobras in my kitchen, I have had them in my bathroom thats attached to the house, and like I said, had one curl up happily outside my bedroom door as I napped inside during the middle of the day.

They will enter even active areas. There is no long grass around my house but I live near a small stream. There are no hiding places around my house, but obviously they like the inside.

We kill the cobras that come into our house. We kill the ones that come into our resort and are in public areas. I do not want to be responsible if a guest gets bitten by a cobra because I didn't relocate him in time.

In the OP's case, I would have called the snake man, you'd better know what you are doing to confront a highly poisonous snake and most people do not.

And yes, I'd rather have rodents than poisonous snakes in my home.

[onionluke]

I was witness to a cobra killing when one entered my father in law's house one night . The guy that did the dirty deed got to eat its heart washed down with the old rice hooch . They did not mess about . I was standing on the sitting table outside the house brandishing a broom like a right tottie .

[insertmembernamehere]

What is the deal with all this "with young children around," stuff? Is it more important that a snake does not bike a kid compared to an adult? If the snake is considered dangerous, it must be dangerous to all humans, regardless of age.

I would not kill a snake for no reason.

I would however kill a snake if I needed its skin for a project (I am currently looking for a green snake for this purpose). I would probably also kill it if I thought it was a threat to other humans or their pets. Of course, it is likely that there are more of these snakes around; I have no idea how one would either find them all or be sure that you had actually found them all. I guess you have to assume that there are more out there, even if you don't run across them. The fact is that snakes are more wary of you than you think. Unless you are unlucky enough to accidentally put a snake in a defensive mode, you are unlikely to ever even see one although they might be right there around the houses.

Alternately, you could learn to charm it and pick up a few bob busking in Chaweng....

[spindle]

p that snake is only a threat if you aren't tending to your local area and watching over things. he's most likely not going to enter a yard where a few kids are playing noisily, he's not going to seek you out for his next meal. he'll follow a snake though so keep your grass cut and don't leave small objects/hiding places lying around and you'll all be just fine. relocate him please.

In my extensive experience with snakes, and cobras specifically, I have to tell you this has not been my experience in the many many years I have lived here. I have had cobras enter my home (doors are open all day) and curl up outside my bedroom door, and we have a fairly active place with 3 dogs. I have had cobras in my kitchen, I have had them in my bathroom thats attached to the house, and like I said, had one curl up happily outside my bedroom door as I napped inside during the middle of the day.

They will enter even active areas. There is no long grass around my house but I live near a small stream. There are no hiding places around my house, but obviously they like the inside.

We kill the cobras that come into our house. We kill the ones that come into our resort and are in public areas. I do not want to be responsible if a guest gets bitten by a cobra because I didn't relocate him in time.

In the OP's case, I would have called the snake man, you'd better know what you are doing to confront a highly poisonous snake and most people do not.

fear. I'd rather have rodents than poisonous snakes in my home.

It's such a pity that when human interests (particularly commercial) conflict with those of animals the only solution seems to be to kill it. Particularly if it is an animal that humans have a deep rooted fear of.Snakes/spiders/crocs etc.They haven't got much of a chance once they have lost their habitat. I maintain that they have a right to be here but I suppose some of the posters will only be happy when they go the way of the indigenous Thai crocodiles..

[joe84330]

p that snake is only a threat if you aren't tending to your local area and watching over things. he's most likely not going to enter a yard where a few kids are playing noisily, he's not going to seek you out for his next meal. he'll follow a snake though so keep your grass cut and don't leave small objects/hiding places lying around and you'll all be just fine. relocate him please.

In my extensive experience with snakes, and cobras specifically, I have to tell you this has not been my experience in the many many years I have lived here. I have had cobras enter my home (doors are open all day) and curl up outside my bedroom door, and we have a fairly active place with 3 dogs. I have had cobras in my kitchen, I have had them in my bathroom thats attached to the house, and like I said, had one curl up happily outside my bedroom door as I napped inside during the middle of the day.

They will enter even active areas. There is no long grass around my house but I live near a small stream. There are no hiding places around my house, but obviously they like the inside.

We kill the cobras that come into our house. We kill the ones that come into our resort and are in public areas. I do not want to be responsible if a guest gets bitten by a cobra because I didn't relocate him in time.

In the OP's case, I would have called the snake man, you'd better know what you are doing to confront a highly poisonous snake and most people do not.

And yes, I'd rather have rodents than poisonous snakes in my home.

have you considered opening a snake farm instead of a resort? curious because i have to travel and pay to see them and you have a veritable goldmine at your feet.

i live in a semi rural area on samui with open lands around and we never see any snakes. have never had any cobras, only rat snakes and tree snakes here. in fact, i've complained here in the past due to having no snakes in the natural environment.

please catch your snakes, i'll pay for them and have them shipped over here as well.

[limbos]

What is the deal with all this "with young children around," stuff? Is it more important that a snake does not bike a kid compared to an adult? If the snake is considered dangerous, it must be dangerous to all humans, regardless of age.

I would not kill a snake for no reason.

I would however kill a snake if I needed its skin for a project (I am currently looking for a green snake for this purpose). I would probably also kill it if I thought it was a threat to other humans or their pets. Of course, it is likely that there are more of these snakes around; I have no idea how one would either find them all or be sure that you had actually found them all. I guess you have to assume that there are more out there, even if you don't run across them. The fact is that snakes are more wary of you than you think. Unless you are unlucky enough to accidentally put a snake in a defensive mode, you are unlikely to ever even see one although they might be right there around the houses.

Alternately, you could learn to charm it and pick up a few bob busking in Chaweng....

Emotions always run higher with kids. Not saying it's ok for an adult to get bitten, but the general consensus on an emotional level has kids on a very high place.

[sbk]

p that snake is only a threat if you aren't tending to your local area and watching over things. he's most likely not going to enter a yard where a few kids are playing noisily, he's not going to seek you out for his next meal. he'll follow a snake though so keep your grass cut and don't leave small objects/hiding places lying around and you'll all be just fine. relocate him please.

In my extensive experience with snakes, and cobras specifically, I have to tell you this has not been my experience in the many many years I have lived here. I have had cobras enter my home (doors are open all day) and curl up outside my bedroom door, and we have a fairly active place with 3 dogs. I have had cobras in my kitchen, I have had them in my bathroom thats attached to the house, and like I said, had one curl up happily outside my bedroom door as I napped inside during the middle of the day.

They will enter even active areas. There is no long grass around my house but I live near a small stream. There are no hiding places around my house, but obviously they like the inside.

We kill the cobras that come into our house. We kill the ones that come into our resort and are in public areas. I do not want to be responsible if a guest gets bitten by a cobra because I didn't relocate him in time.

In the OP's case, I would have called the snake man, you'd better know what you are doing to confront a highly poisonous snake and most people do not.

fear. I'd rather have rodents than poisonous snakes in my home.

It's such a pity that when human interests (particularly commercial) conflict with those of animals the only solution seems to be to kill it. Particularly if it is an animal that humans have a deep rooted fear of.Snakes/spiders/crocs etc.They haven't got much of a chance once they have lost their habitat. I maintain that they have a right to be here but I suppose some of the posters will only be happy when they go the way of the indigenous Thai crocodiles..

Snakes in my house are not acceptable, no idea where you live but I suggest you move somewhere you get them regularly and then after you've come face to face with them in your kitchen, your bedroom and your bathroom come back and lecture me. Oddly enough, my life is most important to me, thanks.

[onionluke]

I don't blame farmers for killing snakes . Snakes are a danger to them and they know the poisenous ones only too well .

I , an ill informed scaredy cat on the other hand confess to killing a few around the yard , they were harmless Rainbow Water snakes and not jumping for the jugular Red Water snakes ( pls excuse the translated names ) . It is possible I was fed wrong information to prompt my killing frenzy .

[joe84330]

man am i happy i have access to google and a basic idea of what they are, what they are after and what they do (and won't do) to get it.

each and every one of you has spent ten minutes reading tips on how to remove or avoid mosquitos and dengue and/malaria kill far more people each year than a venomous snake. so take 5 minutes and help snake proof your property and leave the fear mongering to politicians.

http://ufwildlife.ifas.ufl.edu/venomous_snake_faqs.shtml

[onionluke]

man am i happy i have access to google and a basic idea of what they are, what they are after and what they do (and won't do) to get it.

each and every one of you has spent ten minutes reading tips on how to remove or avoid mosquitos and dengue and/malaria kill far more people each year than a venomous snake. so take 5 minutes and help snake proof your property and leave the fear mongering to politicians.

http://ufwildlife.if...nake_faqs.shtml

They can climb vertical walls don't you know ? Google " snakes climbing vertical walls" and be enlightened . Again it is all in American so I am not sure if the same rules apply .

[joe84330]

man am i happy i have access to google and a basic idea of what they are, what they are after and what they do (and won't do) to get it.

each and every one of you has spent ten minutes reading tips on how to remove or avoid mosquitos and dengue and/malaria kill far more people each year than a venomous snake. so take 5 minutes and help snake proof your property and leave the fear mongering to politicians.

http://ufwildlife.if...nake_faqs.shtml

They can climb vertical walls don't you know ? Google " snakes climbing vertical walls" and be enlightened . Again it is all in American so I am not sure if the same rules apply .

glad it's in american, these thai cobras will never understand it that way.

[Tropicalevo]

Not pointless; I eat what I kill. Cobra makes a delightful curry. And I'm NOT trolling. It is delicious. I am certainly not alone in my views about keeping a place populated by humans safe for humans. If the snake were encountered in an unpopulated area or an area of low population density, my view would be completely different. Calling somebody that does not agree with you an "idiot" or a "schmuck" does more to reflect on your own mentality than anything else.

And Roo, I know plenty of Thais where I live in a rural area of southern Phitsanulok that would quickly kill that snake were it encountered here. There would be no thought of calling a "snake handler." I seriously doubt if there is even such a person in my area. My Thai wife never heard of such a person and she is an educated school teacher. And, were the snake killed in my village, it would definitely be eaten. There were dead cobras galore for sale in the local markets during the flooding.

If you call snake food then enjoy your meal is all I have to say. An occasional treat for some I believe. What does it taste like?

What else? Chicken

I can confirm that - having eaten snake in HK and Shanghai.

Edited January 19, 2012 by Tropicalevo

[Tropicalevo]

They can climb vertical walls don't you know ? Google " snakes climbing vertical walls" and be enlightened . Again it is all in American so I am not sure if the same rules apply .

Not really relevant in this particular case. There is a good book, easy to buy here on Samui entitled "Snakes and other reptiles of Thailand and SE Asia". It is published by Asia Books. Useful when you live here.

There are many tree/wall climbing snakes - MOST are harmless. Most - not all. The most common tree climber here is the Golden Tree Snake. (Coconut green snake to a lot of locals.) Oh and it flies! Yes, there are flying snakes in the same way that there are flying squirrels.

However, cobras are mainly terrestrial. ie they live on the ground. They are not built for climbing. A decent sized wall will keep them out, but when the big suckers come along (5+ meters long) a big wall may not be that big.

Killing them is illegal - call Phil the Snake man. (Sorry - not much help if you are on KPN or KT. )

[starcandle]

What is the deal with all this "with young children around," stuff? Is it more important that a snake does not bike a kid compared to an adult? If the snake is considered dangerous, it must be dangerous to all humans, regardless of age.

I would not kill a snake for no reason.

I would however kill a snake if I needed its skin for a project (I am currently looking for a green snake for this purpose). I would probably also kill it if I thought it was a threat to other humans or their pets. Of course, it is likely that there are more of these snakes around; I have no idea how one would either find them all or be sure that you had actually found them all. I guess you have to assume that there are more out there, even if you don't run across them. The fact is that snakes are more wary of you than you think. Unless you are unlucky enough to accidentally put a snake in a defensive mode, you are unlikely to ever even see one although they might be right there around the houses.

Alternately, you could learn to charm it and pick up a few bob busking in Chaweng....

The reason I mention " young children around" is this, if I or any adult see a slippery snake moving along, as an adult we know to avoid it, a young inquisitive child is quite likely to approach it.

especially a european who never encounters a snake of any description.

The original post I put up was, because I was torn between leaving it be, or eliminating any chance of ANYBODY getting bitten.

the truth of my considerations is, that the t**ts that drive mini buses are far more likely to kill ME rather than a snake I can try to avoid.

I do agree that Samui would be a better place should we have a cull on mini bus drivers doing warp speed everywhere they go rather than a snake I see oh so rarerly.

[TongueThaied]

I also eat rat. It also tastes like chicken. But then anything curried in the Thai style tastes like, well, curry. They all taste about the same. What you eat or don't eat is your choice. But don't put down what somebody else eats. Instead of cloaking yourselves in cultural elitism, try truely immersing yourself the culture of the country in which you have chosen to live. Try all the food, which is at the heart of a culture. Rat is no less a food than chicken except in your head. And hey, if we have villagers eating rats, we can kill all the snakes, right? See how that works?

I never shot a bear. I have eaten bear, though. It does not taste like chicken, but is quite delicious. As is buffalo (Thai) and bison (American).

By the way, THERE ARE NO "SNAKE HANDLERS" IN OR NEAR MY VILLAGE. Nobody here has heard of such a thing. Everybody just kills the unwanted snakes that are deemed threatening. I recently killed a baby python. The big ones kill our chickens.

Edited January 20, 2012 by TongueThaied

[limbos]

I also eat rat. It also tastes like chicken. But then anything curried in the Thai style tastes like, well, curry. They all taste about the same. What you eat or don't eat is your choice. But don't put down what somebody else eats. Instead of cloaking yourselves in cultural elitism, try truely immersing yourself the culture of the country in which you have chosen to live. Try all the food, which is at the heart of a culture. Rat is no less a food than chicken except in your head. And hey, if we have villagers eating rats, we can kill all the snakes, right? See how that works?

I never shot a bear. I have eaten bear, though. It does not taste like chicken, but is quite delicious. As is buffalo (Thai) and bison (American).

It's rather important to point out that the rats eaten by Thais are no your average scavenger rats that hush around in the garbage but are well fed rats that are caught in rice paddies.

[TongueThaied]

It's rather important to point out that the rats eaten by Thais are no your average scavenger rats that hush around in the garbage but are well fed rats that are caught in rice paddies.

Okay, okay, okay! I also do not advocate senseless killing -- never have. I do however, belief in killing wildlife to protect people, pets and property. If you have a snake handler, for XXXX sake, call the snake handler. If you are in a rural non-tourist area, you probably have neither snake farms nor snake handlers. We do not. The snake farms double as tourist attractions ans suppliers of venom for antivenin. The biggest issue with calling a snake handler is that the snake may escape. An escaped snake is a breeeding snake. The whole idea is to create a safer environment for people pets and livestock by reducing the poisonous snake population.

"I don't blame farmers for killing snakes . Snakes are a danger to them and they know the poisenous ones only too well."

Now I have been living here for a few years, and have yet to see a snake that a Thai sis n ot immediately say was a cobra. It seems that to most Thais, all snakes are cobras!

As for the rats eaten by Thais, let me point out that it is true, Thais only eat rice paddy rats. However scavenger house rats are exactly the same species; they have just moved their home from the rice paddy to the more comfortable house. So if you reduce the rat population by eating paddy rats, you will reduce the supply of rats waiting to enter you home. Bon Appétit!

Edited January 20, 2012 by Rooo

[Totster]

What is the deal with all this "with young children around," stuff? Is it more important that a snake does not bike a kid compared to an adult? If the snake is considered dangerous, it must be dangerous to all humans, regardless of age.

I would not kill a snake for no reason.

I would however kill a snake if I needed its skin for a project (I am currently looking for a green snake for this purpose). I would probably also kill it if I thought it was a threat to other humans or their pets. Of course, it is likely that there are more of these snakes around; I have no idea how one would either find them all or be sure that you had actually found them all. I guess you have to assume that there are more out there, even if you don't run across them. The fact is that snakes are more wary of you than you think. Unless you are unlucky enough to accidentally put a snake in a defensive mode, you are unlikely to ever even see one although they might be right there around the houses.

Alternately, you could learn to charm it and pick up a few bob busking in Chaweng....

Emotions always run higher with kids. Not saying it's ok for an adult to get bitten, but the general consensus on an emotional level has kids on a very high place.

Not really emotions, but children may not have the experience/sense/knowledge to stay away from a potentially dangerous snake, so for that reason they are more at risk.

totster

[insertmembernamehere]

totster:

Not really emotions, but children may not have the experience/sense/knowledge to stay away from a potentially dangerous snake, so for that reason they are more at risk.

Unless you are talking about an unattended infant, which we are not, kids have a common sense as humans to be wary of snakes. I don't think this is debatable. At the age a child is allowed to play outside with no or minimal supervision, that child will be no more likely than an adult to say, "Oh, pretty snake....I will pick it up and play with it....maybe put it in my mouth..."

I am also marveling at why snakes seem to be so "protected," to the extent that there is an actual "rescue" service. Is it because they are iconic and often colorful and exotic? Where is the sewer rat rescue? Or the scorpion rescue? Or the spider rescue?

To the OP: If you feel comfortable capturing the animal and relocating it, go ahead. But if not, and since it poses a threat to people and pets, kill it.

[itishothere]

A big, fat, and (potentially ugly) farang with poor circulation, is much more likely to survive a snake attack than a cute, cuddly, little blue eyed toddler.

[necronx99]

totster:

Not really emotions, but children may not have the experience/sense/knowledge to stay away from a potentially dangerous snake, so for that reason they are more at risk.

Unless you are talking about an unattended infant, which we are not, kids have a common sense as humans to be wary of snakes. I don't think this is debatable. At the age a child is allowed to play outside with no or minimal supervision, that child will be no more likely than an adult to say, "Oh, pretty snake....I will pick it up and play with it....maybe put it in my mouth..."

I am also marveling at why snakes seem to be so "protected," to the extent that there is an actual "rescue" service. Is it because they are iconic and often colorful and exotic? Where is the sewer rat rescue? Or the scorpion rescue? Or the spider rescue?

To the OP: If you feel comfortable capturing the animal and relocating it, go ahead. But if not, and since it poses a threat to people and pets, kill it.

Snakes have a commercial value and "Snake handler removes deadly cobra" is a better title for a news article than "Dumb Farang dies trying to kill deadly cobra"

Don't forget, most westerners with the exception of perhaps some Aussies and Americans have absolutely 0 experience with snakes at all let alone venomous ones.

And I usually use a shotgun.

[longtom]

I live in a small 'compound' with only Thais in Nathon, and we twice had big cobras hiding under/between large piles of wood planks. The owner called Samui rescue and they did a good job catching them, although it took 3 guys quite a long time to find the buggers. But I don't know how they 'disposed' of them afterwards.

[joe84330]

A big, fat, and (potentially ugly) farang with poor circulation, is much more likely to survive a snake attack than a cute, cuddly, little blue eyed toddler.

perhaps, but venomous snakes have the ability to adjust the amount of venom to suit their prey. humans, big and fat or small and cuddly are not prey, so unless you are really messing around with it you aren't going to get much if any venom. i'll have to go back through many years of photos but maybe i'll find the cobra that i accidentally stepped on in bophut on the golf course. no venom, not even a bite, he just raised up in order to look at me funny before disappearing into the trees. i have however had dengue fever so i wish mosquitos were getting this much attention.

[marstons]

Dead snake or dead kid, guess its down to whats most important. in the wild i avoid trying to harm them, as in drive around if in the car, if in my house then its got to be dispatched. they dont as the TV shows imply avoid humans and stay away from where humans are. and certainly dont rush off at the appearance of a human. at present my dog kills them, venomous or not,, but one day he will loose.

Edited January 20, 2012 by marstons

[TongueThaied]

i'll have to go back through many years of photos but maybe i'll find the cobra that i accidentally stepped on in bophut on the golf course. no venom, not even a bite, he just raised up in order to look at me funny before disappearing into the trees. i have however had dengue fever so i wish mosquitos were getting this much attention.

Wow, Joe, that was some pretty quick camera work. You stepped on a snake you did not see, then as he (or she) reared up, you snatched out your camera and took a photo before the snake quickly disappeared into the trees. That's impressive. The poor snake didn't have a chance.

I also kill mosquitos every chance I get, senslessly, I suppose, since I have never (intentionally) eaten one. Try the "Mosquito Dunks." They work great by releasing a non-toxic parasite into the water that attacks the mosquito larvae. Believe me, the mosquitos get A LOT more attention from me than snakes. My [Thai] family is amazed by the dearth of mosquitos since I came to town.

[Totster]

totster:

Not really emotions, but children may not have the experience/sense/knowledge to stay away from a potentially dangerous snake, so for that reason they are more at risk.

Unless you are talking about an unattended infant, which we are not, kids have a common sense as humans to be wary of snakes. I don't think this is debatable. At the age a child is allowed to play outside with no or minimal supervision, that child will be no more likely than an adult to say, "Oh, pretty snake....I will pick it up and play with it....maybe put it in my mouth..."

Sorry, I disagree, leave nothing to chance.

The other aspect is that a snake bite would be more toxic to a small child than a fully grown adult would it not ?

totster

[PoorSucker]

Rural Snake handler.

[insertmembernamehere]

The other aspect is that a snake bite would be more toxic to a small child than a fully grown adult would it not ?

Not according to Joe84330.